High school students launch their own businesses

BUSINESS: In 2016, the team from Western Heights High School won the Regional Award for their "Kiwipac" idea. PHOTO/SUPPLIED

More than 130 students from six Bay of Plenty high schools gathered in Rotorua to be introduced to the first stages of starting their own business.

They took part at the Lion Foundation Young Enterprise Scheme Enterprise Day (E-Day) on Tuesday.

The first event of the YES year kicked off at Toi Ohomai's Mokoia campus, where the focus was on introducing the programme, building a team and developing a real-life business idea.

The schools taking part were John Paul College, Rotorua Boys' High School, Western Heights High School, Tokoroa High School, Taupo-nui-a-Tia College and Tauhara College.

Head of YES Leah MacDonell said the ideation stage was crucial, as the student-led teams learnt the process of starting a business, researching their respective industry, developing the product and launching their idea into the market.

YES regional co-ordinator for the Central Bay of Plenty and co-founder of Digital Natives Academy Nikolasa Biasiny-Tule said they gathered their mentors from the local business community.

"YES is a competition which is able to sit inside the school curriculum.

"It is a real, and maybe first, opportunity for student entrepreneurs to speak about their ideas, to have a variety of industry experts listen and give constructive feedback."

In 2016, the team from Western Heights High School won the Regional Award for their "Kiwipac" idea.

Ms Biasiny-Tule said these experiences had far-reaching, positive impacts on students as they learnt to do market research, developed strategic business plans and many went on to develop successful businesses.

Past YES alumni include the founder of Give a Little, Nathalie Whitaker, co-founder of Te Whare Hukahuka and head of Maori development at The Icehouse, Shay Wright and Kiwibank co-founder and chief executive Peter Brock.

Throughout the year, events organised to support the students will include E-Day, Dragons Den, Pitch Night, Market Day and a Regional Awards Dinner.