Pymble entrepreneurs are getting their business done!
Wednesday 13 December, 2017
The inaugural Pymble Ladies’ College Entrepreneurs’ Society has had a productive first year, winning the Student Stream at the Amazon Web Service Summit in April and culminating in a Shark Tank style pitch of the business ideas they have been working on throughout 2017.
Five teams of Pymble students pitched prototypes and outlined business plans for a variety of innovations including a Study Buddy App where credits are earnt and spent giving or receiving help, Game On interactive HSC courses and TeamUp, an AirTasker-style App where students donate time and earn pocket money at the same time.
“Sharks” on the judging panel included the Managing Director of Generation Entrepreneur, Jack Leung, who is also a current UNSW student, the Founder and CEO of 1Scope, Christina Chun, who was recently named finalist for Startcon 2017, as well as Pymble’s Dean of Curriculum Innovation (K-12), Mr Justin Raymond and Director of Community Engagement, Mrs Kelly Mancey.
First prize was awarded to the creators of the Study Buddy App, and second prize went to TeamUP. Both teams will receive valuable advice from the Sharks about how to move into the next stage of development.
“The Pymble Entrepreneurs’ Society was launched in 2017 to support students’ entrepreneurial spirits and desire to embrace innovative thinking techniques,” says Principal, Mrs Vicki Waters, who was recently awarded the NSW Business Chamber’s 2017 Business Leader of the Year for her entrepreneurial spirit, strategic business direction and innovative ideas, while providing inspiration to a new generation of upcoming business leaders.
“Under the guidance of ex-student mentors, our Entrepreneurs’ Society motivates our girls to explore the world of possibilities and supports them in developing their own passion projects,” Mrs Waters says.
At the Amazon Web Services Summit earlier in the year, Pymble’s young entrepreneurs worked in groups in a design-thinking activity using IOT (Internet of Things) technology. The winning Pymble team pitched an idea to help the aging population administer self-care via automation.
Student Annie Xu, who completed her HSC in 2017 was a driving force behind the group. Annie has also launched her own website www.woshi.live, to share stories of inspiration and innovation among young people.
“We want to celebrate the young entrepreneurs in the region – their creativity, ambition and drive, skills, and personal achievements – and inspire our teams to see entrepreneurship as a viable career path,” Ms Xu says.