Gym bag deodorizer attracts business investment for Palatine students

Business dealings are often described with terms usually reserved for the world of sports such as winners, losers and comeback. Perhaps it was fitting then that the only team to be awarded startup money at the Palatine-Schaumburg High School District 211 Business Incubator Pitch Night was considered an underdog by its own teacher and pitched a business for people who play sports.

The program, in its first year at District 211, brings together area business leaders and students. The students, guided by their teachers and business leaders, worked in separate groups over the course of the year to come up with a business idea and plan. They then compete at the school level against each other in a "Shark Tank"-like event, pitching their ideas and taking questions from a panel composed of business leaders or "sharks." Six teams advanced to a final round - one from each school in the district plus a wild-card team.

The ultimate winner was DeoTech from Palatine High School.

"They were the wild-card team. They were the last of the seven groups in my class to come up with an idea and a bit of an underdog, but they put in a lot of time on it," said Cliff Watanuki, a business teacher at Palatine High School.

DeoTech, comprised of Palatine High School seniors Kosta Plevritis, Anthony Portera, Drake Roberts and Anthony Tamras, pitched a portable eco-friendly deodorizer for gym bags, cars and lockers. The deodorizer is in a strong aluminum housing that comes apart to allow for monthly refills. The product would sell to gyms for $9.99 and to the general public for $19.99 and costs about $4.99 to make, according to the team.

Jim McKenzie, a judge on the incubator startup panel, said he was impressed by the ideas from each team, but it ultimately was a "pretty simple choice." He said the deciding factor for the judges was that the product is easy to implement quickly.

"They can go out and sell it to gyms right now," McKenzie said.

Indeed, during their pitch, DeoTech members informed the panel that they received a verbal order for 20 units from a local gym a day before the final competition.

Watanuki added that DeoTech benefited from a mentor who was very involved - David Pickard from William Wrigley Jr. Co., and worked very hard.

The team felt "confident but also a bit nervous," senior Kosta Plevritis said.

DeoTech asked for $40,000, but was awarded $25,000, which must be paid back once the company is profitable, said District Superintendent for Instruction Lisa Small. There is no time limit to the loan.

All money funding the program comes from businesses, said Patricia Ertl, the district's head of business education. The program generated about $360,000 in donations with $250,000 earmarked for possible funding awards, McKenzie said.

While no other team was funded, several said they plan to follow through anyway. The other business concepts included Kicksswap from Conant High School, an intuitive website that connects buyers and sellers of collectible sneakers; Simple Chip from Hoffman Estates High School, a bracelet containing RFID technology to tackle school security and attendance-taking issues; Re-Lax Services from Schaumburg High School, an idea to refurbish and replace used lacrosse balls; Qubed from William Fremd High School, an educational app to help high school students with homework; and Shoe Monkey from Palatine High School, a service for children that would send them new shoes every few months while donating old ones to those in need.

Small said other business people may be interested in some of those ideas. "Who knows who was in the audience? These kids are very resourceful."