Ï㽶ÊÓƵֱ²¥

Skip to content

Celebrating Central Okanagan young entrepreneurs

Annual iGen Challenge hands out $6,000 in cash prizes
33044690_web1_220622-KCN-student-contest-NEWS_1
Tyson Caul and Jared Gregor from Okanagan Mission Secondary created pliers with interchangeable jaws, first place winner of the iGen Challenge. The handles/hinge (the Ï㽶ÊÓƵֱ²¥˜baseÏ㽶ÊÓƵֱ²¥™) will be sold in a pack with one set of jaws (probably the common short pliers). Other jaw sets will be sold separately. This allows for replacement and is more cost effective than selling all the jaws in one set. (Contributed)

Four teams of young entrepreneurs emerged Thursday night to share in $6,000 in cash prizes at the 2023 iGen Challenge.

The Innovation Generation Challenge (iGen) showcases student entrepreneurs from across the school district, totalling 130 teams, with the final eight teams presenting their business acumen downtown at the Innovation Centre.

The contest judges ultimately added a fourth-place winner due to the high quality of all the presentations and emerging businesses.

The winners were:

1st Place ($3,000) Ï㽶ÊÓƵֱ²¥“ Multi-Pliers, Tyson Caul & Jared Gregor, Okanagan Mission Secondary (OKM)

2nd Place ($2,000) Ï㽶ÊÓƵֱ²¥“ Creator Castle, Noah Garcia (OKM)

3rd Place ($1,000) Ï㽶ÊÓƵֱ²¥“ Paws & Play, Ben Ramsey & Everett Boutcher (George Elliot Secondary)

4th Place ($500) Ï㽶ÊÓƵֱ²¥“ Gutter Guys, Kylan Urban & David Ross (Mount Boucherie Secondary)

The other four teams reaching the final were: Meghan Bakay (OKM), Kate Priebe and Joe Vandenberg (Rutland Senior), Lian Buella (MBSS) and Mahik Toora (RSS).

The judges for the iGen Finale were Kevin Kaardal Krista Mallory, Dallas Chelick, Richard Takai and Michelle Webber.

Mentors who assisted the iGen finalists included Bennett Ford (GESS), Callie Miller (CMS), Clinton Birnie (HMS), Kelsey Hill (RMS), Kevin McDowall (MBSS), Nicole Fedkiw (OKM), Tracy Hayhurst (RMS), Travis Holmes (RSS), Tyler Jensen (RSS), Sarah Wood (career programs) and Natalie Levinsen (career programs).

Creator Castle was the business idea of Noah Garcia, a student at Okanagan Mission Secondary. Creator Castle, second place in the iGen Challenge, is a social media page and website that can teach influencers, creators, live streamers and small businesses how to grow their brand/ business. Includes how to start posting and growing your brand, negotiate with sponsors and organizations as well as the ins and outs of audience retention. (Contributed)
Creator Castle was the business idea of Noah Garcia, a student at Okanagan Mission Secondary. Creator Castle, second place in the iGen Challenge, is a social media page and website that can teach influencers, creators, live streamers and small businesses how to grow their brand/ business. Includes how to start posting and growing your brand, negotiate with sponsors and organizations as well as the ins and outs of audience retention. (Contributed)


Barry Gerding

About the Author: Barry Gerding

Senior regional reporter for Black Press Media in the Okanagan. I have been a journalist in the B.C. community newspaper field for 37 years...
Read more



(or

Ï㽶ÊÓƵֱ²¥

) document.head.appendChild(flippScript); window.flippxp = window.flippxp || {run: []}; window.flippxp.run.push(function() { window.flippxp.registerSlot("#flipp-ux-slot-ssdaw212", "Black Press Media Standard", 1281409, [312035]); }); }