What is the Trust Your Crazy Ideas Challenge?
Create it. Submit it. Plan it. Pitch it.
Since 2013, the Trust Your Crazy Ideas Challenge has awarded over $300,000 in scholarships to students and schools across Louisiana. Does your Crazy Idea have what it takes? Learn more about the Challenge below, and get involved here.
Create it.
The Trust Your Crazy Ideas Challenge starts in the classroom during the Fall semester with the locally-developed JA Catalyst curriculum, a 7-session program that teaches the fundamentals of entrepreneurship and innovation. Students can trust their own “Crazy Ideas” by creating a business plan, which they can then submit in order to be considered for a spot as a semi-finalist.
JA Catalyst is an extremely flexible curriculum that is available at no charge to the community. It features hands-on lessons packed with activities to stimulate creativity and innovation. Catalyst can easily be taught by a teacher, volunteer, after-school moderator, or another community member.
Submit it.
Crazy Ideas can be submitted right here on our website – just click the “Submit” button at the top of the page, answer a few questions, and send us your Crazy Idea!
Students can submit their ideas in teams of 4 or less.
In December, the submissions are judged, and the top Crazy Ideas are selected as Semi-Finalists and invited to attend our spring program: JA Idea Accelerator.
Plan it.
Throughout the Spring, Semi-Finalist teams attend the Idea Accelerator workshop series. At these workshops, students hear from local entrepreneurs about marketing, manufacturing, funding, and more. Teams work with mentors from different industries to develop a pitch, a pitch deck, and a commercial for their Crazy Idea.
The Idea Accelerator workshops provide a platform to not only inspire students to anticipate and solve problems, but also develop impactful and real-world entrepreneurial, management, public speaking, and networking skills that they’ll need throughout their careers.
Pitch it.
After the Idea Accelerator series, student teams give their pitch in front of a panel of judges (and a packed house) at The Big Pitch, during New Orleans Entrepreneur Week.
The First Place team at The Big Pitch will earn $5,000 in scholarships and a spot at the Regional Competition. Two Runners-Up at The Big Pitch will receive $2,500 in scholarships.
After the Big Pitch, the local winner will be invited to the Regional Competition, where they’ll compete against winners from across the state of Louisiana and Mississippi. The Regional Winner will earn an additional $10,000 in scholarships and $5,000 for their school. The three Regional Runners-Up will earn $2,500 in scholarships.
What People Are Saying
Students, teachers, mentors, and more have a lot to say about the Trust Your Crazy Ideas Challenge.
“I am so thankful that I had this opportunity to become more confident, make new friends, and learn a lot about entrepreneurship! I wish I could do everything all over again, and if you have the chance to be a part of this amazing program, I definitely recommend it! ”
“I wish I had this program when I was in high school. The empowerment, connections, and confidence are incredible! I hope to see this program continue its growth while inspiring young people that they can trust their crazy ideas. It sure has inspired me.”
— Kenny Nguyen, Entrepreneur & TYCIC Mentor
“I love the Trust Your Crazy Ideas Challenge. I want to build and own a business one day - working with TYCIC lets me focus on my future.”
— Furnell Augustine, TYCIC Semi-Finalist & G.W. Carver student.
“It's been such a joy to work with these budding entrepreneurs. I know that these young folks will bring great hope and promise to our city because of their creativity and their problem-solving. It was an honor to contribute in a small way for their bright ideas.”
