Winners of The Prospects, the Montana Chamber Foundation’s business pitch competition, were recently announced in a virtual awards ceremony.
Just last year, The Montana Chamber Foundation launched its first statewide entrepreneurship competition for high school students inviting them to pitch new ideas and existing small businesses. In the second year, over $75,000 was distributed to winners across the state in prizes, cash, and scholarships. And a new competition was unveiled for junior high students called the Junior Prospects.
With categories like Best New Business Idea, Best Existing Business, Most Promise, Apps, and President’s Hustle Award, students from rural and urban Montana are connecting with industry experts through the Chamber Foundation for mentoring, internships, apprenticeships, and work-based learning opportunities.
“Sponsoring the 2022 Prospects Award Show was a great opportunity for C2M Beta to support early entrepreneurs and innovators across Montana with our experience and expertise,” said Andrew Schulz, Community Manager of C2M Beta and President of Insight Studio. “Along with Blackfoot Communications, we were excited to offer awards that will help turn these students’ ideas into incredible mobile apps and thriving businesses. Thank you to the Montana Chamber of Commerce for hosting this year’s Award Show and congratulations to everyone who participated – We can’t wait to see what comes next!”
The Montana Chamber Foundation would like to thank all the students for all of the submissions. A special thanks are also extended to the volunteer judges and statewide partners who donated their time and expertise throughout the competition.
NEW BUSINESS IDEA FINALISTS
CHAMPION ($5,000): BMD Outdoors, Wyatt Iverson – Bainville High School
RUNNER-UP ($2,500): Valley Meats, Gunner Aflleje – Simms High School
THIRD PLACE ($1,500): Local $cholarships, Jenna Nate – Sheridan High School
FOURTH PLACE ($500): Swanky Renewable, Lainey Kitzmann – Billings Career Cener
EXISTING BUSINESS FINALISTS
CHAMPION ($5,000): 5th & Main, Ruby Waller – Twin Bridges High School
RUNNER-UP ($2,500): Asphalt Kings, Malachi Riddle, Bayden Tidwell, Silviano Bradley – Billings Career Center
THIRD PLACE ($1,500): R-Cantina, Leina Ulutoa – Ronan High School
FOURTH PLACE ($500): Organize Restore Recycle (ORR), Emma Konen – Twin Bridges High School
THE JUNIOR PROSPECTS FINALISTS ($250 each)
KIO Inc (existing business), Kotone Olson – Washington Middle School
Seasonal Slime (existing business), Karas Dirnberger – Washington Middle School
TB Adventure Camp (new business), Jody Sandru’s Junior High Class – Twin Bridges Middle School
Game Rush (new business), Colt’n Rees, Tyler Friede – Culbertson Schools
PRESIDENT’S HUSTLE AWARD ($1,000)
Reisig Bros Quality Custom Haying Company, Jacob Reisig – Fergus High School
THE JUNIOR PROSPECTS HONORABLE MENTIONS ($100 each)
Labette Farm Fresh Eggs, Payton Labette -Culbertson Public Schools | Noah and Ethan’s Candy Shop, Ethan Lombardozzi, Noah Larson – Joliet Public Schools |
Salsa Sisters, Mariana Burciaga – Culbertson Public Schools | Specialty Sports, Greeley Bauwens, Macie Wood- Joliet Public Schools |
Go! Go! Go-Kart! Carter Pacovsky, Ian Snyder – Culbertson Public Schools | Hoops n’ Loops, Makenna Tobel, Sadie Hagel – Joliet Public Schools |
Great Plains Snowmobiles, Glenn Sager, Logan – Culbertson Public Schools | Fly n’ Find, Karl Huntsman, Gus Huntsman, Charity Hildreth, Kalen Martinell, Mylei Mickelsen, Molli Miner, Savannah Nelson, Luke Wendt – Lima Public Schools |
Air Brush to the Sky Kaylee Kohl – Culbertson Public Schools | 406 Outdoors, Chance Carlisle, Brayden Hammond- Simms High |
Tootsies, Isabella Walter – Joliet Public Schools | Cozy Cattle Company, Mikeyla Shigaki, Anna Lunde – Simms High |
Assassinating Pests with Ants, Nicholas Cline – Joliet Public Schools | Wacky Waters, Tyler Leach, Morgan Munroe, Trace Berg – Simms High |
M & L Braille, Leah Larson, Madelyn Mahoney – Joliet Public Schools | Cousins Creations, Finley Nickoloff -Culbertson Public Schools |
Ice Ice Baby, Harleigh Donnelly – Joliet Public Schools | Better this Way Clothing, Harrison Green, Charles Firemoon-Culbertson Public Schools |
Little One Lemon, Gabby Hall – Joliet Public Schools Culbertson’s Sports Center, Brooks Solem, Plenny Williams – Culbertson Public Schools | Coffee and Snack Trailer, Landen Bryant -Rapelje Junior High Gardens of the Theater, Maxwell Hanes -Rapelje Junior High Sunshine Bakery and Art, Stella Fox- Culbertson Public Schools |
THE PROSPECTS HONORABLE MENTIONS ($100 each)
Elite Fabrications, Brandon Emineth, Jacob Stewart, Cash Mains – Red Lodge High School | Zen Den, Isabelle Sager, Alyssee Zimmerman- Red Lodge High School |
Re-Barbed, Kole Anderson, Ricky Wagner – Twin Bridges High School | The Bagel Company, Angelina Podkonjak, Emma Harris- Red Lodge High School |
Pepper Flakes, Kai Arendt – Skyview High School | Magic City Senior Services, Samantha McDonald- Billings Career Center |
Kris P. Spuds, Kristopher Poirier – Twin Bridges High School | Taught by Zoe, Zoe Belinda- Red Lodge High School |
Be Pawsitive, Ahna Eisenbaun – Rapelje High School | Aggression Advocates, Samantha Dagel- Billings Career Center |
SolHeat, Londyn Godley – Billings Senior High School | Le Jus, Lily Mooney- Twin Bridges |
Bit by Bit, Brayli Reimer – Red Lodge High School | Truly Bare, Grace Stahl – Fergus High School |
First Gen Generator, Trent Peterson, Neils Acrilla – Red Lodge High School | Michael Marrinan’s Leather, Michael Merriman – Hot Springs High School |
OneThreeSeven Styles, Eden Snyder – Red Lodge High School | MT Premier Cleaning Service, Kait Giffin, Aiden Walker – Glacier High School |
Hoover Halters, Dane Hoover – Whitehall High School |
SPECIAL PRIZE CATEGORIES
HIGH-TECH ($500) Sponsored by Montana High Tech Business Alliance: Rustic by Bethany, Bethany Burk – Thompson Falls High School
JMG ($500) Sponsored by Jobs for Montana Graduates: Regenerative Agriculture, McKenna Ferril – Whitefish High School
BLACKFOOT APPS Sponsored by Blackfoot Communications:
Local $cholarships, Jenna Nate – Sheridan High School | Tattoo Thinker, Hannah LaBerbera – Billings Career Center |
Alert & Contact, Laney Flick – Billings Career Center | Wellspring, Lila Virostko- Billings Senior High School |
Cosmochat, Kennedy Williams – Billings Senior High School | Darn Doggie, Trinity Weil- Billings Senior High School |
Artem Cottage, Avery Molm – Billings Career Center | Katch Up with Kobe, Kobe Nickoloff- Culbertson High School |
Parking Go, Benjamin Carlson – Billings Senior High School | Auto Drip, Vincent Meza- Billings Senior High School |
Lumos Tech, Mya Stenson – Butte High School |
AIRLINE TICKETS:
Sponsored by Alaska Airlines
Billings Yardcards, Davis Chakos – Billings Senior High School
MAURICE HILLEMAN INSPIRATION ($500 each)
Sweet Like Honey, Isabella Ereaux – Skyview High School
Donte’s Delight, Peyton BuckElk – Culbertson High School
Cuddle Me Bear, Alyssa Castro – Billings Career Center
AUTOMOTIVE ($250 each)
Periscopic Poles, Conner Chadwick – Seeley-Swan High School
Snap Track, Reagan Walker – Billings Senior High School
Rain or Shine, Josh Sironi – Billings Senior High School
KP Shields Shop, Kate Parks – Glasgow High School
JJCBE
BMD Outdoors, Wyatt Iverson – Bainville High School
OneThreeSeven Styles, Eden Snyder – Red Lodge High School
Idea Challenge, Anna Long – Billings Career Center
SolHeat, Londyn Godley – Billings Senior High School
Taught by Zoe, Zoe Belinda – Red Lodge High School
COMMUNITY AWARDS ($500 each)
GREAT FALLS: CJD Custom Fencing, Clayton Jassen – Belt Public Schools; Backcountry Homes, Aedan Bingham – C.M. Russell High School; BioCase, Oliva Martello – C.M. Russell High School; Forte Frappe, Grace Johnson, Darraya Peterson, Makayla Stroh – Simms High School
BOZEMAN: SnoWay, Luke Terry – Gallatin High School; Cloud Boxes, Kate Kalinowski – Bozeman High School; Planti, Kiarra Michalson – Gallatin High School; Mountaintop Ski and Bike, Michael Anderson – Gallatin High School
EMPOWERED/YOUTH ENTREPRENEURS AWARDS
Hack My School ($500 each; $1,000 Grand Prize):
Feminine Hygiene Availability, Madelynn O’Neal – Billings Senior High School
Campus Guide Maps, Bennett Easton – Billings Senior High School
Daylis Stadium Painting, Trinity Karls – Billings Senior High School
Outdoor Classroom, Kennedy Williams- Billings Senior High School (Grand Prize)
Vacant Lot ($500 each)
Sun River Hangout, Jackson Schubarth – Simms High School
SportsKids, Braelyn Hay – Red Lodge High School
Alter Awaken, Remington Cattaneo – Fergus High School
Embracing the Nerd Within, Derek Jollie – Butte High School
School of Music at the Emporium, Owen Day – Fergus High School
Scalability Award ($500 each)
BSH Bronc Box, Shelbi Costin, Raelicia Campos, Shelbi Costin, Talon Harris, Gracy Jones, Kasey Reed, Josiah Tatsakron, Indie King
