Blue North, Northern Kentucky’s hub for entrepreneurs, startups, creatives and small businesses, is inviting high school students throughout the region to showcase their ingenuity virtually with the return of Startup Saturday.
Taking place from 6 to 9 p.m. on Nov. 20 and 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Nov. 21, Startup Saturday is an energetic, fast-paced event. Northern Kentucky high schoolers will compete in pitching creative/technology-based projects to solve challenges faced by local small businesses and startups, crafting mobile app designs, one-page websites, logos, and social media/marketing campaigns.
With Nov. 16 kicking off Global Entrepreneurship Week, Startup Saturday is the perfect way to encourage students to explore their creativity and entrepreneurial passions. The two-day event tasks students with creating new ideas for businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic that are now in need of new marketing ideas and ways to attract and retain clients and customers. Ideal Startup Saturday candidates are students interested in entrepreneurship and willing to work virtually with their squad – a.k.a. their fellow students – and a team of 2-3 professional creatives who will serve as coaches.
The Nov. 20 event will begin with small businesses presenting their company to the students and what they are looking for, followed by participants taking time getting to know their team and planning their projects. The students will spend Saturday working on projects and practicing their pitches before facing a Shark Tank-style panel of judges in hopes of winning one of three prize packs.
Blue North Executive Director Brit Fitzpatrick is excited to see what innovations arise out of this year’s Startup Saturday.
“Startup Saturday is an opportunity for the future entrepreneurs of Northern Kentucky to share their ideas in real, tangible ways that can strengthen local businesses at a time when it is needed most,” said Fitzpatrick. “Encouraging, cultivating, and inspiring students through workshops like this helps to ensure our local pipeline of talent continues to develop and shows why our region can compete with any on a national level.”
Partnering with Blue North for Startup Saturday is The INTERalliance of Greater Cincinnati, a professional development training center whose mission is to “inspire and assist young talent to pursue an IT career” in the region.
“The INTERalliance of Greater Cincinnati is thrilled to partner with Blue North to bring this amazing opportunity to our NKY high school students,” said Heather Ackels, INTERalliance Executive Director. “We believe this opportunity will help them identify the art of what is possible and fully understand what it takes to be an entrepreneur.”
Spots for this year’s Startup Saturday competition are limited to just 25 students. Students interested in applying to be part of this year’s Startup Saturday can apply online by clicking here.
To learn more about Blue North, visit bluenorthky.com.
Blue North
