By David Seduski | Development Associate
Unfortunately, NFTE New York Metro’s project to bring our groundbreaking curriculum to 20 students did not reach the critical mass of donations we were looking for. Thanks so much to those who did donate, we appreciate all the efforts you have made to bring our students entrepreneurial dreams to life. NFTE New York Metro was able to provide entrepreneurship classes, mentoring sessions, and financial literacy education to 3,000 students in the 2013-2014 school year, making it one of our most successful yet.
One shining example of the success NFTE New York Metro had this year can be found in Terriq D. and Mohit K., the co-founders of PopCasa. These two young entrepreneurs rose above the rest of the field by winning the New York Metro Business Plan Competition, giving them an opportunity to present at the National Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge in Mountain View California on October 9. Their venture, PopCasa, offer a flavorful, healthy alternative to everyday snack foods. Their two varieties of kettle korn are Indian Masala and Jamaican Jerk, and both are low-fat and geared towards those seeking a more health-conscious yet still delicious treat. For winning the New York competition not only did they gain entry into the National Challenge, they also won seed capital to help start their business and the valuable experience of pitching to a panel of judges consisting of local business professionals and entrepreneurs.
Terriq and Mohit took the feedback offered by the judges, as well as the startup capital, and refined their business plan for the National Challenge. They improved their packaging and branding message, and got FDA nutritional information printed on every box of PopCasa kettle korn. Although they did not win the National Challenge, their pitch certainly got the judges attention. They sold several bags of their product at the student expo later that night, having one of the most popular products amongst the young entrepreneurs. Their success was partially fueled by donors like those of who donated on GlobalGiving. Thanks again for thinking of our students, and for helping them to think in an entrepreneurial mindset.
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