Oak Brook 8th Graders Make National History With AI-Powered Fragrance Startup

Winners

Essence By You

The Founders

First Middle School Team Ever to Win BPA Overall National Showcase in Competition Against High School and College Students

HINSDALE, IL, UNITED STATES, May 18, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Two Butler Junior High School students have made national history after winning the top overall award at the 2026 Business Professionals of America National Leadership Conference in Nashville, Tennessee.

Gabe Fiascone, 13, and Rayyan Abuhilal, 14, founders of AI-powered fragrance startup Essence By You, became the first 8th grade team in the 60-year history of BPA to win the Overall National Showcase competition against competitors from high school and post-secondary programs nationwide and internationally.

The conference attracted a record-breaking 6,893 attendees from approximately 1,800 schools.

The students first won BPA’s National Start-Up Enterprise Team category before being awarded Overall Best in Show across all 15 showcase divisions.
“This started because my dad told me a $200 bottle of cologne was ‘stone-cold crazy,’” said Gabe Fiascone. “That led us to ask why people spend luxury prices for fragrances made for everyone instead of creating something personal.”

Their company, Essence By You, combines fragrance blending with proprietary AI-driven customization technology. Users complete a 20-question quiz about personality, mood, lifestyle, and preferences, generating customized fragrance recommendations from more than 10,000 potential scent combinations.

The startup was developed by four Chicago-area teenagers after independently studying fragrance science, experimenting with blending techniques, and attending professional workshops at Workshop Apothecary in Chicago’s Pilsen neighborhood.

Despite their age, judges selected the students over older competitors based on business execution, presentation quality, professionalism, and innovation. The BPA competition scoring included 75% professional judge evaluation and 25% peer voting from conference attendees.

The company has already served approximately 250 customers through word-of-mouth demand while the founders continue refining production and customization systems before a broader launch.

Principal John Hamilton of Butler Junior High praised the students publicly following the national competition.

“Their collaboration and leadership has built upon an already strong foundation and has set the program up to be a beloved Butler program for years to come,” Hamilton said in a statement to school families.

In addition to entrepreneurship, Gabe maintains straight-A grades and serves as co-captain of his school soccer team while balancing business operations and academics.

The students plan to continue developing the company through local farmers markets this summer before expanding online operations nationally.
“Stop buying their story,” reads the company slogan. “Start wearing your own.”

See Self Made Essence by You commercial - YouTube

For interviews, photos, videos, or additional information, contact:

Gabe Fiascone
Essence By You
+1 305-445-6661
email us here

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