40 middle school kids participate in day long entrepreneurship competition Idea Launch! is a highly interactive and hands-on student startup event. World- class tools, local mentors and judges, and 40 aspiring entrepreneurs from grades 5-8 came together on Feb. 21 to build what may become the next big thing. Tampa, FL, February 24, 2015 – St. John’s Episcopal Middle School partnered with the Entrepreneurship Education Project and The University of Tampa Entrepreneurship Center to link middle school students with leading mentors, tools, and prizes via new student startup workshop “Idea Launch”. Idea Launch was held on February 21, 2015 at St. John’s campus in downtown Tampa from 9:00-4:30. 10 teams spent the day building prototypes, exploring business models, and talking to potential customers with the help of volunteer business mentors from The University of Tampa and Hillsborough Community College. “The kids had a great time. Their passion for their ideas and the creativity they possess is infectious,” said Anne Gold, St. John’s teacher and entrepreneurship club advisor. Student team ideas included a pepper spray watch designed by two young men who want to ensure their older sisters are safe away at college, a robotic arm to help amputees, and an anti-bullying campaign organization for schools. The winning team is in the process of perfecting their recipes for a line of healthy, organic dog treats. That team consisted of Alyssa Fair, Sandra Kiggen, and Ava Leigh Siegelbaum. “These ideas are not unrealistic. Tampa Bay native Albert Manero, age 25, recently launched Limbitless Solutions (http://www.limbitless-solutions.org/ ), which builds robotic arms for kids. And, on Shark Tank, we saw 10 year old Ryan pitch Ry’s Ruffery, his dog treat business, which after partnering with Barbara Corcoran is now available for purchase in Target stores nationwide,” says Dr. Eric Liguori, EEP Co-Director and University of Tampa