2026 YEA! Class Concludes with Investor Panel

On May 5th at the Hilton Garden Inn, The Staten Island Chamber of Commerce's Young Entrepreneurs Academy (YEA!) held its annual Investor Panel event, a Shark Tank-style competition where 22 student entrepreneurs from 11 Staten Island high schools pitched their original business concepts to a panel of real investors. Students competed for actual funding to launch or grow their ventures, with awards ranging from $200 to $2,000.

Now in its 12th year, the Chamber's Young Entrepreneurs Academy brings together a cohort of students from high schools across Staten Island for a 16-week after school program in which students brainstorm ideas, write their own business plans, and prepare to pitch their businesses to investors for seed funding. The program is generously supported by the Office of Councilman Carr and Con Edison.

Hosted by emcee Ed Burke of the Staten Island Zoo, this year's Investor Panel featured 22 students who took the stage to share their innovative businesses, ranging from nonprofits to products to apps or services. Each student has just 3 minutes to convince investors to fund their businesses, with 3 follow-up questions from investors. This year's panel featured judges from Amazon, Chick-fil-A, Con Edison, Northfield Bank, Person Centered Care Services, and the Staten Island Small Business Development Center.

Students from the following high schools were represented: CSI High School for International Studies, Curtis High School, Gaynor McCown Expeditionary Learning School, Monsignor Farrell High School, Moore Catholic High School, New Dorp High School, Notre Dame Academy, Staten Island Academy, Staten Island Technical High School, Susan E. Wagner High School, and Tottenville High School.

Grand Prize Winner & Saunders Scholar Semi-Finalist - Rami Rifi, Staten Island Academy, earned top honors for his nonprofit venture Play Passion Project. A 501(c)(3) organization founded in January 2025, Play Passion Project collects and distributes footwear to individuals in need, addressing a critical gap in the charitable footwear and youth empowerment space that Rifi identified through personal experience and research. Rifi received his full funding ask of $1,975 and will represent Staten Island as a Saunders Scholar Semi-Finalist at the YEA! National Competition in Frisco, Texas in June.

Board of Directors Scholarship Recipient - Trevor Wilcken, Gaynor McCown Expeditionary Learning School, earned the Board of Directors Scholarship, a $1,000 scholarship designated to a student of the Investor Panel's choosing. Trevor's business is called Rack-It, a space-saving closet hanger slot with a built-in drawer feature designed to organize hangers, separate clothing, and maximize closet efficiency.

In addition to Rifi's win with Play Passion Project, 4 other students were also fully funded for their businesses, including Victoria Figliolia, who received $805 for her nonprofit, BrighterBite; Trevor Wilcken, who received $800 for his business, Rack-It; Victor Khobot, who received $540 for his business, GroFlo; and Alexander Kagan, who received $550 for his business, GrowPlay Invest. For a full list of participating students, head to sichamber.com/yea.

Interested students, parents, and educators can reach out to Danielle Wiseman, Program Manager, at [email protected] for more information on the YEA! program.

Photos by Visiontech