NEXT Final Pitch Event Crowns Local High School Innovators, Awards $67K in Scholarships
The annual NEXT Final Pitch Event, organised by Square1, brought together 36 teams from 11 local high schools, fostering innovation and entrepreneurship in the Greater Cincinnati region. The event, held at Thomas More University, saw students competing in six divisions, including a new Spanish-speaking category. U.S. Bank and Blue North provided mentorships and co-working spaces, supporting finalists' ideas.
Notre Dame Academy students triumphed in the Social Impact and Software/App divisions, while Beechwood High School won the Smart Devices category. Covington Catholic led the Physical Products competition. Two teams from Woodward Career Technical High School tied for first place in the inaugural Spanish-speaking division.
Several teams received scholarships for their innovative ideas. Josie Roberts, Gretchen Phelps, and Milli Rhodes from Holy Cross won a $25,000 scholarship for Parking Pal, an app helping users find downtown parking spaces. Anna Amundson and Marin Connelly from Ursuline Academy secured a full-tuition, four-year scholarship to Thomas More University for Instaglow, which eliminates controversial line calls in tennis and other court sports. Keegan Wall, Logan Johns, and Nic Blanchet from Covington Catholic received a $22,000 scholarship for Lock In Lock-Box, a device countering porch package theft.
Square1's NEXT Final Pitch Event successfully showcased local high school students' entrepreneurial spirit. The event awarded scholarships totalling over $67,000, supporting young innovators in furthering their education and turning ideas into reality. Thomas More University, U.S. Bank, and Blue North played significant roles in making this event a success.
