Students from Dunstan High School, Roxburgh Area School, Queenstown’s Liger Academy, and Wānaka’s Mt Aspiring College got a taste of pitching their business ideas at a Young Enterprise Scheme (YES) event last week.

YES kaiārahi ako (teaching mentor) Regan Powell said there are 400 pupils in Otago from 13 schools participating in the programme this year.

DHS head of faculty social science and commerce teacher Conrad Herion said it was great to have 50 pupils working on developing their businesses into reality throughout the year. 

The YES Spark Tank is a speed mentoring event, fast paced and fun for pupils and mentors, and was held at the Lake Wānaka Centre during the afternoon on March 6. 

Central Lakes Trust chief executive Barbara Bridger met with Seth Baxter. Barbara said the variety of business ideas was impressive and many pupils had put work into preparing for their pitches. PHOTO: Business South 

Each small group of students presented their pitch to a mentor in seven minutes, and mentors could provide feedback, constructive questions and recommendations to further refine ideas, products and concepts.

Mentors cycled through seven pupil groups covering ideas including; handmade wooden chopping boards, gummy energy supplements for working out, environmentally friendly bug repellent moisturiser, specialist car vacuum cleaners, candles inspired by local produce and lanolin-based lip sunscreen. 

YES kaiārahi ako (teaching mentor) Regan Powell introduces the volunteer mentors from a wide variety of business backgrounds, including consulting, entrepreneurship, marketing, law, human resources, sales and tourism. PHOTO: Business South 

Spark Tank is just the beginning of The Young Enterprise Scheme programme for 2025. 

YES is a national business program run in secondary schools, where students form a business and gain real-life experience bringing a product or service to market. 

DHS pupils Coco Lahood-Robinson, Keira McFadyen and Ellie King used technology to pitch. PHOTO: Conrad Herion 

It is structured around four key challenges, concluding in regional and national finals where the most promising student-led businesses will compete for top honours.

Another Spark Tank is being held at Cromwell College on Thursday March 13. 

Last year a team from Cromwell College ‘Second Harvest Sips’ qualified for the national final in Wellington after beating 138 entrants from across Otago, and winning the regional final in October.  

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