Gateway CEO 2026 Fish Tank Competition was a success!! As students gathered in the room close to 6:30 am, also came our many board members, mentors, investors, family members and friends of Gateway CEO. Five dedicated judges were set and ready to hear pitches from our students as the morning kicked off at 7am.
Fish Tank was an impressive morning to watch the businesses of 20 young entrepreneur come to life as they competed based on their business plan that has been put together over the last three months. Each pitch was three minutes followed by 2 minutes of judges questions and then scoring. While there was some nervous jitters to begin, as the morning proceeded, the cheering section from the students as each competed, showed just how much of a family dynamic these students have by this time of year.
A very special thank you to our Sponsors. Gateway Convention Center was our location sponsor, WLS Consulting-Wendy Symer was the primary sponsor for prize money and Scooter's Coffee - Maryville provided the coffee for the morning!
We are thankful to our local business leaders serving as Judges this year:
Jon Sparks, Midwest Railcar Corporation
Wayne White, Maryville Mayor/Village President
Joe Newman, Newman Carriers
Katie Slimick, Executive Director of Collinsville Chamber
Rachelle Lengerman, Plocher Construction Company
Within each pitch, students were judged on the following criteria:
- The problem identified in the market
- The solution (product or service) that addresses the problem
- Customer discovery - what did students learn from talking to potential customers
- Target market - who is your primary customer and what is the strength of this industry
- Competitive advantage - who are the competitors and what makes you different
- Value Creation - Clearly articulated potential for sustainability - revenue/profits and social/environmental impact
- Prize use - how will the prize use being used to further develop the business
- Closing - where can you be found. What sets you apart.
- Overall pitch, presentation and organization.
Here are our top performers of the morning!
First place ($300) - Clean Soles - Jackson Cline
Second place ($200) - AVARRI Apparel - Avery Arrington
Third place ($100) - Momentum Golf - Brody DeVary, Mowtown CLS - Amarion Hall, Lost Time - Drew Jansen
Best Presentation Style - Momentum Golf
Most Creative/Unique Business - MC Electric Skateboards - Matthew Blakeburn
Best Answers to Questions - Mowtown CLS - Amarion Hall
Most Likely to Scale - Jackson Hall
#CEO Proud Award - This was peer selected! - Sophia's Chapter Critters - Sophia Murphy
Thank you all SO much for supporting these students. Gateway CEO is such a dynamic experience and we are so proud of these young people for getting up every morning of their Senior year to step completely outside of the comfort zones and they learn and grow each day.
Hope to see you soon at our Gateway CEO Trade Show and Investor Breakfast. We will continue to have more details on our Facebook page!!
