Dingman Center for Entrepreneurship

Over the past 11 weeks, Maryland high school students have been learning and building at Launchpad — an afterschool entrepreneurship program created and led by Venture Programs Coordinator, Sadia Alao. The program was taught by four UMD students (Randi Whitehurst, Harris Suleman, Alicia Debra) and one alum (Goodness Ihekweme), guiding participants as they developed real businesses and gained hands-on experience in pitching and selling their products or services. Each team received $100 to bring their idea to life and showcased their work at our Terp Marketplace event.

Read about their stories below!

Interviews and summaries by Layla Bailey.

Interested in next year’s Launchpad program? Apply here

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Jackson Mackie

Jackson, 17, from Takoma Park, Maryland, came into Launchpad knowing only the basics of entrepreneurship such as buying and selling. A few sessions in, he developed Custom Clips, a keychain business idea, designing pieces with icons and symbols to complement everyday outfits. He shared that Launchpad helped him understand the steps to starting a business, including building a website and selling products. He also appreciated that materials were provided to help him get started.

One of his favorite moments was listening to panelists share their entrepreneurial journeys, which he described as “seeing your future if you keep committing to it.”

Isha Guhesan & Tyler Montfort

Isha and Tyler are cousins who run Turtle Tank Creations, a business that sells hand-painted animal figures and 3D-printed bases. Tyler manages the printing process using downloadable files that take about one to two hours to produce, while Isha focuses on painting and design.

Before Launchpad, being an entrepreneur felt out of reach, especially at their age. After hearing from a panel of young entrepreneurs, they realized it was possible. Isha shared that it “really inspired me to keep going with this idea,” and Tyler learned that running a business is not just about selling a product but also about “knowing your customer, who you’re selling to, and what problem you’re trying to solve.” They now feel more prepared and excited to continue growing their business.

Achinthya Karanji

Achinthya Karanji is a 15-year-old student from Clarksville who explored business ideas like dumpster diving and reselling refurbished items. Through the program, he learned that entrepreneurship can begin with a simple idea and that understanding your customer is important. He especially enjoyed prototyping and gaining a better understanding of how business works.

MaKaila Francois, Cayden Cheng, Eric Zhao, & Abraham Friedman

MaKaila, Cayden, Eric, and Abraham worked together during Launchpad to start an eyewear brand called Blue Lit, a business that combines eye protection with fashion. Their goal was to design blue light glasses that protect the eyes while allowing customers to express themselves. Launchpad supported them in prototyping and making their product, helping turn their concept into something tangible. One member said receiving the materials was a highlight that showed their progress coming together.

Can (Alex) Tsarouhas

Can is a 16-year-old from Turkey who runs AC Bikes, a business centered around selling, repairing, and refurbishing bicycles. He offers affordable, quality services to support individuals in his neighborhood who need reliable transportation. Launchpad helped him deepen his understanding of customer needs and provided the tools to continue his repair work. With more confidence in presenting his venture, Can plans to showcase his business at the upcoming Terp Marketplace.

Ingrid Sullivan & Ailyn Earle

Ingrid and Ailyn are co-founders of Seastone, a business that creates homemade cement trays inspired by marine life. Their goal is to raise awareness about ocean conservation while using recycled materials to reduce environmental waste. Their passion for the environment comes from personal experiences—Ingrid’s love for the ocean through summers with her grandparents, and Ailyn’s upbringing in a family deeply involved in environmental education. 

During Launchpad, they gained a clearer understanding of starting a business, especially the importance of identifying a target customer. The customer discovery lesson taught them to shape their product around audience needs. Inspired by a panel of college entrepreneurs and supported by coaches, they overcame challenges like sourcing materials.

Blake Falcomeni, Karma Lobsang, & Dhruv Shah

Blake, Karma, and Dhruv are high school students from Maryland who created Terp Thrift, a peer-to-peer, eco-friendly thrifting service for University of Maryland students. Their business makes secondhand shopping more convenient by offering local pick-up instead of shipping, removing extra fees and streamlining the resale process on campus.

They are currently in the early implementation phase, finalizing their plan and preparing to launch. The idea started with a shared interest in sustainability and a desire to make thrifting more accessible and community-based.

Through Launchpad, they learned how to take an idea and build it into a functioning business. The most valuable lessons came from customer discovery and prototyping activities, which taught them how to identify their target audience and improve their service through feedback. 

Iniya Guhesan

Iniya is a 17-year-old from Maryland who is starting Nilaworks, a business to help petite women access well-fitting clothes for their shape, height, and size. The idea stems from her personal frustrations with finding clothes that match her proportions. After discovering that many of her classmates shared the same issue, she realized there needed to be a solution. Although her original plan was to manufacture new pieces, she decided to build her business around sustainability by repurposing thrifted items and making personal alterations. She shared that Launchpad restored her motivation and gave her the tools and support to keep moving forward.

Cortez Parker 

Cortez is an 18-year-old from D.C. and the owner of the clothing brand Young Havin Motion (YMA). He started the brand to motivate young hustlers and entrepreneurs to keep striving toward their goals. Through Launchpad, Cortez learned how to promote his brand by sharing his story and using it as a way to connect with others. He also appreciated having a network of peers during the program, which helped him grow his business and stay inspired by seeing others work toward their own visions.

Karyn Chambers

Karyn is a 16-year-old from College Park, Maryland, and the owner of a crochet business called Yarn Stars & Beyond, which she is currently looking to rebrand as Yarn Stars and Beyond. She creates handmade accessories such as hats, purses, and clothing, and also teaches others how to crochet. During Launchpad, she enjoyed the chance to prototype her pieces, improve her products, and later sell many of them at the Terp Marketplace. Before Launchpad, she described her understanding of business as shallow, but the program helped her develop a much deeper perspective. She especially valued the new connections she made with other student entrepreneurs, which she found motivating and encouraging.