KeikiCo Business Plan Competition Offers Hawaii Students a Chance to Win $25,000 for Their School

With Hawaii students back in the classroom, American Savings Bank (ASB) is calling on the state’s next generation of entrepreneurs to put their biggest ideas to the test through the 2026 KeikiCo Business Plan Competition.

Teachers and principals can register their students at asbhawaii.com/keikico through Sept. 11 for a chance to win up to $25,000 for their school, plus bonus cash prizes for individual winners.

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Open to Hawaii public and charter school students in grades 3 through 12, the statewide competition challenges students to identify real-world problems, develop creative solutions, and turn their ideas into business plans while building financial literacy, leadership, and entrepreneurial skills.

“KeikiCo is one of our most inspiring programs because it shows what’s possible when we invest in our youth,” said Ann Teranishi, president and CEO of American Savings Bank. “These students aren’t just learning how to develop and communicate their business plans. They’re building confidence, enhancing their leadership skills, and discovering how they can make a difference in Hawaii. At the same time, the winning teams are able to support their public schools.”

For former KeikiCo winner Pakela Aio, the competition helped turn creativity and an early interest in entrepreneurship into Kela Built, the ohana apparel and gift brand he owns today.

“KeikiCo pushed me in the right direction with Kela Built,” Pakela said. “It helped me create a business plan, interact more with my customers, and gave me more confidence speaking in front of people. Over the years, I’ve released more designs and products, met more customers, and built connections. I want to encourage the next generation that if I can do it, they can do it too.”

The competition comes as the Hawaii State Department of Education moves toward making financial literacy a high school graduation requirement, reinforcing the importance of introducing students to money management early. Through KeikiCo, students gain hands-on experience with concepts such as earning, spending, saving, investing, credit, and risk while learning how those skills apply to real-world decisions.

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About KeikiCo Business Plan Contest

ASB launched KeikiCo in 2015 to help Hawaii students build a strong financial foundation and develop skills they can carry into adulthood. Nearly 4,900 students participated in the competition, including 386 teams from 26 schools in 2025.

KeikiCo is the signature financial education initiative of ASB’s Bank for Education program. To date, ASB has awarded more than $1.7 million to 51 schools statewide and distributed more than $340,000 in small grants through Bank for Education.

Teachers and principals can register for the 2026 KeikiCo Business Plan Competition at asbhawaii.com/keikico by Sept. 11.