Wong Fu Productions first started making videos in 2003 in college at UC San Diego. Starting out as friends and dormmates Wong Fu Productions is now headed by Philip Wang (left), Wesley Chan (center) and Ted Fu (right). – Wong Fu Productions

Wong Fu Productions started out as a simple idea–a few college students interested in film. However, years later, it has turned into so much more.

“Their creative work has been recognized for their high quality and depth, attracting major corporations like Subaru, JC Penny, and AT&T, but also bringing in honors and praise from organizations like CNN, NPR, the 2008 Cannes, 2011 Sundance, and 2011 LA Asian American Pacific Film Festival, and even the White House when they met President Obama in 2011.”

Today, Wong Fu creates and sells little stuffed animals called “awkward animals.” In fact, they have their own line of stuffed animals, key chains, t-shirts, and more. They have over 2 million subscribers on Youtube, and they even just finished filming their very own movie.

“We never had the intention of making Wong Fu what it is today, but we know we’re very lucky and will do our best to deserve it. We believe we can have a positive influence in this industry, and on our audience…and if we can do this, then we know we’re doing something right.”

If I tell a large crowd of people to think of a young singer who found his or her roots in the depths of Youtube… overwhelmingly, many would immediately say the name, “Justin Bieber.”

However, there are many other Youtubers who created their own small fan bases. One of my personal favorites is Megan Nicole.

As a kid, I wanted to be an astronaut (or a mermaid, but who am I kidding, I would still totally be one if that was a real job). Music was always a part of my life. I played piano for many years growing up, but it wasn’t until high school when I first picked up the guitar that I fell in love. I knew then there was nothing else I wanted to pursue. Something just clicked. When I started creating music there was no going back for me. I remember telling my parents that this is what I want to do for the rest of my life. Create.

She started out with covers and eventually created her own songs and music videos. She has three million subscribers today.

Now at age 22, Megan Nicole is signed with a record label and just released her first album.

“Bridges had the idea for Mo’s Bows when he was just 9 years old. His grandmother, a retired seamstress, taught him early on the importance of dressing sharp. He asked her to teach him how to sew, and soon he was making bow ties and selling them online and to several stores in the South.” – Business Insider 

12-year-old Moziah Bridges, the founder of Mo’s Bows sold 2,000 bow ties by the time he brought his idea to Shark Tank. Through this entrepreneurial business, he brought in $55,000 of revenue to his house.

“John became Bridges’ mentor in 2013 after he and his mom appeared on “Shark Tank” in its fifth season. The mother-son entrepreneur duo from Memphis sought $50,000 in exchange for 20% equity in the company.”

“Kevin O’Leary offered a deal for the $50,000 in exchange for a $3 royalty per tie sold, which Mark Cuban and John advised Bridges not to take.” Bridges is taking the time to be sure that Mo’s Bows does not expand to fast while John is advising him to “not think about what everyone else is doing and to stay true to his own brand.”

In the end, Moziah Bridges wants to have his own clothing line by the time he is twenty years old. He is a young individual with grand dreams that go beyond the norm of 12-year-old boys. With his innovative mind, Bridges is expected to go far and accomplish a lot at a young age.

While students learn about innovation in colleges around the world, a thirteen-year-old from Alabama named Taylor Rosenthal already has the concept of innovation tucked under his belt.

“RecMed is a first aid vending machine company that helps consumers get convenient and fast access to first aid,” says Taylor in a Youtube video pitching his idea.

WLTZ First News reports on the entrepreneurial innovation of Rosenthal,  “It was the simple idea of selling first aid kits at sporting events that’s now grown to something that’s simply knocked-outta-the-park-genius, RecMed first aid vending machines.  It was an idea that came straight from Taylor, an Opelika teen, student and baseball player.”

And now, one major corporation wants to discuss buying his idea for 30 million dollars.

However, this grand number–30 million–does not quite cut it for young Taylor Rosenthal. “I was kind of surprised, but unfortunately we declined it because we’re waiting for it to get up to a higher price,” He said.

Rosenthal plans on selling it for 100 million dollars before he graduates high school so that he can attend Notre Dame and play baseball. “We told him to sell it for 200 million and go buy the team.” Round House Founder Kyle Sandler said with a chuckle.

Taylor Rosenthal turned his idea into a community effort, as many people in his community have reached out to help him. Although he has had a lot of resources, he definitely put in the effort and did a spectacular job putting the idea together and turning it into a reality.

18-year-old Valentinos Tzekas–featured in Forbes–believes that startups like his own will help get Greece back on its feet economically.

“We tried making phone calls, sending messages and look frantically for check ins on Facebook, to see which of our friends were in each bar, in order to -make the best decision. It was proving impossible, and we were losing precious time. It was at that moment I realised the solution was to have all of this information directly on our phones.” – Tzekas

Tzekas created a social app called Near – Check Who’s Nearby. Basically, it checks to see which of your friends are nearby in order to avoid sending a mass of texts and Facebook messages whenever a person wants to hang out. According to Forbes, he spent days working from 7 am to 3 am in order to turn this simple idea into a reality.

“They have lost their hope of a better future. They become reluctant to innovate. They stopped dreaming big,” says Tzekas. “My own friends, in trying to keep me safe, keep telling me about the odds of failing and wasting time and money. They say I can’t make a living as an entrepreneur in Greece. ‘Get a degree and a job.’ is what they say. Personally, I consider them to be closed-minded. No one really understands your dreams but you have to stick to your guns. If you think you can do it, do it.”

With admirable dreams and great empathy, Tzekas sees past this app as merely a way for him to make money. He sees startups such as this one as hope for the economic security of Greece.

At the moment, Tzekas is working on his college degree while selling his app himself with his “one many army.”

“I’d love to build a talented, support team and of course, find the funding needed to take things to the next stage. I always knew that I was going to be a web developer and an entrepreneur; actually, I can’t imagine doing anything else. It’s my passion and I live for it. I’ll keep chasing my dreams, and I believe the best is yet to come.”