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Five budding small businesses led by San Ramon Valley students are among the 10 selected as finalists in the Contra Costa Shark Tank Youth competition, a student-led project aimed at encouraging and showcasing the work of young entrepreneurs throughout the county.
The local finalists consist of fifth grader Archit Kundu of Bella Vista Elementary School for Experimental Kids, ninth graders Himma Imam of the Venture Independent Study program and Mahum Malik of Dougherty Valley High School for Tied Up in a Bow, 10th grader Ronen Jain of Monte Vista High School for ElderSafe, 11th grade San Ramon Valley High School students Nicolas Angel-Ordonez and Shashank Koundinya for MiracleAlgae, and 12th grade Dougherty Valley High School student Fatimah Hussain for Workout Wizard.
“The best way to learn about entrepreneurship is by starting a business,” said the program’s founder and judge Maya Hammerman.
Hammerman herself has experience as a young entrepreneur going back to her early days before the competition’s launch last year, and before her time as president of Campolindo High School’s Entrepreneurship Club. She operated Maya’s Henna prior to being forced to shut the business down upon the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, then shifted her energy to the jewelry business Moon Blossom Collective, which has grown to reach customers around the world.
“My journey as an entrepreneur started in elementary school,” Hammerman said. “I created the competition to inspire kids in Contra Costa County to start or grow any type of business from traditional ones such as lemonade stands, to innovative new products or services that they create.”
While the competition is largely open to all students and projects throughout the county, one exception is Hammerman herself and her fellow entrepreneurship club members. They will serve along with representatives from other businesses and organizations at the program’s finalist pitch event at the Lafayette Library on Feb. 6 at 7 p.m.
Winners will be selected at the final event next month, with a prize of $1,000 for first place, $500 for second place, and $250 for third place.
More information is available at contracostasharktank.org.
