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Young tycoons plan prize-winning businesses

Nutritious treats for dogs, a clothing store that uses body scanners to electronically fit garments, and a lock controlled by a fingerprint scan were among the winning business ideas from Years 10 and 11 students competing in Victoria University’s annual I Plan a Business (iPAB) contest.

Nearly 160 business students from secondary schools across Victoria entered the competition, now in its sixth year. The competition requires students to put their classroom theory into practice by producing a business plan for the next big idea.

Winners, who came from schools as far away as Colac and Beechworth for the awards ceremony at VU’s City Flinders Campus, received up to $250 for their efforts. Entries were judged by two VU alumni: Jason Cunningham, media finance guru and founder of the multi-million dollar Carlton accounting firm, The Practice; and Natalie Davies, Marketing Manager for Momentum Energy.

The keynote speaker for the evening was Alan Kohler, a highly respected financial journalist who has worked in senior roles at the ABC, The Age and the Financial Review.

2014 iPAB winners

Congratulations to all of the winners!

Best business plan

  • Year 10 Individual - $250
    Winner: Bethany Martyn-Saw – Staughton College, Melton
    Business Teacher: John Tikulin
    Project: The Martyn Clinic
    The Martyn Clinic is a mental health clinic for children who have suffered trauma.
  • Year 11 Group - $250 (each group winner)
    Equal winners:
     Chiara Moretta, Samantha Santa-Isabelle – Our Lady of Mercy College, Heidelberg
    Business Teacher: Jacalyn Vajda, Julie Emerson-Drake
    Project: I Scream Organic
    Chiara and Samantha’s idea was to produce vegan, gluten-free ice cream made fresh daily.
  • Year 11 Group - $250 (each group winner)
    Equal winners: Ashlee Brown, Larissa Athanassiou, Taneeka Dasilveria, Ashlea Stafrace – Point Cook Senior Secondary College
    Business Teacher: Lucinda Szechenyi, Lorraine Agius, Ms Rosser
    Project: Scandalicious
    The girls’ idea was a women’s clothing store that uses body scanners to electronically fit garments to the body that are then displayed via a mirror.
  • Year 11 Individual - $250 (each winner)
    Equal winner: Jacqueline Healy – Beechworth Secondary School, Beechworth
    Business Teacher: John Hunter
    Project: Rainy Mondays
    Jacqueline’s project was an online business specialising extreme water-proofed clothing using nano-technology that repels liquids.
  • Year 11 Individual - $250 (each winner)
    Equal winner: Tamsyn Webster – Frankston High School, Frankston
    Business Teacher: Sally Sanderson, Sarah Toovey
    Project: The Little Barkery
    Tamsyn’s project was nutritious dog treats sold through local markets.

Best multimedia project

  • Individual - $250 (each winner)
    Equal winner: Charlotte Morton – Melbourne Girls College, Richmond
    Business Teacher: Simone Bomar
    Project: Boadicea
    Charlotte’s business was a YouTube video and slide show presentation with musical backing showcasing handmade jewellery available online. Charlotte also won the opportunity to shadow Jason Cunningham for a day.
  • Individual - $250 (each winner)
    Equal winner: Laura Fairbairn, Frankston High School
    Business Teacher: Sally Sanderson, Sarah Toovey
    Project: Bare Bodywear
    Laura’s business was a fully developed website for online sales of soaps and beauty products.

Most innovative idea

  • Winner – $125: Elise Ceccin, Monica Nicoloski, Gamma Caridi – Our Lady of Mercy, Heidelberg
    Business Teacher: Jacalyn Vajda, Julie Emerson-Drake
    Project: Access for U
    The girls’ project was a lock controlled by a finger print scan to solve the problem of forgotten numbers on combination locks.

Best business name

  • Winners - $125: Megan McNabb, Samantha Gange – Trinity College – Colac
    Business Teacher: Luke Featherstone
    Project: It’s Cooking Thyme.

2015 competition

The I Plan a Business competition is now open for 2015. 

This year, the competition is open to Year 10 and 11 students across Victoria and Vocational Education (VE/TAFE) students studying at Victoria University.

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