Students showcase startups and apps at Entrepalooza trade show

Students from several middle and high schools showcased startup projects, apps and virtual-enterprise firms at Entrepalooza, a trade-show-style event aimed at giving students practice selling products and pitching ideas before competitions in New York.

The event gathered middle-school “startup tech” teams that build apps to solve local problems, high-school and middle-school virtual-enterprise (VE) firms that run simulated companies during the school year, and students competing in pitch contests, organizers and participants said.

Student 1, a student speaker, described the trade-show format: "Well, so Entrepalooza, we have a bunch of high schools and middle schools here showcasing. Some of them are VE firms. Other ones are here for NFT. I believe showcasing their projects and and our firms. We're having a trade show." Student 1 added that the event was intended as a chance to "make some sales and get some some practice in before New York."

Student 2, another student participant, summarized the types of activities on display: "We have our middle school startup tech where students create apps, to solve problems around them. We have our high school and middle school virtual enterprises where they create their own firms and they run their firms in class throughout the school year. And we also have students participating in the nifty pitch competitions."

Student 1 described how participation in business and entrepreneurship programs changed their outlook: "Well, when I first started at Jefferson, I knew that I was gonna be part of the business and finance academy, but I I I hadn't really thought much about business. My plan was always just, you know, law school. And then when I actually got to experience programs like DECA and BE and just learn about different fields of business, I I saw that it was just a whole world full of opportunities, especially with the networking that you're able to do. I think that's the best part. And business, I mean, business runs the whole world essentially, whether you're gonna be a doctor, a lawyer, an engineer, everything is business."

Student 1 later emphasized the practical value of entrepreneurial skills: "So I think it's an incredibly important skill to have." Student 2 added that entrepreneurship classes teach collaboration, innovation and problem solving and help students "understand that they are in charge of their future" and can "have big dreams that they can take anywhere they go."

Taken together, participants said Entrepalooza combines hands-on product sales, simulated business operations and formal pitch competitions to develop transferable skills and prepare students for external competitions and possible careers in business-related fields.

Organizers and participants did not provide event dates, attendance totals, or a full list of participating schools in the available transcript.