Young teens from around the north coast got together on Tuesday to compete in the pitching their social enterprise ideas to local business leaders and entrepreneurs. The winner was destined to head to Sydney to work on developing their app.
Eight groups from local High Schools gathered at Mullumbimby High School to battle it out and it was extremely close say organisers. Over 100 people including family, friends, councillors, and local entrepreneurs and business people came to support the students in their pitch battle.
‘It was very close between the AD finder app that would help people with disabilities and their carers to find safe and accessible places to go and activities to do and the Orbis app that would help people take action to protect the environment in everyday ways,’ said Sam Refshauge of Young Change Agents who helped organise the event.
The judges apparently took over half an hour to decide the winner which normally takes about ten minutes as they fell two each way for the winner. The final winner was the Orbis app by students from Kingscliff High School with the AD finder pitched by students from Mullumbimby High School receiving the People’s Choice award.
‘We won the People’s Choice award for our app and one of the judges was so impressed that they said they might be interested in helping connect us with people who might be able to help inform the design,’ said Felix from the team that developed the AD finder app.
‘It was so inspiring. It was an amazing pitch night,’ said judger Dr Kristin den Exter who is the manager of academic partnerships at Southern Cross University.
‘I was really impressed with all the ideas that were put forward and the teamwork and passion behind their ideas. It was really wonderful to see.’
