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34 Worcester Business Journal | August 20, 2018 | wbjournal.com F O C U S 4 0 U N D E R F O R T Y Canton founded paerpay three years after graduating WSU, seeking to revolutionize the restaurant industry by creating a mobile app where diners can digitally see and pay their bill without waiting for a waiter to deliver it. The company was a direct result of Canton winning Money 20/20, the world's largest financial technology hack-a-thon, where he competed against 400 developers. He has partnered with Worcester restaurant parent company Niche Hospitality and Worcester digital services provider ten24 to develop and implement the app. Paerpay was among the top 8 percent of 1,600 applicants worldwide for MassChallenge Boston, getting accepted into its startup accelerator program. Before starting his company, Canton worked for Dell EMC in Hopkinton, but he always had the entrepreneurial bug since winning WSU's inaugural Next Big Idea Competition and receiving funding for his lifestyle clothing brand. Canton is the youngest member of the Framingham State University Foundation Board and a member of WSU's Young Alumni President's Circle, helping students pursue their life and career goals. Canton volunteers as the marketing director at Liberty Churches in Shrewsbury, where he developed the church's mobile application to improve congregation engagement. – B.K. From judge Kate Sharry: "Entrepreneurship at its finest, Derek does it all and he does it in style!" What four people would you take on a road trip? Albert Einstein, Stan Lee, Pharrell Williams and Kobe Bryant. They brought a whole new meaning to game changers. Who has been your best mentor? My dad has been and will always be! He is my day one ride-or-die. Derek Canton, 25 Founder & CEO paerpay, Worcester Lives: Chelsea Birthplace: Worcester Colleges: Worcester State University After marrying into the farm celebrating its 100th anniversary this year, this mother of three transformed the retail side of the organization while advocating for the Massachusetts farm industry on a regional and state level. In her time as general manager, Cooper's farm transitioned from offering only fluid milk and cream products to growing and retailing its own beef, pork, chicken, eggs, lamb and veal. The result was a 17-percent increase in customers served daily and a 36-percent increase in annual retail revenues from 2014-2017. Cooper is the Massachusetts Young Farmers & Ranchers chairwoman and sits on the Massachusetts Farm Bureau Federation statewide board, as well as its Worcester County board. In this capacity, she lobbies the Massachusetts legislature on behalf of the agricultural industry. For Young Farmers & Ranchers, Cooper pioneered its Harvest For All initiative, calling on farmers to donate goods to local communities. In 2017, Cooper rode in the Pan-Mass Challenge with the MFBF team, personally raising $7,800 for the Dana- Farber Cancer Institute. – B.K. From judge Milka Njoroge: "Heidi is active in the community, an advocate for the agricultural community and believes in giving back through Harvest for All." What will the inscription say on the statue they eventually build of you? Unapologetically herself, she never took s*** from anyone. Whose career would you most like to emulate? Ree Drummond. She's a blogger, author, food writer, chef, photographer, and lives on a working ranch with her handsome husband. She's my spirit animal. Heidi Cooper, 31 General manager & farmer's wife Cooper's Hilltop Farm, LLC, Rochdale Lives: Rochdale village in Leicester Birthplace: Burnsville, Minn. Colleges: University of Minnesota Duluth, College of St. Catherine in Minnesota Photo taken at Highland Street food trucks in Worcester.