Jennings County students compete ‘Innovate WithIN’ state competition

A team of Jennings County High School students will join 10 other high school teams in Indianapolis for the final round of the 2019 “Innovate WithIN” pitch competition. This event is a statewide initiative hosted by the Indiana Economic Development Corporation, Indiana Department of Education and Ball State University.

Koltan Hauersperger and Brooks Wathen lead Kolt Electronic Solutions at JCHS. Representing Region Two in the competition, the team plans to create a power line monitoring system that tracks voltage and detects obstructions and damages.

After submitting video pitches for the first round of the competition, more than 65 teams were selected to pitch their entrepreneurial ideas at regional competitions across the state. The Jennings County group was named one of nine regional finalists, who each received a $1,000 cash prize and qualified for the state competition

In addition to the state title, the team is competing for the chance to win $10,000 cash prize, $10,000 toward one year of in-state tuition, internship opportunities and mentoring services.

“Innovate WithIN™ empowers Indiana’s young entrepreneurs to draw upon their creative thinking and problem-solving skills to develop, execute and present an idea for a business, product or venture,” said Elaine Bedel, president of the IEDC. “We’re overwhelmed by the support and encouragement expressed by Hoosier students, parents, school administrators and teachers throughout this process, and can’t wait to watch as our finalists showcase their innovative ideas during the state competition.”

The state competition is April 4th.