Youth Business Plan Competition Winners Announced

Arkansas Economic Acceleration Foundation (AEAF), an affiliate of The Arkansas Capital Corporation Group, today announced the winners of the Youth Entrepreneur Showcase 2.0 (Y.E.S 2.0) statewide youth business plan competition for grades ninth through twelfth. Today’s winners were chosen in the categories of Best Business Plan and Most Innovative. The competition included 55 teams made up of more than 100 students across Arkansas. Y.E.S. 2.0 students from across the state work in small groups, led by their teacher advisors, to develop and market a business concept. The winners in the two competition categories are as follows:

Best Business Plan

• First – Conner Innovation; Mountain Home High School; Mountain Home, Ark.
  • Advisor: Glenda Small
  • Student:  Grant Conner
• Second – The Polka Pig; Alma High School; Alma, Ark.
  • Advisor:  Eileen Parham
  • Students: Anna Albers, Mac Croff, Courtney Funk, Katherine Parham
• Third – Soap Mate, Inc.; Little Rock Central High School; Little Rock, Ark.
  • Advisor:  Mary Fleming
  • Students:  Madison Vanhoozer, Caroline Martin, Linnea Wall
• Fourth – Crazy in Love; Little Rock Central High School; Little Rock, Ark.
  • Advisor:  Mary Fleming
  • Students: Sarah Nicholson, Sarah Brandon, Casey Labbate

Most Innovative

• First – Conner Innovation; Mountain Home High School; Mountain Home, Ark.
  • Advisor: Glenda Small
  • Student:  Grant Conner
• Second – Soap Mate, Inc.; Little Rock Central High School; Little Rock, Ark.
  • Advisor:  Mary Fleming
  • Students:  Madison Vanhoozer, Caroline Martin, Linnea Wall
• Third – Simple Oxygen; Little Rock Central High School; Little Rock, Ark.
  • Advisor:  Mary Fleming
  • Student: Taylor Moll
• Fourth – Munch Pen, Inc.; Greenbrier Junior High School; Greenbrier, Ark.
  • Advisor:  Taylor Stone
  • Students:  Micaela Rogers, Madi Stephens, Sean Johnson, Marc Corker, Mickey Munch

Winning team members for first place in each category received a $100 cash prize and a medal. The teacher advisor of the first place teams took home an additional $500 and a trophy. Second, third and fourth places winners in each category also received prizes. Team winners of the Y.E.S. 2.0 business plan competition are selected by Arkansas business leaders who serve as volunteer judges. Arkansas Capital Corporation Group (ACCG) is a privately held group of for-profit and non-profit corporations dedicated to improving the lives of Arkansans. ACCG and its affiliate companies empower entrepreneurs by providing capital to businesses through its capital availability programs and advocating for entrepreneurs through capital, educational and technological improvements. ACCG serves as the platform from which new opportunities are launched and today includes eight affiliates including Arkansas Capital Corporation (ACC), Six Bridges Capital Corporation (6BCC), Arkansas Capital Relending Corporation (ACRC),Arkansas Economic Acceleration Foundation (AEAF), Diamond State Ventures (DSV), Heartland Renaissance Fund (HRF), Connect Arkansas, and Pine State Capital (PSC). Arkansas Economic Acceleration Foundation (AEAF), established in 1999, is a private, 501(c)3 non-profit corporation dedicated to education-based initiatives that promote and foster the development of innovation and entrepreneurship within Arkansas. With broad support from the state’s business community, AEAF’s purpose is to nurture people and ideas to generate future Arkansas entrepreneurs. AEAF established and now manages the Donald W. Reynolds Governor’s Cup, a collegiate business plan competition, as well as business plan competitions for grades 5-8 via the Youth Entrepreneur Showcase (Y.E.S.) and grades 9-12 through the Youth Entrepreneur Showcase 2.0 (Y.E.S. 2.0).