Student Entrepreneurs Unveil Start-Up Ideas This Week In Shaker Heights

Is the next Steve Jobs from Shaker Heights? Maybe.

More than 20 area high school students, including five from Shaker Heights High School, participated this summer in the Shaker Heights LightHouse Entrepreneurial Accelerator Program (LEAP).

Here's five things you need to know about LightHouse's LEAP program, which culminates with an event in Shaker Heights on Friday.

1. What Is Demo Day?

The program is coming to an end 6 p.m. Friday with a "Demo Day" Event at Shaker Launchouse, located at 3558 Lee Road in Shaker Heights.

2. The LEAP Program

LightHouse, an organization modeled after the Shaker LaunchHouse business incubator, has mentored the students through the summer in the LEAP Program, which involve teaching the students from the Launchhouse curriculum, and provided startup money to launch their own businesses.

"We hope the students will come away from the program not only learning a lot about entrepreneurship and becoming a more complete entrepreneur, but having a viable startup," said LightHouse co-founder Zach Schwartz said.

That means turning a profit, eventually — a feat that businesses run by experienced adults can struggle to do.

3. Lighthouse Founded By Young Entrepreneurs

The LightHouse is an organization modeled after the LaunchHouse business incubator in Shaker Heights.

It was founded by three college students who graduated from Solon High School: Schwartz, Vibhu Krishna and Samir Amrania.

4. LEAP Participants

21 students were selected to participate in LEAP.

They are: Felix Benenson (University School), James Caffrey (Shaker Heights High School), Eric Goldberg (Solon High School), Philip Heyaditnaya (Hawken School), Chris Hill (Gaitway High School), Charles Hummel (Shaker Heights High School), Bharath Katragadda (Solon High School), Taylor Lovelace (Shaw High School), Kevin Lin (Shaker Heights High School), John Liu (University School), Charlie Newell (University School), Patrick Pastore (Shaker Heights High School), Anthony Rizkala (Solon High School), Jacob Roscoe (Solon High School), Andre Saunders (Solon High School), Rushil Shah (Solon High School), Owen Shome (University School), William Taber (University School), Shreyas Tallamraju (Solon High School), Kyle Whitlach (Shaker Heights High School) and Matt Yopko (University School)

5. Lawnmowers To Videogames

Students worked in teams to nuture and develop their business ideas. They came up with a range of ideas, including a nonprofit to deliver safe and environmental stoves to villages in El Salvador to a team creating a video game for mobile phones.