Four regional winners will receive $1,000 prizes sponsored by M&T Bank to aid in making their business concepts a reality.

“The entrepreneurial spirit is the lifeblood of many innovations and initiatives that better our lives every day,” said Richard S. Gold, executive vice president, M&T Bank. “It is impressive to see this spirit in our leaders of tomorrow and we look forward to watching their business plans take shape with our help.”

Aspiring entrepreneurs between 13 and 20-years-old submitted 90-second videos and brief explanations of their business concepts that could make a positive impact in society. Fifty-five regional winners were chosen from 180 submissions based on the entries’ innovation, expected social impact, sustainability and general public feedback.

M&T Bank will help support these winning initiatives:

• Kenya Venture – part of Kenya Connect, raises funds to create a solar-powered resource center in Wamunyu, Kenya and establish an international book club between Kenya and Arundel High School students in Gambrills, Md.
• Clean Care Group – raises teens’ awareness of the chemicals contained in many personal care products. The project was submitted by Washington, D.C. area high school students.
• Scorched Earth: Not Just a Bunch of Hot Air – an interactive game educating players about global climate change. The project was created by students in Honeoye Falls, N.Y.
• Uniting Fitness – empowers people to live healthier through a website that allows user to graphically select their area of injury, pain and soreness and provides exercises and stretches to assist in recovery. The project was entered by students from the Rochester Institute of Technology.

For further information about the competition, or to watch video entries, visit www.bankingonyouth.org.

About M&T Bank
Founded in 1856, M&T Bank Corp. is one of the 20 largest U.S. bank holding companies, with more than 750 branch offices and 1,800 ATMs in Maryland, Washington D.C., Virginia, Pennsylvania, New York, West Virginia and Delaware.

About CBA
The Consumer Bankers Association (CBA) is the trade association for today's leaders in retail banking - banking services geared toward consumers and small businesses. The nation's largest financial institutions, as well as many regional banks, are CBA corporate members, collectively holding two-thirds of the industry's total assets. CBA’s mission is to preserve and promote the retail banking industry as it strives to fulfill the financial needs of the American consumer.

About Ashoka’s Youth Venture
Youth Venture is an international network of 100,000 changemakers. We inspire and support young people to be changemakers by launching and leading their own civic-minded organizations and businesses, and we help communities around the world realize their potential as communities of changemakers. YV operates in 19 countries and online at www.GenV.net.

###