CenterState CEO welcomed a new generation of entrepreneurs to the INSPYRE Innovation Hub for its inaugural Whiz Kidz Summer Program, a weeklong experience designed to introduce young people to entrepreneurship through hands-on learning, creative problem-solving and collaboration.
Throughout the week, students experienced what it takes to bring an idea from concept to pitch. They started by identifying everyday problems they wanted to solve, then worked alongside CenterState CEO staff and local business leaders to develop solutions and explore the fundamentals of building a business.
Students learned how to identify potential customers, use the Business Model Canvas, think about what makes a product stand out from its competition and develop strategies to reach their target audiences. They also explored branding and marketing, creating logos, visuals and identities for their businesses before bringing everything together into a final pitch.
The program was designed to teach the basics of entrepreneurship and help students build skills that can serve them wherever their interests take them, including critical thinking, communication, collaboration, creativity and resilience.
A session facilitated by Elite Gaming put those skills into action through team-based challenges focused on planning, communication and decision-making under pressure. Students also heard firsthand from entrepreneurs and business professionals about the persistence and creativity required to turn an idea into something real.
The week culminated in Pitch Day, when students presented their business ideas to a panel of CenterState CEO leaders, including President Ben Sio, SVP of Racial Equity and Social Impact Dr. Juhanna Rogers, SVP of Inclusive Growth Nora Spillane, and Business Advisor Gregory Ayers.
The program comes as CenterState CEO prepares to celebrate the first anniversary of the INSPYRE Innovation Hub, which opened in September 2025 as a place where entrepreneurs can access the resources, expertise and community needed to turn ideas into action.
“When we opened this building last September, we wanted to create a place where people could not only ask, ‘Why?’ but also find the support, resources and people to turn that question into action,” said Elle Hanna, senior vice president of Marketing and Communications at CenterState CEO, during Pitch Day. “That is exactly what these kids have done this week.”
Hanna encouraged students to carry that entrepreneurial mindset beyond the program and into their schools and communities.
“I hope when you look at your communities, your schools and the world around you, you no longer only see problems,” Hanna said. “I hope you also see possibilities and see yourselves as someone capable of creating what comes next.”
The inaugural Whiz Kidz program was made possible with support from event sponsors Amazon and The Dorthoy and Marshall M. Reisman Foundation and scholarship sponsor PPC Broadband Inc. CenterState CEO staff Gregory Ayers, Brandon Mastrangelo, Brittni Smallwood, Lexi Kelly, Megan Reichel, Annie Taylor, Lisa Metot, Michael Macaluso and Tatiana Wicker helped lead the week’s activities, with additional expertise and support from guest speakers, business advisors and program partners, including Elite Gaming.
By the end of the week, students left INSPYRE with more than a business pitch. They left with the experience of taking an idea seriously, building it alongside a team and standing in front of an audience to share what they created.
Want to see Whiz Kids in action? Watch a short video from the week on Instagram.
