Meet the 2026 i.Invest Louisiana Young Entrepreneurs Grant Recipients: How ParTee Is Driving Innovation in New Orleans

ParTee founders, Emy Foster and Charlie Kehlenbach, standing with Jalin Carter, former program director for Tulane’s Young Entrepreneurs Academy.

Some of the best businesses are born from personal experience. For Emy Foster and Charlie Kehlenbach, a challenge they faced as members of their high school golf team became the inspiration for ParTee—an innovative mobile entertainment business that earned them recognition as 2026 i.Invest Louisiana Young Entrepreneurs Grant recipients.  

Emy and Charlie are 17-year-old juniors at Benjamin Franklin High School in New Orleans, Louisiana, graduates of the Tulane Young Entrepreneurs Academy (YEA!) and the founders of ParTee, a mobile golf simulator business that brings a premium golf experience directly to customers. Whether it's a backyard party, corporate event, wedding, festival, or community gathering, ParTee transforms virtually any location into an interactive golf experience. Customers simply book online, and the team handles delivery, setup, and operation, allowing hosts to focus on enjoying their event.

The inspiration for ParTee came from the students' own experiences on their high school golf team. As members of an underfunded program, they often struggled with transportation to practices and limited access to training opportunities. Rather than viewing these challenges as obstacles, they saw an opportunity to create a solution. What began as an idea to make golf more accessible quickly evolved into a scalable business serving New Orleans' growing market of golf enthusiasts, professionals, and organizations seeking unique event entertainment.

Beyond its business potential, ParTee demonstrates a strong commitment to community impact. The founders recognized that many events lack engaging activities that encourage guests to interact with one another. Their mobile golf simulator creates memorable experiences by bringing people together through friendly competition, teamwork, and conversation. It is an excellent example of how entrepreneurship can generate both economic opportunity and social connection.

Charlie setting up a ParTee simulator.

The i.Invest Louisiana Young Entrepreneurs Grant supports aspiring entrepreneurs across Louisiana, ages 13 to 19, who have developed a market-ready product or service. Co-sponsored by PR Solutions LLC, the grant provides funding, recognition, and mentorship to help young innovators transform promising ideas into successful businesses.

“We are excited to support young innovators like Emy and Charlie, who took a game they love and turned it into a viable business,” said Michelle Jackson, Founder and Executive Director of i.Invest. “They are a wonderful example of the creativity, innovation, and entrepreneurial spirit that New Orleans youth have to offer.”

Since its inception, the broader i.Invest initiative has provided entrepreneurship training to more than 50 youth entrepreneurship teams and awarded more than $50,000 in cash and in-kind prizes to help launch the next generation of Louisiana business leaders.

Congratulations to Emy Foster and Charlie Kehlenbach on being named 2026 i.Invest Louisiana Young Entrepreneurs Grant Recipients. Their entrepreneurial spirit, innovative thinking, and commitment to solving real-world challenges represent the very best of Louisiana's emerging business leaders. We look forward to watching ParTee continue to grow and inspire other young entrepreneurs to turn their ideas into impact.

To learn more about their services visit, https://rentpartee.com/.