Rochester team wins 6th annual First Pitch youth business competition

Wednesday, March 19, 2025 at 9:13 AM

By Wes Dehne

Rochester High School's Grant Clark, Carson Paulik, Declan Gard and Wade Bowers took home first prize at Fulton Economic Devolopment Corp.'s sixth annual youth business competition.

Their idea for embedding artificial intelligence into workout equipment most impressed judges of First Pitch by FEDCO and earned them a cash prize of $500. By bringing AI to the fitness world, they hope to make workouts safer and more efficient.

The competition took place at The Geneva Center and showcased six teams competing for cash prizes sponsored by Fulton County REMC. Participating schools were Rochester, Tippecanoe Valley and Caston. All six teams walked away with prize money.

Each team had seven minutes to present their business pitch to a panel of three judges: Andrew Horstman, CEO of Fulton County REMC; Kim Martin, owner of Hoffman Bodyshop in Akron; and Chris Hoffman, a sales engineer of Machined Castings Specialties. Fulton County Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Jillian Smith served as the timekeeper.

Each pitch required students to convey their business name, a description of their product or service, what made the team interested in that kind of business, why their business is feasible and why it would be a success. Teams were also required to identify their business’ competitive edge and how it would make money, with a focus on target customers, pricing, costs and projected profitability.

The Lift Assist team of Clark, Paulik, Gard and Bowers laid out plans to initially target high school athletic departments with their first-of-its-kind technology. They would then expand to colleges, home gyms and finally major fitness centers.

Team members said they were hungry for a win after coming in fifth at last year's event. As juniors, they're excited to have a chance to compete again next year, depending on how their class schedules align.

"It really came down to having a unique idea," Horstman said of Lift Assist's win. "And the practical application of that unique idea, I think, really set them a little bit above everybody else."

Judges noted this year's competition was the closest it has ever been between teams.

Winning second place and taking home a cash prize of $400 was Belt Loop Buddies, the Caston team of Ashley Ford and Carter Moss. Their idea was to produce clips made of bailing wire to secure leftover belt straps. Their target audiences included those who work around heavy machinery and weight loss patients.

Coming in third with a cash prize of $300 was OptimumEXP, the Tippecanoe Valley team of Rigby Wright, Santiago Ortiz-Arroyo and Luis Nunez. Their plan was to create helpful gaming accessories to address a variety of problems everyday gamers might face. Initially, they looked to market slide-in filters to control dust getting into PlayStation 5 consoles.

Fourth, fifth and sixth place teams each received $100.

In fourth was GlowClip, the Rochester team of Evan Rudd, Aiden Witten, Grant Bailey, Bella Howdeshell and Grace Fowler, with a simple and practical idea for locating lost keys and other personal belongings.

Tippecanoe Valley's Efrain Arroyo, team Elite Sound, placed fifth with his business plan to offer customizable packages and mentorship services for up-and-coming recording artists.

Sunny Socks, the Caston team of Kyle Jones, Brock Hook, Tony Roberts and Ryder Craig, placed sixth with its idea for heated socks featuring four warmer pockets. The idea came after Jones had to undergo reconstructive knee surgery, leaving him with cold feet due to poor circulation in his legs. The team planned to market its product to the medical field, physical therapy and orthopedic centers, as well as nursing and retirement homes.

Judges encouraged students who may be interested in competing in the future to lean into their creativity and follow their passion.

"Don't be afraid to think outside the box," Martin added.

BizGro Manager Amy Beechy, serving as annual emcee, said the goal of the competition is to expose students to the process of starting a business and for them to consider what they need to do to get a business off the ground.

"Through this process of writing their business plans and practicing pitches, students learn the skills of planning, financial responsibility, public speaking, supply and demand and the important of relationships," she said. "Hopefully, they have a little bit of fun too."

She went on to thank the three participating schools for their participation in the competition each year, as well as the teachers who work so closely with the students.