When Jonah Meyuhas wanted to launch his first business idea, he ran into a problem familiar to many teenage entrepreneurs: no funding, no platform and no clear path forward.
Rather than give up, the Santa Monica High School junior decided to solve the problem itself.
Meyuhas, 16, founded The Next Big Thing, a Shark Tank-style pitch competition connecting high school students with real funding and feedback from experienced business professionals. The competition's second annual event is scheduled for 11 a.m. Saturday, April 18, at TRC Companies, 2601 Ocean Park Blvd., Santa Monica. The event is free and open to the public.
"I had an idea I wanted to pursue, but I was stopped by not having access to funding or a way to move it forward," Meyuhas said. "I realized that wasn't just my experience, but something a lot of students face. TNBT was created to give students that missing opportunity."
This year's event marks a significant expansion from the competition's 2024 debut. The prize pool has grown from $2,000 to more than $6,500 — more than tripling in one year — and the competition, once limited to Santa Monica High School students, is now open to applicants from schools across the west side and greater Los Angeles area, including Brentwood, Malibu, Archer, Crossroads and schools as far as Irvine.
More than 30 applications arrived from students pitching ventures in fields ranging from wellness to aerospace engineering. Finalists were selected based on the strength of their idea, its differentiation from existing products, the soundness of their business model and the quality of their presentation.
Student finalists will pitch before a panel of six judges with professional entrepreneurial backgrounds. Among them is Dhru Purohit, an entrepreneur and podcaster with more than 700,000 followers across social media platforms. Twelve local companies are sponsoring the event, including Del Morgan & Co., Focus Partners Wealth Management and Menchie's Frozen Yogurt.
Building the competition from scratch while still in high school presented its own challenges. Meyuhas said securing community support required sending hundreds of cold emails, sometimes following up with a single contact five or six times before receiving a response.
"As a student, you have to prove that what you're building is legitimate and worth people's time," said Lewis Smith, co-founder and co-vice president of the organization. "That meant being extremely organized, professional and persistent when reaching out to sponsors, judges and other schools."
Meyuhas credited mentor Jamey Edwards with helping the competition gain early traction. "He put us in touch with many other professionals who were a great help in putting the competition together," Meyuhas said. "Once a few sponsors came on board, it created momentum and credibility, which made it easier to bring in additional partners."
Smith acknowledged the difficulty of managing the organization alongside a full academic schedule. "Balancing TNBT with school and other commitments was also a challenge," he said, "but it pushed me to be more disciplined."
For the student competitors, organizers say the value of the event extends well beyond the prize money. Co-founder and co-vice president Bryce Schatzow said the experience of pitching before professional judges and gaining exposure is equally important for participants hoping to turn their concepts into lasting ventures.
"The funding helps, but just as important is the experience of pitching and gaining exposure," Schatzow said. "We hope that all of our applicants continue developing their ideas, build their products and potentially turn these projects into long-term ventures."
Schatzow also offered a broader message to students who may be sitting on an idea but hesitant to act.
"Entrepreneurship is much more accessible than you might think," he said. "You don't need a perfect idea or a lot of money to start — you just need to begin. If you are doing it right, people will take you seriously."
The competition arrives at a moment when educators and policymakers are increasingly discussing how to give young people direct exposure to business and innovation outside traditional classroom settings. The Next Big Thing positions itself as one answer — a structured, professionally supported environment where students can test real ideas against real scrutiny.
More information about the competition, including the list of finalists and sponsors, is available at nextbigthing.la. The organization can also be found on Instagram at @nextbigthing.la.
The Next Big Thing pitch competition takes place Saturday, April 18, at TRC Companies, 2601 Ocean Park Blvd., Santa Monica. The event begins at 11 a.m. and is free and open to the public.