The PCI Entrepreneur Challenge was recently held at Red River College Polytech Portage campus. High school students presented business ideas in a bid to win one of three $100 prizes.

Regional campus manager Guy Moffat explains students got to learn about rapid idea generation, design thinking, and the components that are necessary for a business plan.

"Then they went and worked with their teacher, Mr. Gavin Taylor, at PCI," says Moffat. "It ended up being a short week for them so that the students did a tremendous amount of work in a very few days, because they had a couple of days off in there, because of Louis Riel Day. And then they pitched to a panel of judges on the morning of Friday the 23rd. Some of the things that the judges got to hear and business ideas were milkshakes, shaved ice cream or shaved ice cones, AND scented candles made from organic materials with soy wax and wood and wicks so they burn longer. Students put a lot of thought about the materials that they were going to be using."

He notes another group gathered old plastic bottle caps, chipped them down into smaller pieces, and melted them. This they turned into usable plastic materials like bowls.

"One of the students also had a really neat idea about creating a video game for smartphones, and they've done some research around earning opportunities for people who do make video games," continues Moffat. "So, it had in-app game purchases, as well as advertising. We heard about a podcast idea that a couple of students had. In the end, we had 13 business ideas that were pitched to our judges and our judges were representing Long Plain First Nation, Taste of Spice, Mil Jeanne Flowers & Axcenz, MNP, and Luke's Town Service."

Moffat says, in the end, three businesses were awarded some seed money to help them move on with their ideas. He outlines who they were.

"One was a business that was making key chains and drink coasters as well as bookmarks from acrylic," adds Moffat. "They could be customized to their customers' wishes. Another business idea was bringing in Indigenous-made trinkets into the campus store at Portage Collegiate Institute for students to purchase. Some of the ideas around that, I believe, were dream catchers and some beaded items. Then the third business idea that was awarded $100 was to customize cowbells. The cowbells could be used at PCI sporting events in order to help bolster team spirit and get the crowd going."

He adds student were looking at the cowbell opportunity to sell them through Keystone Sports, and broadening out to other sporting events within Portage la Prairie. 

Moffat extends his thanks to PCI teacher Gavin Taylor and the students for all of their hard work. 

"It was a fantastic event. I know that all of our sponsors -- Communities Building Youth Futures, Arrowhead Development Corporation, Heartland Futures, Portage and District Chamber, Portage Regional Economic Development Corporation, and Red River College -- are all really proud of the work and effort that was put in. We are already talking about some of the things that we want to change for next year to make the events bigger and better. We're already looking at pulling together some prize money. So, I believe, from the sponsors side of things, as well as the high school side of things, that this is going to be an annual event and we're hoping to add to it."

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