Fresno students pitch ideas to venture capitalists from Bloomberg Beta

FRESNO, Calif (KFSN) -- A Central Fresno high school is taking action to help students become entrepreneurs.

Students at Patino School of Entrepreneurship pitched their business plans to a group of venture capitalists from Bloomberg Beta.

At the school, the students take business focused courses their first two years of high school with the opportunity to network with experienced entrepreneurs in their junior year.

"We're a school of entrepreneurship and I think that Bloomberg Beta is one of the most influential venture capitalist firms in the states. And to be able to have those people interacting with our students is game changer for them," explained Principal Blair Sagardia.

Sagardia says this is the sixth year a junior class has presented to the group from Bloomberg Beta.

Senior Malikye Peterson had that opportunity last year and says it's one of many reasons this program has been a game-changer.

"We don't have someone to guide us, to lead us on the right path. And for me, this school kind of became my mentor," said Malikye Peterson, a senior.

Peterson is now on track to study business at Fresno State with an academic scholarship, and he's in good company.

Three of his classmates created a website that helps the Latino community find free information about financial topics.

The idea was so successful, the students have secured a two thousand dollar grant and hope to produce a mobile app.

"We see this high school as the future,"

Bloomberg Beta Venture Capitalist Roy Bahat says the students at Patino are creating business plans very similarly to other entrepreneurs.

Bahat hopes to continue to nurture the relationship with the Fresno Unified high school and offer a dose of reality to the business focused students.

"When young people are learning the skills to make something themselves and have the option that if they don't like the jobs that are offered to them, they can create something themselves, that's powerful," said Bahat.

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