SquareOne's Dragon's Ben competition helps kids turn ideas into businesses

NZ Herald

2 days ago

A $10k prize gives young entrepreneurs real-world tools.
Get a Grip. It could save you serious injury, reckons a crew of young basketballers from the Hawkes Bay. More than that, the team is blazing a trail where pre-teens are thinking well beyond the classroom or sports field – instead eyeing up the boardroom for long-term success.
Get a Grip is making waves thanks to financial-services-provider-for-the-next-generation SquareOne. Cofounder Jamie Jermain is on a mission to teach young New Zealanders that a dollar earned is worth more than a dollar spent, and that creating value is the key to lasting success.
'We're a country of entrepreneurs and small businesses,' Jermain says, noting that upwards of 97% of Kiwi businesses are small to medium enterprises. 'And while Kiwis are renowned for having that entrepreneurial spirit, financial literacy hasn't always kept pace. That can be a major limitation in achieving dreams.'
SquareOne's Dragon's Ben competition – run in partnership with The Hits Breakfast with Jono, Ben & Megan – sparks entrepreneurial spirit, builds financial smarts, and gets kids thinking like business owners long before they're old enough to regret a dodgy car loan straight out of uni.
In days gone by, kids learned their first lessons about money by schlepping cash to the post shop through school. 'I realised that kids don't have this conceptual association with money anymore when someone said their child asked, 'what's cash',' Jermain explains. 'They see mum and dad tapping something like a magic wand, thinking there is an infinite supply.'
SquareOne's platform teaches youngsters the value of earning, saving, and spending. There's an ATM card, of course, an app, and instead of just getting money, children are encouraged to earn it. Or, as Jermain notes, 'By earning and learning that money isn't free, young people gain an appreciation of creating and exchanging value.'
The platform itself encourages entrepreneurship; for example, it has a nifty QR code feature for lemonade stands (or any other enterprise) that's more high-tech than most average childhood hustles.
Then there's Dragon's Ben, named as a cheeky nod to the beloved TV show and to Ben Boyce himself. 'The idea is taking kids' amazing ideas, working with them and their families, and going from concept to reality,' Jermain explains.
The winning Dragon's Ben entry scores a $10,000 prize package which includes some cash, but the real treasure isn't the money. 'Turning a good idea into a business, whether it works out long-term or not, is an exercise in how the real world works. So, the value is in the mentorship, the connections made, and the journey involved in going from drawing board to operations.'
This year's winners are a group of five basketball-loving kids from Hawke's Bay: Arai, 10, Mila, 9, Conor, 8, Maia, 8 and Tia, 6. Their surprise and delight was clear when they found out live on air – a reminder that this is more than a business lesson; it's a big moment in a young person's life. 'Oh my gosh, actually?' Arai said on The Hits. 'Thank you so much! I'm like so happy, so thankful. Thank you.'
Tired of slipping on the court and racking up injuries, the team wanted to protect themselves and their friends – so they dreamed up a spray that adds extra traction; an idea with soul, you might say. 'The best founders have lived the problem, and they know their market,' Jermain says. 'The Get a Grip team plays the sport, slip, get hurt. And now they've come up with a solution to what is a real issue for themselves and their peers.'
Beyond a product idea, Get a Grip arrived with a brand, a proof of concept, and a plan to scale. SquareOne's support includes everything from website setup to retail connections, proving that even kids can tackle the big leagues with the right backing and encouragement.
Last year's winner Ruby Grace is making strides with her card game FIX, which helps kids with learning disabilities. Now 17, Ruby's prototype is moving towards commercialisation, with SquareOne providing guidance on manufacturing, retail strategies, and introductions to the business world. 'Ruby's very capable and involved,' Jermain says, noting that support includes navigating the complex stuff, like manufacturing in China and setting up a B-to-C website.
The Dragon's Ben journey isn't about instant success or even just about the finalists (there were six this year). Just learning about the competition and entering gets young folks thinking like entrepreneurs. 'It really is a mindset. The sooner our youngsters get into that mindset, the sooner they start thinking about solving problems and adding value, the better for their long-term prospects. And the better for the economy, too,' Jermain enthuses.
Each idea might start small, but for these kids, it's personal – and that's what makes it powerful.
SquareOne's partnership with organisations like MOTAT and the Young Enterprise Scheme is helping Dragon's Ben grow, with plans to expand the prize package and attract more interest, widening the field of entrants.
'It's growing in stature, and that's really quite rewarding,' Jermain says, excited about the future. 'The goal isn't just to churn out mini moguls, but to instil a mindset of value creation in exchange for financial reward.
'After all, the world is all about value exchange. If you want a paycheck, you have to think about how you can add value to society.'
Visit www.getsquareone.app to learn more or get your young entrepreneur started.