Five young innovators each won $1,000 during a newly launched YouthSparks Ideas Competition for their “community-changing” startup ideas.
The competition, launched by Minneapolis-based nonprofit support organization Social Venture Partners Minnesota, sought ideas from Minnesota youth ages 12 to 24 to "positively impact youth and help change the community." The five winners developed solutions for people experiencing disabilities and illnesses, ideas for social platforms and a financial literacy education platform.
They were awarded during a ceremony event Monday at the Big Brothers Big Sisters Twin Cities headquarters in Minneapolis.
“The YouthSparks Competition showed us a wide array of smart youth ideas," Deb Salls, executive director of SVP MN, said in a statement. "We were thrilled to see they had such great ideas and we’re honored to help encourage them to keep thinking about what’s possible.”
Here are the winning ideas:
Oculum AI – from 17-year-old Jasmine Garry – is a mobile device solution that utilizes AI to diagnose early onsets of glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy and other retina disorders.
“After being diagnosed with myopia, I began to wonder what our eyes can tell us about our health in general," Garry said in the news release. "After some digging, I discovered that our eyes can help identify a plethora of diseases. I wanted to take on a project where I could learn to build a neural network model. Oculum AI ended up being the perfect two-in-one learning opportunity!”
Jones Cleaning & Companionship – from 15-year-old Jaylen Jones – is an "on-the-go" cleaning company that provides companionship to older adults.
“My motivation or inspiration for Jones cleaning and companionship came from my previous experience as an intern for Blunest Connect, a tech startup founded by Israel Tolu that focuses on closing the digital literacy gap for senior citizens," Jones said in the news release. "I often help my grandma clean and do various tasks while also keep her busying and occupied.”
New Life Line- from 18-year-old Naciima Mohamed - is a helpline program and platform for people with critical, life-changing illnesses.
“My motivations/inspiration for New Life Line was from personal experience as a person with multiple chronic illnesses who is now in remission," said Mohamed in a statement. "As well as being a young person who wants to make mental health care accessible, affordable, and equitable- the New Life Line helpline seemed like a solution that hit all of those points. I also knew that it was the next step on my health-healing journey as a changemaker in the community!”
FinLit Futures- from 16-year-old Tej Bharga – is a financial literacy education platform geared toward teens.
Bharga said in a statement that besides having an interest in personal finance and the stock market, he became curious about his peers' financial literacy and interest. He conducted a survey with more than 750 respondents, where over 80% expressed a desire for a mandatory financial literacy class, but only a quarter admitted to taking one.
"Motivated by these findings, I collaborated with the Minnesota Council on Economic Education and successfully advocated for legislation. This effort led to the passage of a bill requiring personal financial literacy education for freshmen starting in the 2024–2025 academic year."
Bharga's idea, FinLit Futures, aims to take financial education a step further than mandated classes through a "multi-dimensional" platform to make personal financial education more accessible.
Compact Cup Carrier- from 20-year-old Rachel Secrist – is a new prototype for an extendable cup carrier for people using wheelchairs
“My inspiration to create the Compact Cup Carrier is from personal experience," said Secrist in a statement. "I was in an accident that left me paralyzed from the waist down, which allowed me to spend lots of time in a wheelchair. With this time I would experience many challenges which allowed me to always think beyond what was given to me.”
In her video submission, Secrist said wheelchair users often don't have a convenient place to set their drinks, which is why she developed the compact cup carrier that with a push of a button, would extend from the wheelchair itself.
