New York, NY, June 18, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE) today announced the student innovators advancing from its 2026 West Youth Entrepreneurship Showcases to the National Youth Entrepreneurship Showcase this fall in New York City. Chosen from showcase events in Los Angeles and the Bay Area, these young entrepreneurs earned top honors for ventures that combine inventive thinking with practical solutions to real-world challenges — reflecting the creativity, determination and entrepreneurial promise emerging across the West.
The students advancing to the national competition are:
- Elian Gutierrez from Florence Nightingale Middle School in Los Angeles, with Little Miss, an innovative period product pouch.
- Saumit Pathak from Silver Creek High School in San Jose, California, with LeftoSense, an AI-powered app that scans and analyzes food to determine if it is safe to eat.
These students will join top youth entrepreneurs from across the country at the U.S. National Youth Entrepreneurship Showcase on Nov. 18, 2026, at the Marriott Marquis in New York City, with the opportunity to advance to the World Finals on Nov. 19 at 787 Seventh Avenue in New York City.
“Across the West, students are drawing on lived experience, community insight and bold imagination to create businesses with real potential,” said Emma Hunt, NFTE West Program Director. “These showcases spotlight not only the strength of their ideas, but also the confidence, adaptability and leadership they are building along the way. We are proud to celebrate this year’s finalists and excited to see them bring the West region’s creativity and momentum to New York this fall.”
The West Youth Entrepreneurship Showcases also highlighted the educators, volunteers and partners who help make this work possible. NFTE West recognized EverBank as Corporate Volunteer of the Year, Tori Pappas as Individual Volunteer of the Year, Lester Vasquez and Jalina Chatzipantsios from Florence Nightingale Middle School as Los Angeles Teachers of the Year, and Imani Butler from Silver Creek High School as Bay Area Teacher of the Year.
The West Youth Entrepreneurship Showcases were presented by Ernst & Young LLP (EY US), the G-Unity Foundation, PayPal, Santander, U.S. Bank and Zuora, with signature sponsorship from Ancestry and additional support from Britebound, BMO and EverBank. Their support helps expand access to high-quality entrepreneurship education and hands-on learning experiences for young people across the region.
NFTE extends special thanks to Ancestry for launching the “Ancestry Legacy Builders Scholarship,” which will provide the next generation of business leaders in the NFTE West program with hands-on training and mentorship.
For media inquiries, contact Denise Berkhalter Miller, National Director of Communications, at [email protected] or (917) 281-4362.
About NFTE
Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE) brings the power of entrepreneurship education to learners, educators and decision-makers so all young people can own their futures. A global nonprofit founded in 1987, NFTE leads the global movement for equitable access to entrepreneurship education. NFTE has educated nearly 2 million learners, delivering its programs in school, out of school, in-person, online or through hybrid models.
- NFTE Bay Area Youth Entrepreneurship Showcase Champion
- NFTE Los Angeles Youth Entrepreneurship Showcase Champion