Brunswick High student Mia McGuffin won the eighth annual Startup Frederick competition held virtually May 9.
Fifteen students from seven FCPS high schools competed in school-based competitions before moving along to the county final.
The competition, modeled after the TV show “Shark Tank,” encourages entrepreneurship and connects students and local employers.
McGuffin successfully operates Green Acre’s Suds, a homemade goat milk soap business since 2022.
FCPS partner Nymeo Federal Credit Union provided $3,000 in prize money for top entries – $960 for first place, $600 for second place, and $300 for third place. Fourth-10th place received $50 per participant.
“As a community partner of FCPS, Nymeo is thrilled to once again sponsor StartUp Frederick and continue helping young inventors and entrepreneurs,” Nymeo President and CEO Vicki Johnston said. “This competition offers students a forum to present innovative products and business concepts, but most importantly, it fosters the entrepreneurial spirit.”
Linganore High’s Mia Lucas placed second. Her business idea, Octopus Optimizations, would assist business owners in navigating the digital marketing space.
Urbana High’s Zachary Reck and Lalitha Narayanan placed third for their business idea, The Artist’s Abode, which would provide local artisans and small businesses with a venue to market and sell their homemade projects.
The competition judges were:
- Kristina Morgan, CEO, Nymeo
- Jose Bueso, COO, Past President and Co-Founder of Dynamic Automotive
- Susan McBee, Patent Attorney and Partner at McBee, Moore & Vanik IP, LLC
Urbana High and FCPS Career & Technology Center student Eva Mason served as Startup Frederick emcee. The full competition can be viewed online.
Anyone interested in learning more about this event or other CTE opportunities can contact Norm McGaughey, CTE coordinator at 301-644-5265 or norman.mcgaughey@fcps.org.