Los Angeles Student Wins NFTE West Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge

Students win $3,500 in Shark Tank-style pitch competition and advance to national finals

/EIN News/ -- Los Angeles, CA, June 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Global entrepreneurship education nonprofit Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE) has named five local student businesses as the winners of its annual West Regional Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge. The young entrepreneurs distinguished themselves through innovative business ideas, which they will present at the national finals in New York on Oct. 8 to compete for the National Champion title and cash prizes.

Competitors pitched their original business concepts to a panel of esteemed judges, including Dulari Amin, Co-Founder of sidelines.vc; Antonia Castro, NFTE alumna and Program Manager of SoLA Impact; Devang Gaur, Product Manager at Adobe; Amir Mossanen, Managing Director, Wealth Advisor at Truist Wealth; and Brittany Trick, VP Small Business Sales Manager of U.S. Bank. The judges selected a first-place winner to receive $1,500, a second-place winner to receive $1,000, a third-place winner to receive $500, and two runners up to receive $250 each.

• 1st Place: Andre Cheng from Florence Nightingale Middle School in Los Angeles with his business idea Mindi, a mental health app that is low pressure, accessible, and anonymous.
• 2nd Place: Jamie Jimenez, also from Florence Nightingale Middle School in Los Angeles, with her business idea Soberband, a wristband that uses light technology to accurately measure a driver’s blood alcohol content.
• 3^rd Place: Lychee Li from the Los Angeles Urban League with her business idea Mischee Film, a production company that will produce 12 short films per year, each one focusing on a specific perspective or type of crime.
• Runner Up: Noelle Kanon from Joseph A Gregori High School in Modesto, California, with her business idea Smart Swing, an AI gadget that attaches to a tennis player’s racket to accurately pinpoint whether the ball is in or out.
• Runner Up: Cicily Yu & Raymond Cheung Wu from Abraham Lincoln High School in San Francisco with their business idea NatureHue, a sustainable marker brand that reduces plastic waste while providing users with a non-toxic marker made of all natural ingredients.

“The NFTE West Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge is a powerful reminder of what our young people can accomplish when given the tools and support to pursue their ideas,” said Emma Hunt, Program Director of NFTE West. “This year’s competitors demonstrated exceptional innovation, resilience, and a real passion for entrepreneurship. We’re incredibly proud of each student who participated and deeply grateful to the educators, coaches, and judges who helped make this experience so impactful. Their commitment to our students’ success continues to drive this program forward.”

The event also honored Teachers of the Year Crystal Mitchell and Rhonda Holbert from the Los Angeles Urban League, as well as individual Volunteer of the Year Chris Boyd from Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati and corporate Volunteer of the Year BMO for their deep commitment to coaching and mentoring the next generation of entrepreneurs.   

The NFTE West Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge was presented by Ernst & Young LLP (EY US) and U.S. Bank with signature support from Santander Bank and associate support from First Citizens Bank, PayPal, and Zuora.   

For media inquiries, please contact Denise Berkhalter, APR, 917-281-4362, at mediainquiries@nfte.com.

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About NFTE:

Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE) ignites the entrepreneurial mindset with unique learning experiences that empower students to own their futures. A global nonprofit founded in 1987, NFTE provides high-quality entrepreneurship education to middle school, high school and postsecondary students. NFTE brings the power of entrepreneurship to students, regardless of family income, community resources, special needs, gender identity, race, or ethnicity. NFTE has educated more than a million students, delivering our programs in school, out of school, in-person, online, or through hybrid models. Visit nfte.com to learn more.

Attachments

• NFTE West Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge Champion
• 2025 NFTE West Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge Winners

Denise Berkhalter, APR
                    Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE)
                    917-281-4362
                    deniseb@nfte.com