In the dynamic landscape of countless possibilities today, age is no longer a barrier to successfully launching a business. In the following stories, we will explore some young minds who have defied norms, initiated ventures, and left an indelible mark both in their local communities and on a larger scale.
From creating handmade products and offering valuable consulting services to addressing local challenges through incentivized competitions, these young entrepreneurs exemplify the spirit of innovation and resilience.
Let’s dive in!
Moziah Bridges – Founder of Mo’s Bows
Moziah “Mo” Bridges is the 14-year-old CEO of Mo’s Bows, a family-run business that sells handmade bow ties. His entrepreneurship journey started on the school playground, where he traded bow ties for rocks. He then started his first company at the age of nine. With the help of his mother and retired seamstress grandmother, Moziah began selling bow ties on his website and in retail stores.
His colorful, handmade ties quickly made an impression on major networks, and the young fashion mogul made rounds on The Steve Harvey Show, The Today Show, Oprah Magazine, Good Morning America, and eventually, Shark Tank.
You can watch his appearance here:
Vinusha MK – Founder of Four Seasons Pastry
Vinusha MK’s entrepreneurial journey began when she baked a cake for her mother’s birthday. The first time out, the cake tasted good but wasn’t the right consistency, but in subsequent tries, her cakes turned out great, and a baker was discovered.
Two years down the line, the then 10-year-old from Chennai, India, became a pastry chef, running her very own baking brand — Four Seasons Pastry.
Apart from cupcakes, chocolates, and sandwiches, Vinusha has also put together a baking kit for young children like her, who are keen on baking.
From there, her journey went into several new directions. Besides being an intern under famous chefs in India she also conducts baking classes online. As a motivational speaker, Vinusha has already delivered talks in several colleges. Her vision is to set up a culinary institute in India for low-income people.
Eli Wachs – Founder of High School HeroesX & Footprint
Eli Wachs was inspired by a book from Peter Diamandis, where he shares that many of the world’s greatest challenges are overcome by a combination of innovation and growing access to technology. Following the XPRIZE contests, he thought that it would be great to create a similar competition that benefits the local community. That’s when he founded High School HeroesX, an organization that runs incentivized competitions for high school students to solve local issues.
Eli went on to found several more companies. His most recent one is Footprint, that aims to be the Apple Pay of identity and bring back the trust to the internet. Instead of having to fill out multiple forms when applying for a mortgage, renting an apartment, or opening a credit card, users can fill out only one form on Footprint.
Ida Johansson – Founder of Hyred
Ida Johansson, a 22-year-old Swedish entrepreneur and founder, is passionate about people, leadership, machine learning, and the Gen Z mindset for building businesses.
At the age of 18, Ida left high school to establish her first company, Hyred, an HR-tech platform that transforms recruitment decision-making through machine learning. Within five years, the company expanded to four countries and 50 employees.
It was successfully acquired in June 2023. Ida, a self-taught software developer, excels in fusing technology and innovation with a Generation Z perspective.
Currently, she is furthering her skills by pursuing the executive program, Certificate in Management, at the London Business School.
Connor Blakley – Founder of YouthLogic & DropOut Companies
At the age of 15, Connor Blakley founded YouthLogic, a full-service agency that helps brands better connect with the always evolving better generation through generating custom youth advisory boards that help companies develop a relevant engaging marketing and brand strategy that connects with the younger generations.
YouthLogic also serves as a leading data resource for companies looking to get insights into their GenZ consumer across the US.
Building on this successful business, Connor founded The DropOut Companies, a next-generation consumer products company creating a portfolio of brands that connect culture with consumer demand.
Start Your Own Entrepreneurial Journey
As the journeys of these young individuals show, no matter your age or background, you can start a project or company today. What you need in order to be successful are the right skills and some guidance from experienced mentors. This is exactly what the Moonshot Pirates Launchpad provides you with! A step-by-step journey into entrepreneurship, supported by mentoring sessions from experts worldwide.
So what are you waiting for? Stop dreaming about building your own company. Start doing it!
Find out more about the Launchpad here.
