Whitefish Bay teen hopes weather app he created earns him $5,000
Whitefish Bay teen hopes weather app he created earns him $5,000
A Whitefish Bay teen is one of four finalists for Junior Achievement's Young Entrepreneur competition.
WHITEFISH BAY, Wis. - A Whitefish Bay teen has been named a finalist for the Junior Achievement Young Entrepreneur competition.
Aiden Davis told FOX6 News he started learning how to code in kindergarten. But it was a recent windstorm that sparked an idea for an app that has earned him a chance at a $5,000 prize.
All this week, FOX6 News is introducing you to four teenage business owners who will compete for the competition's top prize. This is Aiden's story.
Fascination with weather
The backstory:
Aiden Davis said his big idea came from a big windstorm that blew through in 2020. That storm sparked an idea that's now sitting in your app store.
The Whitefish Bay Junior is the proud creator and owner of NWS Weather Report. It is a business launched over Davis' frustration of trying to pull up the National Weather Service website on his Android.
What they're saying:
"So there was a very large windstorm, a derecho, which produced 100 plus mile an hour winds," Davis said. "They (NWS) tend to have some of the best forecasts in the country. And the website's completely free. But the only problem with their website is that it's just, very hard to navigate, and especially on a smaller device like a phone. It's nearly impossible."
Creating the app
What we know:
Davis got to work. After hundreds of coding hours, his app now includes forecasts, radar and so much more.
Revenue is coming in from premium subscribers and ads. Downloads have picked up too, especially after a weather-focused YouTuber he reached out to mentioned "NWS Weather Report" in a recent video.
Davis continues to try and market the app, by sharing his QR code to try and drum up new downloads. The coding continues even with a busy life as a teen at school, scouting, and as a competitive mountain bike racer.
Download the app
The competition
What's next:
Davis has been named one of four finalists for the Junior Achievement Young Entrepreneur competition.
The teens will go before a panel of expert judges to pitch their business, trying to convince the judges they have done the best job creating their companies.
The winner will earn a $5,000 prize.
The Source: The information in this post was produced by FOX6 News along with information and help from Junior Achievement.