Best young inventors from across Hawke's Bay vie for regional title

Napier Girls' High School student Laura Abel with her clever product Drive Flash. Photo / Warren Buckland

The best school-aged inventors and entrepreneurs from across Hawke's Bay and Gisborne have been chosen to battle it out for a prestigious title.

Six finalists have been named for the 2022 Young Enterprise (YES) East Coast competition, which is held each year unearthing young entrepreneurs and inventors in schools.

A final pitch evening is being held at Eastern Institute of Technology Te Pukenga in Taradale this Thursday October 20, featuring all six finalists.

The winning team or individual will be announced and go on to represent the region at the YES national final.

The schools represented at the regional final this year include Taradale High School (three teams), Hastings Girls' High School, Napier Girls' High School and Central Hawke's Bay College.

"The businesses are all so different, it will be tough for the judges to choose just one winner," Fran Arlidge, the Young Enterprise regional co-ordinator, said.

The finalists include the likes of Laura Abel, who is behind a new business called Drive Flash.

Laura Abel is one of six finalists named for the regional YES final. Photo / Warren Buckland

The Year 13 Napier Girls' High School student has produced a series of flashcards to help people study for their driver's license test.

She has even secured seed funding and backing from the Napier City Council for her business, after a lot of hard work and cold calling businesses.

The competition is put on each year by Hawke's Bay Chamber of Commerce with the support of generous businesses and sponsors.

Finalists for the Young Enterprise (YES) East Coast competition:

Kiwiana Pataitai (Hastings Girls' High School) Bianca Ching

Pukare Cards (Taradale High) Liv Fountain, Tom Little, Jasmine Paz, Elizabeth Raitaci

Naked Ears (Taradale High) Ella Brassington, Reese Drager, Gracie Hogan, Sasha Ward

Reed (Taradale High) Declan Monteith, Nate Simes, Marjolaine Stranaghan, Fred Sugden, Holly Taylor

Drive Flash (Napier Girls' High School) Laura Abel

Disconnected Youth Apparel (Central Hawke's Bay College) Hannah Ellwood, Cody Lightfoot-Dyer, Harriet Strong, Ben Waugh