On Sunday, May 31, 2020, twenty local high school students from around the state virtually pitched their start-ups to a panel of 5 judges at the TiE Young Entrepreneurs (TYE) State Competition hosted by the TiE Oregon Foundation. The winning team, Pasta Straws, from Lincoln High School, will represent Oregon, among 32 other teams throughout the world, at the Global TYE Competition July 17-18.

Pasta Straw’s co-founders, Finella Zeipelt and Noah Overbeck will continue work on their invention which is a fun, flavored, and environmentally friendly pasta straw wide enough to drink smoothies and boba tea.

“I have loved being a part of the TYE program and am so grateful for the experience and opportunity that has come from it. We are looking forward to competing in the Global competition!” Finella Zeipelt, CEO, Pasta Straws The second and third place teams, Save Teachers Minutes and FUD, were composed of students from Jesuit, Lincoln, Sunsent, and Westview High Schools. They are also planning to
continue on with their inventions.

TYE is an initiative that aims to inspire, challenge and empower students to become the next generation of entrepreneurs, business and community leaders. The year-long, hands-on, experiential learning curriculum teaches students how to solve a problem in their community
through invention and entrepreneurship. TYE instructors, mentors, and industry experts teach students design thinking, customer validation, prototyping, and business models. Students walk away with essential life skills; teamwork, innovation, and leadership. They learn resiliency and compassion through failures and the successes of taking risks and trying again.

“My favorite part of the TYE program was trying to come up with new ideas after our previous ones failed.” Anika Jain, Student, Westview High School

TiE is a Global Organization in over 60 cities around the world with a mission to support minority entrepreneurs through education, mentoring, networking, and angel investment. 32 chapters run the TYE program. The TiE Oregon Foundation hosts the largest TYE program with over 160 students. The program is run as an extracurricular program and meets on Sundays as well as an in-school program, taught in-class, in which students receive credit for the curriculum. TYE is currently taught in Benson Polytechnic, Jefferson, Lincoln, and Rosemary Anderson North High School. The TYE Oregon program is supported by the Lemelson Foundation, Oregon Community Foundation, Oregon Youth Development Council, and several members of the TiE Oregon Charter Membership.

“It was incredibly exciting to observe how students engaged with the TYE program. The conceptual framework provided by and the outstanding support of the TYE team opened my students’ thinking to new possibilities and will have a long lasting impact on their lives and
careers.” Ron Waugh, Teacher, Lincoln High School

Press Contact: Nicole Marris | TYE Program Director | [email protected]