by Hibah Samad
Three Mira Costa students are competing in a national competition aiming to elevate their entrepreneurial endeavors. 9th graders Charlotte Fan and Wyatt Newbill and 12th grader Taylor Ryan have been selected in their age category for the 2024 “Why Didn’t I Think of That?” competition by the Intellectual Property Owner’s Education Foundation (IPOEF). Only nine finalists were chosen nationwide.
The virtual contest, based on voting, is in full swing and will continue through February 14. Taylor Ryan is in the 16+ category, representing her company, Unstoppable Protective Gear, LLC, which she founded in 8th grade.
“I received my patent recently. When I found out there was a competition for young entrepreneurs who specifically received their patents before they turned 18, I knew I had to throw my hat in the ring,” said Ryan. “I mean, what are the chances of finding a competition so niche!”
Ryan created the first-ever wearable, flexible set of women’s breast protective cups. She says as a lacrosse player, she was tired of getting slowed down by hits to the chest, and the protective cups give her the confidence to play harder. At 14, she participated in the Manhattan Beach Chamber of Commerce (MBCC) Young Entrepreneur Academy (YEA!) program and took home first place, landing her in the Young Entrepreneurs Academy (YEA!) 12th Annual Saunders Scholars National Competition.
“I am a young female entrepreneur filling a need in the female sports industry,” Ryan said. “Men have had protection since the late 1800s. Women’s sports are changing, and it’s time our uniforms reflect that.”
In addition to the under 18 age requirement, the entrepreneur competition allows students to apply only if they had an original invention and obtained intellectual property protection, including patents, trademarks, copyrights, and trade secrets. Finalists submitted a pitch video to promote their invention. In the 13-15-year-old category, 9th graders Fan and Newbill pitched their business Terreus, an eco-friendly, 100% biodegradable replacement for styrofoam made from four simple materials. The alternative to styrofoam effectively addresses the issue of harmful microplastic usage in the environment, waste and emission reduction.
“Terreus can and will help the world in the future,” said Newbill. “Recent research continues to support the growing evidence that plastics are in everything and are harming all living things. They are bad for the planet and are a growing problem that we believe must be addressed.”
Like Ryan, Newbill and Fan have already been in the national spotlight for their invention. Last year, they moved up the ranks in the local, state, national, and global Invention Convention competition. At the state level, Terreus won the Most Marketable Award, qualifying them for a provisional patent. They also placed 8th at the Raytheon Technologies Invention Convention U.S. Nationals. As they advanced, they realized their vision for Terreus, which started in their kitchens, had the potential to make a more significant impact on the world. Currently, the students are working on licensing their business.
“We put a lot of time and effort into Terreus, and that we have received the accolades we have is very rewarding,” Fan said. “We realized, by continuing with these competitions, we not only put a much needed focus on this large problem at hand but also inspire younger generations to do the same,”
Ryan said the entire experience has been rich with life lessons.
“I have learned a lot from running my business,” she said, “but my two big takeaways have been body language and time management.”
And as her sales continue to grow steadily, Ryan hopes to win this competition and take the next big steps for her business. Fan and Newbill likewise continue to develop Terreus and are mainly excited about its future development as a replacement for styrofoam in the world beyond just in shipping.
Once the winners are announced, they will receive business and IP coaching from industry professionals and recognition across IPOEF, which reaches thousands of IP professionals, innovators, and educators.
Voting is open through February 14 at ipoef.org/why-didnt-i-think-of-that/.
