Friday, May 6, 2022 – INCubatorEDU students at Mountain Brook High School presented their final pitches in eight separate groups on Wednesday night in the MBHS library. All 29 students have been working the entire school year in preparation for the pitch in hopes of winning the favor of three judges for the chance to represent Mountain Brook at the national INcubatorEDU pitch in Chicago this summer.

Per the school’s website, this course is designed to get students excited about becoming true entrepreneurs by giving them the opportunity to create and fully develop their own product or service. Real-world entrepreneurs and business experts serve as coaches and mentors, guiding student teams through the process of ideation, market research, and business plan development. Over the course of the year, student teams learn about marketing, accounting, as well as the legal aspects of starting a business. They have access to a network of professionals to further develop their skills (teamwork, problem-solving, presentation, communication) for college and career readiness. 

The eight groups had four minutes to deliver their pitches to a board of deliberations. Liz Pharo, Missy Polhemus and Elizabeth Stewart made up the board. Student pitch ideas ranged from localized ride-share services to outdoor inflatable seat cushions. The board then had four minutes to inquire about the group’s business model, data, and more.

“Party Packs” is a group of four students (Lizzie Amberson, Coleman Bates, William Evans and Will Mcilvaine) who came up with the idea of delivering theme party accessories to your door. This would eliminate the hassle of making a trip to the store, especially during the busy times of the year.

Their group was chosen by the judges as the winning team. They will advance to semi-finals for a chance to compete at the INCubatoredu National Pitch Competition in July held in Chicago.

“Through INCubatorEDU, we take an idea that stems from people’s need for something and turn it into a product and business,” Evans said. “I want to be a business major in college so this has been really helpful for me.”

Click here to learn more about INCubatorEDU and click here to see all the MBHS teams and their pitches.