Erie 1 BOCES, in partnership with 43North hosted the inaugural Students to Startups Competition, on April 25, 2024, at the Seneca One Auditorium. The event showcased the entrepreneurial spirit of ten teams of high school students from seven local school districts as they presented innovative business ideas to a panel of esteemed judges.

Following an intense round of deliberations, the judges awarded the $1,000 top prize to Pets & Found, an app designed to send out mass notifications when a pet is missing in a user’s area. The young entrepreneurs, Alexander Balaban, Elaina Bitsas and Isabella Gray were inspired by their own pets to create this business. This prize, funded by 43North, will be used to help with the development of their app.  

Students from Lakeshore and Amherst placed second and third respectively.

All attendees had the opportunity to vote on a People’s Choice Award for the business or presentation they connected to the most. Receiving the most votes was Armaan Jain and his company Bhai from Williamsville.

The first-ever Students to Startups competition was heralded a success by organizers from both Erie 1 BOCES and 43North. The event served as a capstone to a semester of hard work from the participating students as they built and refined their business plans and presentation skills under the guidance of teachers, professional development coordinators from Erie 1 BOCES and mentors from 43North. The program aimed to empower students to harness their passion for technology and innovation and to create business plans with a positive global impact. The event underscores the commitment of all involved in fostering innovation and entrepreneurship with the goal of creating a brighter, more sustainable future.  

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