Aventura, FL, May 15, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Global entrepreneurship education nonprofit Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE) has named 13 local student businesses as the winners of its annual Southeast Regional Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge, hosted by the Grant Cardone Foundation and emceed by Constance Jones, News Anchor from WTVJ NBC 6 Miami, NBCUniversal Media, LLC. The young entrepreneurs distinguished themselves through innovative business ideas, which they will present at the national finals in New York on Oct. 8 to compete for the National Championship title and cash prizes.
Competitors pitched their original business concepts to a panel of esteemed judges, including Richard Bruguera, EY Miami Office Managing Partner; Andres Cardona, NFTE alumnus and founder of Elite Basketball Academy; Jessica Hylton, Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer at Promise Family Pantry, Inc.; DJ Irie, Musician to Mogul Entrepreneur; and Brad Rosenberg, Market Director at UBS. They selected a first-place winner to receive $1,500, a second-place winner to receive $1,000, and a third-place winner to receive $500.
- 1st Place: Briley Goble from Lutz K-8 School in Lutz, Florida, with her business idea PawAble, which provides adaptive pet products so those with disabilities can better enjoy the companionship of a pet.
- 2nd Place: Manuel Vides & Julian Saenz Bernal from Horizon High School in Winter Garden, Florida, with their business idea Halo Technologies, an AI crash-prevention system designed to prevent a collision.
- 3rd Place: Aadish Kachhal from Cypress Bay High School in Weston, Florida, with his business idea PoliSight, an innovative company that provides political offices with real-time, detailed data analytics about high school students, helping them make informed decisions, reach upcoming voters, and increase youth voter turnout.
Also going to the National Challenge are the following semifinalists:
- Jadiel Gonzalez & Analia Villegas Negron from Poinciana High School
- Payton Bonino from Spruce Creek High School
- Yanisbel Ortiz from Cross Keys High School
- Adelaida Gomez from New World School of the Arts
- Isla Nicol from Randall Middle School
- Chase Little & Michael Scanlon from Alonso High School
- Miriama Ferrad from Poinciana High School
- Joaquin Gasca from First Coast High School
- Madeleine DeFilippo & Mikayla Schmidt from Palm Beach Gardens High School
- Payton Garner from Mainland High School
In addition to the Top 3 prizes, the remaining semifinalists received a $300 cash prize, while all student competitors received a 1-year membership in Cardone University. These cash prizes and additional resources were made possible by the generosity of the Grant Cardone Foundation.
“This school year has been truly transformative as we now serve over 37,000 students annually across the Southeast,” said Christopher Brignolle, NFTE Southeast Executive Director. “Our students are harnessing the power of AI to transform their business ideas into scalable ventures—automating marketing, designing workflows, and building AI agents that mirror real-world operations. After 19 years with NFTE, I remain deeply grateful for our dedicated teachers, volunteers, and supporters who help our students bloom into bold, capable innovators. You are the foundation of their growth. Special thanks to our Southeast Advisory Board, whose ongoing support and strategic thinking continue to elevate our mission. As we launch our Summer Tech BizCamps, the future looks bright—and AI-powered.”
The event also featured guest speaker Jarrod Glandt, president of Grant Cardone Enterprises. It also honored individual Volunteer of the Year Alan Alvarez and corporate Volunteer of the Year the Dade County Federal Credit Union for their deep commitment to coaching and mentoring the next generation of entrepreneurs.
The NFTE Southeast Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge was presented by the Grant Cardone Foundation, Ernst & Young LLP (EY US), and Santander Bank, with associate support from PayPal and Zuora.
For media inquiries, please contact Denise Berkhalter, APR, 917-281-4362, at mediainquiries@nfte.com.
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About NFTE:
Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE) ignites the entrepreneurial mindset with unique learning experiences that empower students to own their futures. A global nonprofit founded in 1987, NFTE provides high-quality entrepreneurship education to middle school, high school and postsecondary students. NFTE brings the power of entrepreneurship to students, regardless of family income, community resources, special needs, gender identity, race, or ethnicity. NFTE has educated more than a million students, delivering our programs in school, out of school, in-person, online, or through hybrid models. Visit nfte.com to learn more.
Attachments
- NFTE Southeast Regional Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge Champion
- 2025 NFTE Southeast Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge Winners
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