Entrepreneurship and ingenuity: the Student Pitch Night

Have you ever watched Shark Tank and wondered what business you could pitch to a panel of entrepreneurs? Carey’s Student Pitch Night did just that, giving 10 ambitious students the opportunity to present their business ideas to a panel of experienced judges in a Shark Tank-style event.

Applications were open to students from Years 7 to 12, inviting them to share ideas for new or existing business they might like to pitch. We received an incredible number of applications spanning multiples industries. From smart towels and a uniform marketplace to shrimp breeding and apps with AI technology – the ideas went far and wide. 

On the night, our 10 finalists did an incredible job pitching their ideas, answering questions and taking feedback from our judging panel. The students demonstrated impressive confidence, creativity and initiative, with many rehearsing their pitches down to the very last second!

A huge congratulations to our winning student pitches:

• Kiara (Year 7) – Heads Down, Bums Up
• Pavie (Year 9) – PATH
• Brian (Year 9) – PianoBuddy

The students were awarded $4,500 in seed funding across the three prizes, generously supported by our judges: William Wright (2013), Adam Hilton (current parent) and Caroline Elliott (1986 and current parent). We thank our incredible judges for sharing their expertise, encouragement and advice with our students. Having alumni and current parent voices in the room made the experience even more meaningful.

Thank you Mining Store for being our major sponsor for this event and to the families, friends and Carey staff who came along to support our budding student entrepreneurs. The energy in the room was fantastic!

Delivering this year’s Student Pitch Night has been a highlight of my year within the Alumni and Community Team. It has been so rewarding to see our students embrace the opportunity to think creatively, back themselves and bring their business ideas to the stage. I’ve found myself sharing the highlights of this event with staff and parents as an example of what our students can achieve when given the right opportunities. Their enthusiasm, preparation and willingness to step outside their comfort zones have been inspiring and I look forward to seeing even more budding entrepreneurs put their ideas forward at our next Student Pitch Night.

Kaushini Fernando
Alumni and Community Manager