Lawrence Virtual School student Daniel Dao earns first-place prize in Douglas County Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge

Eighth-grader Daniel Dao, of Lawrence Virtual School, received first place in the 2025-2026 Douglas County Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge on Feb. 20 at the Dwayne Peaslee Technical Training Center. He received a $1,250 check and now qualifies for the state competition in April in Manhattan. His business idea, BrainQuest, is an app that offers carefully curated exercises grounded in educational research that is designed to strengthen critical thinking and problem-solving skills for users of all ages and backgrounds.

Dao, who also took first place last year, was among 13 students, representing nine businesses, who competed in the challenge.

The other top-prize cash winners were:

• Second place – Senior Ian Bryan, of Baldwin High School, $1,000. His business, IB Western Supply, provides handcrafted leather goods such as wallets, clips, belts, and everyday tools. 

• Third place – Freshman Trudy Kirkland, of Lawrence High School, $750. Her business idea, Mindful Machine, is a vending machine stocked with snacks and drinks made from clean, simple ingredients that fuel the body.

• Fourth place – Eighth-grader Abhirup Maity, of Billy Mills Middle School, $500. His business idea, Ecofy, aims to spread healthy and affordable plants globally.

• Innovate Globally Prize  – Eighth-graders Libya Elshekhi and Abigail Poindexter and seventh-grader Penny Whittier, all of Billy Mills Middle School, $250. Their business idea, Pure Plate, is a restaurant rooted in both sustainability and culture.

The judges for the competition were: Chris Miller and Seth Johnson, of KU Small Business Development Center; Quinlan Carttar, of K-State Extension Douglas County, Allyssa Foster, entrepreneur; Kurt Spachek, Jack Oglesby and John Harrison, of Douglas County E-Community, and Sandy Gantz and Seth Johnson, community members.

Assistant County Administrator Jill Jolicoeur organized and facilitated the event with support from E-Community Coach and local entrepreneur Nicole Rials. Sponsors were Douglas County, Network Kansas and KU Innovation Park.