Advancing to the final round of an entrepreneurship competition is nothing new for Kyle White and his Yaupon Brothers American Tea Company, but the Blackstone LaunchPad Pitch Competition will offer White a shot at $50,000 in prizes and the opportunity to (virtually) present to thousands of attendees at the Startup Grind Global Conference on Tuesday, Feb. 23. White previously led Yaupon Tea to win the UCF Joust New Venture Competition in 2017 and has continued to earn support from the startup community ever since.
“It is always great to advance to the final round of any pitch competition,” said White. “This one does feel different as we are surrounded by some fantastic competition from ventures launched at schools such as UCLA, Cornell, USC and UC Davis. This event being in partnership with Blackstone and Google is also a bit surreal!”
Among a field of 60+ student startups, Yaupon was selected as one of eight finalists to compete in the final round of the Blackstone LaunchPad Pitch Competition. Along with the first, second and third place winners, viewers will get to select the winner of the People’s Choice award by casting their votes at blackstonelaunchpad.org/vote.
“Winning this competition would mean a great deal for us,” White said. “Outside of the prize money, it is a great way to validate our idea of using Yaupon to help Florida farmers while also providing a cleaner, more ethical and American grown tea option. We are also hoping to bring home the win for UCF as this University has done so much for us.”
Founded by siblings Kyle and Bryon White in 2012, Yaupon Brothers American Tea Company grows, processes and sells tea made from the Yaupon Holly. The slow-growing tree is North America’s only naturally caffeinated, antioxidant-rich plant and is also abundant in Central Florida. Earning more than $380,000 in revenue in 2020, Yaupon tea is sold in more than 500 stores nationwide and is also carried by Amazon. When Kyle White is not growing tea, he helps other students launch their ideas as a coach in UCF’s Blackstone LaunchPad powered by Techstars.
“The LaunchPad has helped us in every imaginable way, not just for this moment, but for every moment and challenge we have faced as a business,” White said. “Starting a business as a student can be scary and stressful. But there are so many resources at UCF. Between the free databases from the library, coaching from the LaunchPad, and utilizing your professors and the alumni network – there is an abundance of help.”