Young Australian entrepreneurs Toby Musumeci and Iggy Mukhtar have recently returned home having won the MiniBoss World Cup Championship in Scotland for their venture Scam Busters that helps kids feel safe and confident on the online Roblox platform.
The concept behind MiniBoss is to help kids develop and practise skills that will help them make their own path in life and build a happy future. The program is designed to give children more options than the traditional university and career pathways post school. Kids launch multiple businesses as a way to practise identifying opportunities, making plans, and then turning their plans into reality. The program gives them the all-important soft skills, including a growth mindset, and its interactive fun learning methods keep them engaged.
“We met through the MiniBoss program in 2022,” Toby, aged 11 and from West Pennant Hills in Sydney, explained. “One of the first sessions was about ‘what do you like’ and ‘what is a problem in the world’. Coincidentally Iggy [also 11, who lives in Byron Bay] and I both love gaming and had both experienced the negative impacts of being personally scammed on Roblox. So, we decided to work together on our ideas as business partners and we are now also best friends.
“[Most] kids don’t listen to their parents when it comes to gaming, thinking, ‘What would they know?’,” Toby added. “Kids listen to their peers, so our view is that if kids were teaching other kids about how to avoid the scammers, they would listen.”
Toby (pictured, centre) and Iggy (pictured, left) first presented their ideas at the Australian Start Up Forum to a panel of investors to seek investment from business owners to continue to fund getting their business up and running. In December 2022 they present their business plan and growth to a panel of Judges to pick the National winners with the top two businesses invited to the World Cup in Scotland. Scam Busters came second at Nationals with Canine Cakes coming first.
At the World Cup in Scotland in July 2023 there were two categories – SAGE for online businesses and SIFE is for in-person businesses. Scam Busters came first in the SAGE category and Canine Cakes came second in the SIFE category.
“There’s nothing that makes us rage more than being scammed on Roblox and hearing about scammers tricking other players, too,” Toby – who’s mother Sophie is herself an entrepreneur, being founder of Real Entrepreneur Women, and an ISB 2019 Top 50 Small Business Leader – averred. “So, we have made it our mission to put a stop to online scamming for kids. It hasn’t been easy… business is like a rollercoaster, sometimes it can have its ups and downs and twists or turns, but at the end of the day you are glad that you did what your heart desired.
“The opportunities I have received since being part of MiniBoss have been incredible. Presenting on stage at a national and global level at my age has given me so much confidence,” Toby added. “Heading to the World Cup I couldn’t imagine winning. When they called our names out I cried with joy. I’ve never been happier or prouder.”
Olga Azarova, CEO and Founder of MiniBoss Business School International and Co-Founder of World Education, Science and Innovation Organisation, said that “it is not surprising” that Toby and Iggy won the Startup World Cup Championship.
“There were many competitors in the Social Entrepreneurship category, and some had fantastic ideas, but this Australian team ticked all the boxes,” Azarova (pictured, right) said. “Firstly, they identified an important problem that affects millions of children around the world in online safety. Secondly, they developed a unique product through online masterclasses for kids, by kids.
“Finally, they developed an effective launch plan and have already started selling their products. There is no age limit to being helpful and starting an excellent business. When young kids like these two are able to launch such a wonderful business at just 11, the sky is their limit,” Azarova concluded.
