Budding young inventors in the Boundary could find themselves on the junior version of the popular CBC show Dragon’s Den.
Junior Dragon’s Den is open to students in grades 8-10 (junior) and grade 11-12 (senior) in the West Kootenay/Boundary area.
The program is a West Kootenay wide initiative and call to action for student entrepreneurs, aged 12-17, to create their own summer job/business.
“We believe it’s going to be a great opportunity for young entrepreneurs to receive guidance to develop their business plans,” said Andrea Zibin, case manager for Community Futures Boundary. “They can also receive start-up funding for their business or RESP contributions. We’d love to see Boundary youth challenge those students over the hill.”
To qualify, students are required to submit a business concept paper for their business idea and a brief 1.5-2 minute video elevator pitch, explaining their business idea and why they should be chosen to compete in Junior Dragons’ Den. The top five applicants from each category (junior and senior) will advance to the competition and each will be assigned a mentor from the local business community.
Each applicant business will be featured online at juniordragonsden.ca, as well as through a variety of social and traditional media outlets leading up to the final competition and show.
The top five junior dragons will then pitch their refined business idea June 6 at a live show format at the Charles Bailey theatre in Trail to a panel of local West Kootenay dragons.
The first, second and third place winners from each age category will receive cash prizes and awards toward the start-up costs of their respective business, while the fourth and fifth place candidates will receive parting gift packages.
The program is sponsored by three Community Futures branches (Greater Trail, Central Kootenay and Boundary).