A bold idea from two local students is among just 60 semifinalist submissions selected from over 3,700 nationwide to pitch at the Mott Million Dollar Challenge, June 15-16 in downtown Flint.

FLINT, Mich., June 10, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Charlie Edwards and Noah Muienburg from Tulsa, Oklahoma have been selected as a semifinalist submission in the Mott Million Dollar Challenge, a national pitch competition for K-12 students.

More than 5,300 young people from all 50 states and Washington, D.C. submitted over 3,700 business ideas and social solutions to the Challenge. From those entries, 1,500 submissions were selected in the first round. Now, the creators behind the top 60 ideas are advancing to compete at a live national event in Flint, Michigan next week.

Charlie Edwards and Noah Muienburg, 10th-grade students at Oklahoma School of Innovation and Experiential Learning (OSIEL), created Mold Busters, a smart device designed to prevent mold growth before it starts. Using a DHT sensor, the system monitors temperature and humidity levels in real time and automatically activates a fan and UVC light when conditions become favorable for mold growth, while also sending an alert to the user’s phone. For safety, the UVC light shuts off whenever a person is detected nearby. By proactively reducing mold-friendly conditions, Mold Busters helps create healthier indoor environments while preventing costly damage to homes and businesses.

“Mold Busters helps get rid of mold before it even starts,” said the Mold Busters team in their business pitch to the Mott Million Dollar Challenge.

As a semifinalist, the project will be awarded $5,000. Charlie and Noah will pitch live in front of judges during the final competition June 15-16 in Flint.

Funded by the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation as part of its centennial celebration, the Mott Million Dollar Challenge is administered by the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE) in collaboration with VentureLab, Young Entrepreneur Institute (YEI), the Afterschool Alliance, Collaborative Communications and the 50 State Afterschool Network. The Challenge is designed to shine a light on entrepreneurship education as a meaningful way to help students build skills they need to navigate and shape the future.

Learn more about the Mott Million Dollar Challenge and explore semifinalist ideas at https://mottmillion.org/60-semifinalist-pitches/.

Contact:
Jen Peters
[email protected]

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