Salesforce, Elevate Ventures, STARTedUP Foundation support IPS students' entrepreneurial process

IPS students are mentored by Salesforce staff and local leaders as they continue to build their pitch for Innovate WithIN

24 January 2023 - Indianapolis - On Thursday, January 19th, the STARTedUP Foundation, in partnership with Salesforce and Elevate Ventures, offered a one-day innovation workshop for Indianapolis Public School (IPS) students to meet with staff members and community leaders like Senator Andrea Hunley and Indianapolis Colt's captain Zaire Franklin, to offer mentorship and tips to improve their business pitch for the 2023 Innovate WithIN Pitch Competition. There were twenty-seven students in attendance from three IPS high schools - Crispus Attucks High School, Herron High School and Purdue Polytechnic High School. 

“This was a great opportunity for our team to engage with students in our community and think creatively to provide beneficial business feedback,” said Katie Meares, Manager of US State & Local Government Affairs, Midwest at Salesforce, the host of today's event. “We all loved meeting with these young entrepreneurs and encouraging them as they built upon their ideas.”

Each team that participated in this event and submits a final business plan and video pitch to the Innovate WithIN Pitch Competition on or before February 3, 2023, will be entered to receive up to $2,000 in seed funding to grow their business, with the winning team receiving an automatic bid to participate in the Regional Finals. Elevate Ventures will be judging the pitches and distributing seed funding accordingly.

“Elevate Ventures is always looking for ways to continue supporting and growing young entrepreneurs,” said Titi Obasanya, Central Indiana Entrepreneur-in-Residence at Elevate Ventures. “The Innovate WithIN pitch competition is a great way to begin introducing young people to the world of business and entrepreneurship and we are proud to play a role in that process.”

The partnership between industry leaders and educational institutions is crucial when it comes to developing the future workforce and talent pipelines. 

“As an educator of 21 years, when you bring a mindset of innovation into the classroom, things change for students,” said Don Wettrick, CEO of The STARTedUP Foundation. “These young people are able to visualize real-world opportunities and are challenged to explore their own passions. Innovate WithIN is an amazing conduit for students to explore the world of entrepreneurship and we are proud to partner with anchor institutions like Elevate Ventures and Salesforce to continue turning the entrepreneurial dream into a reality for Indiana students.”

All Indiana high school students are welcome to submit a pitch for the 2023 Innovate WithIN Pitch Competition. The deadline for submission is February 3, 2023. Teams and individuals can apply today at: innovatewithin.org/application