New Visions Students Pitch Business Ideas to Mock Investors

Questar III BOCES students in the New Visions: Business, Finance, and Marketing program put their entrepreneurial skills to the test by creating original businesses and pitching their ideas to mock investors. The project allowed students to think creatively, analyze financial viability, and present, sell, and market their ideas professionally, just as they would to a potential investor in the real world.

 

Following a similar format as the popular television show, “Shark Tank,” New Visions students from other programs acted as “Sharks” and were given a lump sum of pretend money to invest in the businesses they believed in. Each shark was given a role, such as “big spender,” “penny pincher,” or “people first” and tasks they had to complete during the pitches. New Visions: Business, Finance, and Marketing students, who worked on this project in small groups, each presented their ideas one by one to compete for the Sharks’ investments.

Business ideas included a specialized counseling service, an app for easy parking, a hands-free dog brush, and wearable fitness jewelry. Each group was tasked with sharing their product or service, the problem it solves, who their target customer is, and how the business makes money. Students also created logos and a commercial for their business.

In the end, all businesses were invested in. While some were simple transactions, others included Sharks teaming up on investments, ownership percentages determined by a coin flip, and even investors competing against each other, selling the business on why they were the best investor for their product. It was a great experience for all students and exciting to see them pitch their ideas.

Learn more about their fictional businesses in these student created advertisements:

KAI – Tula Haley (Chatham CSD) and Sasha Lemus (Catskill CSD).