NKU students take home prizes in two entrepreneurial competitions

Josh and Jared Young, a team of brothers and students at Northern Kentucky University, brought home prizes in two separate Kentucky business plan competitions this month.
 
The brothers took second place in the business concept division of Idea State U, presented by the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development on April 11-12. Earlier in the month, the team won the University of Pikeville Startup Challenge.
 
Idea State U is an annual statewide business plan competition designed to encourage innovation and entrepreneurship on the college level. The $100,000 in awards makes Idea State U one of the top state-sponsored business plan competitions in the country.
 
The Youngs pitched their idea for Veggie Magic, a spray solution that can be applied to vegetables to block bitter flavors. With the help of faculty advisors, students spent months developing business concepts or formal business plans, which were presented to panels of business experts serving as volunteer judges.
 
“The Young brothers have a very unique product,” says Mandy Lambert, acting commission of business development for the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development. “Not only did they do a good job of demonstrating a need for their product, the judges also liked the team’s concept, the brothers’ knowledge of how to enter the grocery store market and their plan to move the business forward.”
 
“We have been so overwhelmed with the amount of resources that NKU has made available to us,” Jared says. “We could not have won without the support of everyone at the Entrepreneurship Center and the Small Business Development Center. We strongly encourage anyone interested in starting their own venture or interested in being a part of one to take advantage of the resources NKU has to offer because for a new startup they are invaluable.”
 
As winners of the awards, the Youngs will continue to have access to not only NKU’s resources, but others as well.
 
“Our experienced business mentors continue to provide guidance throughout the startup process through programs like the Kentucky Innovation Network,” Lambert says. Winners are also invited to speak at future Idea State U competitions to share insight with college entrepreneurs. 

By Mike Sarason