Last Tuesday, May 13, Carmel High School freshman Ravi Patel took first place and earned a $1,300 education grant in the third annual Start Me Up Cup competition hosted by the Carmel Education Foundation (CEF) in partnership with State Bank.
His winning concept, “RoboLuggage” – an app-controlled, smart suitcase designed for convenience, security, and efficient travel – captivated the panel of local business leaders serving as judges.
This year’s competition saw a record-breaking level of participation, with more than 400 Carmel High School students taking part as part of the Principles of Business Management curriculum. Every student enrolled in the course created a lean business plan and presented it at the classroom level. From these presentations, top projects were selected, and seven finalists were chosen. The top three, as determined by faculty, were invited to pitch their ideas live at Start Me Up Cup.
“The success of this year’s competition is due in large part to the hard work and vision of the five business teachers who guided students through the process,” CEF Executive Director Jennifer Penix said. “A special thanks goes to Bob Loy, who championed the project and helped scale it across all course sections. Their commitment gave hundreds of students a real-world opportunity to explore entrepreneurship.”
Second place and a $700 grant went to Isaac Nelson for TrueScan, a tech-forward retail checkout system that integrates AI and privacy-focused scanning. Third place and a $400 grant was awarded to Delightful Deliveries, a personalized gift basket business led by Sophia Collier, Emma Moore, and London Evans. Finalists placing fourth through seventh each received $150 in recognition of their innovative efforts.
The finalists presented their ideas to a panel of “shark” judges, including:
- Jim Badger – VP of Marketing, State Bank
- David Glenn – President, Coasterstone & Buttons Galore
- Andrew Fairman – Partner, Cerity Partners
- Lyndsey Brown – Owner/Publisher, Carmel Magazine
- Sarah Walker – Director, The Hagerman Institute at The Hagerman Group
“Our continued partnership with CEF and this competition is about cultivating entrepreneurial thinking,” State Bank Vice President of Marketing Jim Badger said. “We’re excited to invest in students who are willing to think big and work hard to bring their ideas to life.”
Penix said the purpose Start Me Up Cup is to advance Carmel students’ lifelong learning goals.
“This isn’t just about winning,” Penix said. “It’s about giving students an environment where they can build confidence, present their ideas to business professionals, and see themselves as capable, future-ready leaders. The Start Me Up Cup is a perfect example of our mission at work: supporting Carmel students in application of experiences that correlate to lifelong learning.”
Plans are already underway for the 2026 competition, which will once again culminate in a live event where Carmel’s next wave of young innovators will take the stage.
About the Carmel Education Foundation
Founded in 1966, the Carmel Education Foundation is one of the oldest foundations of its kind in Indiana. CEF has awarded over $2.1 million in college scholarships and more than $1 million in educator and student-led grants. Governed by a volunteer board of directors, the Foundation fuels innovation and opportunity to help every Carmel Clay Schools student achieve their full potential.
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