Over $11,000 Awarded to Cache CAPS Students at Invest Nest Competition

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 28, 2026

LOGAN, Utah — The first-ever Cache Invest Nest Competition was held last month at Utah State University, where local high school students competed for over $11,000 in prize money. The event was a collaboration between the Cache CAPS (Center for Advanced Professional Studies) program, the USU Entrepreneurship Center, and various sponsors involved in bringing the state-wide competition to Cache Valley.

The event, which took place on March 16 inside USU’s Huntsman Hall, was the culmination of months of preparation. Ten finalists pitched business concepts ranging from an AI receptionist for HVAC companies to a mobile fueling app, demonstrating their creativity and ability to clearly explain their business strategy.

This was the third round of the district-level competition, and the top business presentation from each district will now compete for $20,000 at the final state round on May 4th in Provo.

The winners of the competition included:

• First Place ($10,000): Cooper Jensen
• Second Place ($1,000): Makai Peterson
• Third Place ($100): Tyla Buttars

This competition serves as an example of what the Cache CAPS program aims to do for students: giving them real, hands-on experience that builds valuable skills and connections that can help jumpstart their careers.

The $11,100 prize pool was made possible by local sponsors, including Wasatch Property Management, the Gene and Cree Spaulding Family, Scholarship House, America First Credit Union, and Old Main Ventures.