Young Innovators Shine: Madison High Students Compete for $5,000 Business Prize

Invest Nest: A Launchpad for Aspiring Entrepreneurs

REXBURG — Invest Nest is quickly becoming a cornerstone for young innovators in Rexburg. This program provides students the opportunity to pitch their business ideas to a panel of judges and gain access to local mentors. On Wednesday night, the Round 3 winner will walk away with $5,000 to launch or grow their venture and earn a chance to compete in Utah for an even bigger prize: $20,000.

Business ideas ranged from AI tools for dyslexic readers to lawn care companies and new clothing brands, all created by Madison High School students in this year's Invest Nest competition.

Jennifer Barzee, a business teacher at Madison High School, initiated the program last year by organizing a competition similar to the TV show Shark Tank. This year, the competition has grown even larger after Justin Ellingford introduced her to the Invest Nest program, which originated in Utah.

“I have a technical advisory committee, and last year they suggested that a contest like this would raise awareness among students,” Barzee explained. “It was the number one idea, and we just ran with it.”

The competition started with the Elevator Pitch, where 28 students presented their ideas to successful local entrepreneurs who volunteered their time to mentor and judge. Students then refined their pitches over several weeks before delivering a polished two- to three-minute business pitch. The top 10 were invited to compete in Wednesday night’s public Round 3 event.

Mack Wible, owner of Textile Graphix and a program mentor, was impressed by the creativity and drive of the students.

“I had three students reach out to me — two girls and a boy — and they all had great, great ideas,” Wible said. “It was cool to meet these kids and see that there are still some smart ones out there.”

Many students, like Colton Munns, are already operating real businesses. Munns runs Young Buck Lawn Care and aims to double last year’s $15,000 revenue and expand to a second crew this summer.

For others, Invest Nest offers a chance to test ideas and learn through experience. One student pitched a digital platform designed to help dyslexic children read aloud and improve their pronunciation through interactive stories.

A notable aspect of this year’s Invest Nest was the strong participation from young women entrepreneurs, with approximately half of the participants being girls — a positive shift in a traditionally male-dominated field.

“It’s been awesome to see that kind of participation,” Wible noted. “The girls I worked with came prepared, had thought through their business models, and really knew what they were talking about.”

Andrew Rail, co-founder of Assist Care and a lead event sponsor, echoed this sentiment, highlighting the rising generation of diverse entrepreneurs.

“These students are stepping outside of their comfort zones, and that’s not something you see a lot these days,” Rail said.

Wible emphasized that the real value of Invest Nest transcends the prize money.

“It provokes creativity,” Wible said, “and helps them realize there are so many ways to make money — through products, services, innovations.”

Barzee is passionate about motivating students to pursue their dreams and showing them the support available for their ideas.

The third round of Invest Nest will be held Wednesday night at the Madison Performing Arts Center, starting with a meet-and-greet and followed by student presentations. The event is open to the public, allowing audience members to vote for their favorite pitch, which will be factored into the final decision.