LAST YEAR'S GRAND PRIZE WINNERS

Here are the winners of the 1st Annual "Grow Your Own Business Challenge." Stay tuned to see who rises to the top this year!

The finalists presented their ideas to Warren Buffett and a panel of judges on May 21st, 2012.  The winning individual and the winning team members received a grand prize of $5,000 each. To see a list of all the finalists and their ideas, please click here.

Check out some photos of the grand prize event!

Contest Winners

Individual winner, Aria, with Warren Buffett

Winning team with their teachers and Mr. Buffett

Finalists and winners with Warren Buffett

Warren Buffett talking to the finalists

Local Omaha finalist, Jake, with Mr. Buffett

Team Super Clothes with Warren Buffett

Noelle with Warren Buffett

Team Safety Guardin' with Warren Buffett

Rachel with Warren Buffett

Sarady with Warren Buffett

Celebration dinner at the Omaha Zoo Aquarium

Students meet cartoon creator Andy Heyward

Click here for more photos of the grand prize event. 

Winning Ideas:

Aria, PA | Idea: Shine So Bright Grand Prize Winner "I came up with Shine So Bright when my family was making light up sweatshirts at the holidays. It took forever for my dad to finish soldering my sweatshirt. I wanted a quick and easy way to make a beautiful light up design on any piece of clothing. Shine So Bright will sell a kit that contains LEDs, colored conductive thread, switches and batteries through an online website. I will first find a manufacturer, have the kit packaged and then market and sell them on a website and at places like JoAnne Fabrics and Michaels. My customers will be people who want to have bright, cheery clothes that are easy and inexpensive. Shine so bright is a great family activity, and can be done in social groups such as Girl Scouts and parties."

Team Members: Charles, Lucien, Alejandro, and Nataniel, NY | Idea: Deals on Wheels Grand Prize Winner (Team) "We found a need to raise money for our school due to budget cuts in education. Our group came up with a concept: a portable, easy to assemble, customizable school store on wheels. "Deals on Wheels" would sell school supplies as well as healthy snacks that are in high demand. We are targeting New York City schools in short term goals and the nation in long term goals. Our first target group is the principals and the Parent Associations. These customers would purchase the Deals on Wheels cart and merchandise to fill the portable store. Our secondary target group is the students and faculty that would buy the supplies that the principal and the Parent Association purchased from Deals on Wheels. After hearing about our business idea, our principal got excited. She allowed us to borrow a cart she had and agreed to invest in our business. She was our first investor!"