SAN ANTONIO – We’ve all heard of the show “Shark Tank”, where budding entrepreneurs get the chance to bring their ideas life.
Here is a similar opportunity for kids!
“Idea Tank for Kids” is a competition for children ages eight to thirteen years old where kiddos can submit their product or business ideas to a panel of judges for a chance to win $1,000.
The founder, Lowey Sichel, is a children’s author who has written books about how ideas became successful businesses like Disney, Google and Nike. That got her thinking that there should be a way for children to start learning about how to create and bring their ideas to fruition.
“The more we can give kids the tools and encourage them to try things out, then they start to get really good at it,” Sichel said. “It’s a skill. The more we can practice it and encourage it at a young age, the better they can become by the time they are older.”
That’s why last year in Chicago she created the Idea Tank for Kids.
Last year’s winners were three boys who took roller blades and made them into a new innovative product.
“They took a pair of roller blades and they reconfigured them to strap on the knees,” Sichel said. “So they made kids size pair of scoot knees. They scooted all around the presentation room and they just blew the judges away.”
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Lowey says they opened up the contest to be nationwide since everything will be done virtually on Zoom.
All you have to do is go to the website and parents must be the ones to register their children. Kids can apply as an individual or a team, as long as everyone is ages eight to thirteen years old.
You submit your idea online and email a short video to IdeaTank4Kids@gmail.com explaining your product or business.
Finalists will appear virtually in front of a panel of judges to pitch their idea. The winner will receive $1,000.
The deadline to apply is June 25th.