Brooklyn Students Learn Business with a Mock Investor Pitch
The founders of tech startups TailBus and Huru met with students at IBM P-Tech school in Brooklyn for a hands-on workshop in entrepreneurship. Founders Bradlay Pryde (founder of Huru, acquired by Glide) and Drew Moffitt (founder of TailBus, acquired by Rally) discussed their experience creating new ventures. Through candid discussion, they revealed what went well, what went wrong, and what low-cost tools are available for entrepreneurs experimenting with a new business. In the process, they demystified the startup experience for older teens who may have their own entrepreneurial ideas, but need direction to get their ideas off the ground.
Pryde and Moffitt were joined by their colleagues at Applico, an innovation consulting firm that designs and validates new innovations for large companies. Applico decided to team up with IBM’s P-Tech program to inspire the next generation of entrepreneurs. They were motivated by the need to address the misconception that tech entrepreneurs must know how to code or must invest a lot of money upfront into a new company. Applico instructed P-Tech students on how they can use simple, low-cost tools to quickly build and test any business idea.
Armed with this new knowledge, the students were encouraged to dream up their next big venture and outline how they would go about building their own business. The students designed businesses that ranged from school-based vending machines, hip and edgy fashion lines, video game branded merchandise, and engineered pockets designed to protect wearers from overheating devices. Students then pitched their idea to their fellow students and to Applico in a mock investor pitch. Through candid and encouraging feedback, Applico’s staff hoped to convince P-Tech students that starting up their own business is within their reach.
About Applico
Applico empowers the community of industry leaders at large enterprises embrace digital and platform innovation to thrive in the digital era. By working alongside C-suites and boards as operating partners, Applico provides advisory services to build, execute and scale platform businesses to strengthen traditional companies’ core business. Applico’s staff is comprised of platform entrepreneurs, operators, bankers and designers.
Applico has worked with large enterprises for more than 10 years and draws talent from the tech sector. Applico’s staff is comprised of former tech founders, platform entrepreneurs, bankers and designers.
About P-Tech
P-TECH is a public education reform model focused on college attainment and career readiness. P-TECH schools span grades 9-14 and enable students to earn both a high school diploma and a no-cost, two-year postsecondary degree in a STEM field. Students participate in a range of workplace experiences, including mentorship, worksite visits and paid internships. Upon graduation, students have the academic and professional skills required to either continue their education in a four-year postsecondary institution or enter into entry-level careers in IT, healthcare, advanced manufacturing and other competitive fields. While the P-TECH Model encompasses six years, students are able to move at their own pace, enabling some to accelerate through the model in as little as four years. P-TECH serves students from primarily underserved backgrounds, with no testing or grade requirements. P-TECH is a powerful demonstration of public-private partnership designed to help all students achieve at the highest levels.
If you would like more information about this topic, please call Anais Concepcion at (877) 688-7567, or email anais@applicoinc.com.
