On February 29, 2024, Carmel High School (CHS) sophomore Franklin Vrtis (pronounced ver-tis), was awarded $2,000 to further his entrepreneurial project, Go Fun Yourself, a personalized card game business, by the Carmel Education Foundation (CEF) and State Bank, in the second annual Start Me Up Cup competition.
“State Bank teamed up with the Carmel Education Foundation to launch the Start Me Up Cup because of the entrepreneurial aspects of this student-focused contest,” said Andy Pinegar, Hamilton County market president for State Bank. “We understand successful business owners have that entrepreneurial spirit and we want to help develop the next generation of business leaders.”
“We hope to encourage these young students to learn the basics of a business plan, how to structure a company and how to make their company grow,” Pinegar added. “From the start, this ‘Shark Tank’ experience has been a great learning tool for these students and it has been great for us as well. We have new faith in the next generation as we share in their ambitious goal of starting a company and watching it grow.”
Josh Shelton, Carmel High School (CHS) student entrepreneurship club and business teacher, worked with the CEF to market the opportunity and guide applicants in the preparation of their presentation. Entrepreneurship club leaders reviewed the initial 11 entrants who submitted a video application and business plan, with a goal of selecting the five finalists who would pitch their idea for the potential to win a $2,000 investment from State Bank.
The finalists and their ideas were: Rebecca Lee – RePLASTICS: A Creative Spin on the Plastics Crisis; Grace Larkey, Siri Byrisetty and Kent Fujita – InsightUp App; Franklin Vrtis – Go Fun Yourself; Athul Ramkumar and Sid Songrikar – Healthify.AI; and Arjun Sunil – Slow Eater Pet Feeder.
Each individual or team had 15 minutes for their live pitch and to answer questions from the panel of judges, otherwise known as “sharks”. Panelists included Jim Badger, vice president of marketing, State Bank; David Glenn, president, CoasterStone; Shaun Goodyear, founder and owner, Indy Facets; Lyndsey Brown, owner and publisher, Carmel Magazine; and Kimberly Hansen, COO, Old Town Companies. The judges were all impressed with the caliber of presentations and range of ideas presented. Though it was a difficult decision, Vrtis had the winning idea, focused on creating customized games. The judges felt that his model was scaleable and that the investment of $2,000 would be instrumental in propelling his business forward.
“My SMUC entry was Go Fun Yourself, a card game business that creates personalized card games about a specific individual,” Vrtis said. “I joined the competition to jumpstart my business’s success and learn more about clever business strategies. I hope that with the prize money, I can invest in improved ease of access and increased publicity through online advertisements. I’m so glad SMUC has given me that chance and I’m even more excited to get it started.”
Vrtis has successfully created several games already, including the “Roundabout Game” featured in several Carmel-area stores.
Jennifer Penix, executive director of the CEF, plans to host the Start Me Up Cup in the high school auditorium in 2025, with students in business classes as part of the audience. As a parent of young entrepreneurs, she has seen firsthand the positive impact that comes from thinking through all aspects of a concept, as well as navigating challenges any business will inevitably face. Penix says she “is grateful to work with engaged community members who believe in providing opportunities for students where they can not only learn, but dream. The foundation’s mission is to support Carmel students in achievement and lifelong learning, and the Start Me Up Cup is a perfect example of putting our mission to work.”
For more on the Carmel Education Foundation, go to ccs.k12.in.us/foundation.
