Six local high school students who presented their business ideas as part of the recent Young Entrepreneurs, Make your Pitch event will earn $3,000 in startup funds and a spot in the Ontario Summer Company program.

Over 200 students signed up for the contest by posting a short video of their business ideas, and 20 students were chosen as finalists, according to a press release. The finalists then made their way to Toronto to try to sell their idea at Ontario Centres of Excellence’s Discovery Conference and Showcase last month.  

Brad Duguid, The Ontario Centres of Excellence minister of economic development and growth, said it was inspiring to see all the future business leaders.

“It was wonderful to meet the finalists and hear all about their incredible ideas. I am confident they will develop into tomorrow’s next generation of business leaders,” Duguid said in the release.

The six winners include Alessandra Kempson and the team of Sudbury; Raymond Tran of Windsor; Jeremy Chevalley of Ottawa; Ben Jacobs and team of Mississauga; Alice Chen and team from Oakville and Anjana Somasundaram and team from Scarborough.

“The Young Entrepreneurs, Make Your Pitch competition consistently impresses me as our province’s high-school students demonstrate a high level of creativity, knowledge and ingenuity year after year,” Tom Corr, Ontario Centres of Excellence president and CEO, said.