NFTE

The road to the NFTE National Showcase has officially reached its final stop!

Our 2026 Regional Youth Entrepreneurship Showcase season concluded with the Capital Region Showcase, where young innovators presented ventures designed to address everyday challenges and improve their communities.

Congratulations to the students advancing to represent the Capital Region in New York City this fall:

🏆 Celia Salsbury and Giabella Catello of Frances Scott Key Elementary-Middle School in Baltimore, creators of Perfectly Padded, custom strap cushions that make carrying heavy bags more comfortable without sacrificing style.

🏆 Bria White of Oxon Hill High School in Prince George’s County, Maryland, creator of Social Charge, a wearable LED pin that displays a user's social battery level to help reduce social burnout.

The event also celebrated members of the NFTE community whose dedication helps make these opportunities possible:

• EY, Corporate Volunteer of the Year
• NFTE alumnus Darius Davie, founder of Groom Guy, Individual Volunteer of the Year
• Jerome Kyler of IDEA Public Charter School, Rookie Teacher of the Year
• Deneen Moore McDonald, recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award for her years of service as a veteran NFTE educator

Thank you to all of the students, educators, volunteers, judges, and supporters who made this showcase season such a success. We look forward to bringing our regional champions together in New York City this fall to celebrate the next generation of entrepreneurs.

Congratulations to the outstanding young entrepreneurs who competed at this week's New England Youth Entrepreneurship Showcase!

🏆 Isla Hughes (Ipswich High School) — Nova Guide, an adaptive study co-pilot designed to support students with executive function challenges.

🥈 Natasha Aguilar (Keefe Regional Technical School) — Extension Emporium, providing customizable hair extensions for individuals experiencing alopecia or thinning hair.

🥉 Jonathan Chouvelon (Ipswich High School) — Verapath, a platform that helps patients identify in-network providers for healthcare referrals.

Isla and Natasha will advance to represent New England at the NFTE National Youth Entrepreneurship Showcase in New York City this fall!

A huge thank you to our judges, Michael Azzollini (EY), Victoria-Leigh Parisi (NFTE alumna and Mass General Brigham Health Plan), and Angel Burgado (Santander), for supporting the next generation of entrepreneurs.

Sustainability and AI took center stage at the Bay Area Youth Entrepreneurship Showcase this weekend, where students pitched ventures designed to solve real-world challenges.

Congratulations to our first-place winner, Saumit Pathak of Silver Creek High School School in San Jose, whose business, LeftoSense, uses AI to scan and analyze food to determine whether it is safe to eat. Saumit will go on to represent the Bay Area at the NFTE National Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge this fall in New York City!

Congratulations also to our runners-up:
🥈 Leo Le and Kathy Cheung of Abraham Lincoln High School for BamBrush, a bamboo toothbrush with coconut-fiber bristles that offers a plastic-free hygiene solution.
🥉 Rizqin Jahan for Sortify, an AI-powered platform that organizes files, enables smart search, and synchronizes across devices.

We were also proud to honor Imani Butler as our Bay Area Teacher of the Year. Imani's dedication to entrepreneurship education has empowered countless students, including this year's first-place champion, and continues to inspire the next generation of innovators and changemakers.

Thank you to EY for hosting this year's event and helping create an unforgettable experience for our students, educators, volunteers, and supporters. We can't wait to see what's next for these young entrepreneurs!

⚾ New York, show up for the next generation of entrepreneurs.

Join NFTE at the Mets vs. Red Sox game on July 10 at Citi Field, where NFTE will be honored as the nonprofit of the game. When you purchase your ticket through our link, a portion of every sale goes directly toward supporting NFTE students and entrepreneurship programs across New York City.

⏰ Flash sale alert: discounted tickets are now available through June 10.

Your ticket helps young people build business ideas, strengthen career-ready skills, and gain the confidence to shape their futures.

Bring your family, friends, or fellow baseball fans and join us for an exciting night at the ballpark — all while supporting NYC youth.

🎟️ Get your tickets here: https://okt.to/b8iRdP

We hope to see you there!

The NFTE Philadelphia Youth Entrepreneurship Showcase with Mastery Schools brought together incredible student pitches, thoughtful judging, and a lot to celebrate.

Congratulations to our student winners:
- Za’miiaah McKnight, Christian Rich, Jaini Vargas Gomez, and Dyland Ventura from Mastery Schools Thomas Campus, who won the Fast Pitch competition with Auto-LOCK
- Nassata Gbapo from Mastery Schools Simon Gratz Campus, who won the Runner-up competition with GSTEP
- Sierra Hampton from Mastery Schools Pickett Campus, who won the Most Improved Student competition with Glow Green

We were also proud to recognize Joel Barnett as NFTE’s Individual Volunteer of the Year for his outstanding commitment to supporting NFTE students in Philadelphia.

Thank you to our partners at Mastery Schools and everyone who helped make this event such a memorable celebration of youth entrepreneurship.