Young entrepreneurs impress judges with brainy pitches
Summerland — A Summerland Secondary School student has won the first Mary Wilson Bursary for young entrepreneurs in recognition of her innovative approach to recycling plastic bags into attractive multipurpose bags.
Hannah Patterson, a 15-year-old, Grade 10 student and founder of Arterra Designs, accepted the award Tuesday evening at an event held at Centre Stage to showcase the school’s Entrepreneur Club.
In her pitch to five panelists in the Dragon’s Den-style event, Patterson said her “bags for bags” business helps to reduce the plastic waste epidemic that is killing millions of marine birds and mammals.
She converts waste plastic bags into material she uses to make such items as designer handbags and pencil cases.
In response to questions from the panelists, Patterson said that no one else is doing the same thing, her business is directed at millennials and young adults, and she wants eventually to expand her product line.
Grade 11 student Calum Bird introduced his proposed business, CPC Technologies, which uses the concept of a Cloud PC to replace the need to buy expensive computers that “are built to fail.”
“We are simply changing how you access your computer,” Bird said.
He explained that customers would use an existing computer to access a Cloud PC that has no local hardware.
Rather than paying hundreds of dollars to replace a computer every few years, customers would save significant dollars through a monthly subscription fee.
“Fascinating! I never knew this was possible. Removing the computer’s hardware is like streaming music,” said panelist Tod Laidlaw.
The other four panelists were Mirjana Komljenovic, Kelly Marshall, Andrew Nendick and Kari Harding.
Grant Mansiere, a Grade 12 student, got the idea for his business, Done Deal Sales, when his grandparents were downsizing.
“I helped them sell things they didn’t want online,” he explained.
Starting in 2014, he’s sold everything from “accordions to armchairs” on free websites.
“I take what people don’t want and turn it into cash for them,” Mansiere said.
Most of his clients are older and unfamiliar with online sales; however, busy young families also use his service and he has recently acquired his first commercial customer.
“I don’t have any competition in Canada. Just two in the U.S., including iSOLD it on eBay,” he said.
“You, my friend, are a true salesman,” Laidlaw said.
Grade 12 student Josh Frear, founder of ASM Consulting, is on his way to helping farmers increase their profit margin.
Frear’s company does aerial survey and mapping of crops using a drone equipped with six cameras.
“We use infrared to detect the health of plants. The farmer can then apply pesticide only to those areas affected by pests,” Frear explained.
Frear said he can survey 100 acres and have the results to a customer within several hours.
“I have two local competitors. One uses standard colour, which isn’t as accurate as infrared, and the other uses infrared but has a much longer turnaround time,” Frear said in response to a question.
Graham Dykstra, who is in the initial phases of developing his business ideas, spoke about how participation in the club has boosted his self-confidence and provided networking opportunities.
Reflecting on the evening’s event, panelist Marshall said, “I think this is brilliant. It could be a catalyst for similar incubators across Canada.”
The concept of an Entrepreneur Club originated with Daniel Dinsmore and grew through discussions among the board members of the Summerland and District Credit Union, which sponsored Tuesday’s event.
All showcase participants were presented with a certificate of appreciation on behalf of MP Dan Albas, small business critic for the Conservative Party of Canada.
The Mary Wilson Bursary is dedicated to its namesake “for her life of community service, and is awarded to a new business showing social, environmental and community responsibility,” said Komljenovic, a director of NeighbourLink, which sponsored the award.