The BIG Idea Competition

The BIG Idea competition is getting high school students active in the area of business -- and also providing some scholarship opportunities, too.
On Monday, Kelly Weaver, Small Business Development Director, joined Sarah on KDLT News Today to talk about the Big Idea Competition.  Watch HERE.

The Big Idea Competition has been going on for nine years. It started in Aberdeen where some individuals wanted to have a big business plan competition to help creat the next big business in the area.

Organizers later refined the idea to be a youth comeptition as a way to expose them to entrepreneurial concepts.

Now, nine years later, The Big Idea Competition is a statewide contest.

"We really have to thank our high school teachers because a lot of kids participate in it as a class project or FBLA organization," Weaver said.

She says they get ideas of all sorts. They want kids to have a real-life experience of what it takes to start something. And that can even mean re-creating something that's already being done.

"Innovation can be something that's already done, just in a better way," Weaver added.

"About 2/3 increase idea of wanting to start a business by participating in the competition," she added.

Weaver says they get all sorts of ideas, including daycare, dog walking businesses or even app ideas.

Last year the contest received 225 entries and Weaver feels this year they are on pace to meet or beat that number.

Applications are being accepted until the end of October. Essays can be 1,075 words maximum. The top 8 students will be finalists and will present at Northern State University on December 3 in front of a panel of business leaders.

For more information, click here.