The Genius Project · Teens
Pitch & Win · Judging Report

Pitch & Win

Ten high-school teams pitched an AI startup. A council of ten judges scored every pitch against one blunt brief, then argued out the ranking. Here is who won, who came close, and exactly why.

The brief Make as much money as possible, and be profitable. Feasibility, differentiation, impact and risk shaped the rest.

The podium

J-Pop was the only pitch that scored at the top on the actual brief (most money, clearly profitable) and at the top on impact at the same time.

Final leaderboard

Every team, ranked out of 100. Bars show the total score. The north star for the panel was the two things the competition asked for, most money and profitability, which broke every tie.

The full scorecard

Ten judges, each scoring 1 to 10 through their own professional lens. Warmer cells are weaker scores, greener cells are stronger. Scroll sideways to see all ten judges.

Weak Strong For Privacy and Legal, a lower score means more danger.

The council

Ten judges, ten different lenses. Each scored every pitch through their professional view.

Feedback for every team

What worked, what puts it at risk, and the single move that would change the game.

Winner spotlight: J-Pop

It wins on the exact thing the competition asked for.

Most money

Insurers are a motivated business buyer with a clear return: fewer disputed and fraudulent claims. Disaster agencies, government and telecoms are further routes.

Profitable

Near-zero cost to reach a customer through WhatsApp, plus software margins, over a market that runs the length of the hurricane belt and beyond.

And it protects people

It shields the most vulnerable while it earns. Top money and top impact together is rare, and it is why J-Pop took the top spot.

Next step for the team: one insurer letter of intent and a twenty-household pilot in a single parish before the next storm season.

Cross-cutting notes for the room

Patterns the whole council saw across the field.