Every year over 30 teams reach the semi-finals of Entrepreneur Idol USA (http://nuei.net), an elevator, idea pitch competition which provides students with the opportunity to express their innovative vision and creativity. Emphasizing students’ ability to succinctly deliver their business idea and capture the interest of the audience, Entrepreneur Idol hopes to encourage student innovators to pursue their dreams.
I went in with a venture similar to the one that got me to the finals last year- a business dealing with soy. Soy, soymilk, engineering, nutritional programs- all my fathers' passions instilled on to me.
This year, a friend and I pitched a venture in El Salvador: a soymilk production plant that would supply 2,280 cups per day to children in public schools through guaranteed government contracts. The soybeans we'd get from the World Initiative for Soy in Human Health (www.wishh.org), and with my father's mentorship and expertise, we managed to secure a deal for a low-cost, high-tech plant from Prosoya in Canada. The venture would break even in the first month.
We worked hard in putting the business idea together, reaching out to partners and securing contracts, but I think it was the passion that we carried through the rounds that most impressed judges like Emily Miao, PhD from MBHB and Jeff Smith, CEO of Clarity Consulting, one of the main sponsors of the competition.
I, along with three other peers: Pedro Sanchez de Lozada, Rodrigo Blandon and Guimar Vaca Sittic are putting together a business plan to compete at the University of Washington's Global Social Entrepreneurship Competition.
