Vienna Canno didn’t set out to become an entrepreneur when she launched Have It Hot! last year as an eighth grader at The Philadelphia School. After years of enduring cold lunches, this 14-year-old inventor created a rechargeable lunchbox warmer that keeps meals at the ideal 140 degrees for up to eight hours—no microwave required. Now in ninth grade at Germantown Friends School, Vienna continues to grow her invention and share it with other students.

Vienna’s journey from frustrated student to Young Entrepreneurs Academy graduate and Kickstarter campaign launcher demonstrates the power of youthful determination paired with practical problem-solving. Her story reflects a growing trend of young people who refuse to accept “that’s just how things are” and instead ask, “how can I make this better?”

Vienna Canno is the first Philadelphia Family Young Woman of Influence Award Winner

Philadelphia Family’s Women of Influence Network Awards celebrate exceptional women making significant impacts in our community. The Young Women of Influence Awards were created to recognize the next generation of female leaders who are making their mark on the world. Vienna was nominated by Ann Marie Casey, the Program Director for Young Entrepreneurs Academy Philadelphia and selected by the Family Focus Media team based on her achievements and dedication to creating positive change in her community. Each Women of Influence Award Winner has committed to support Family Focus Media’s core values. Together, we are committed to foster a sense of belonging and empowerment for all for all families. All backgrounds, races, genders, and sexual orientations are welcome and safe with us.

Beyond the awards, our Women of Influence Luncheons and Speed Networking Night attendees come together as our Women of Influence Network, a community fostering connections, collaboration, and mutual support. 

From Cold Sandwiches to Hot Solutions

The problem was personal. Since age four, Vienna had been packing cold lunches every day. Her sister, still at The Philadelphia School, faces the same challenge. “I’ve always tried thermoses and stuff, but none of them have actually worked in my experience,” Vienna explains. When her father shared a link to the Young Entrepreneurs Academy program, she saw an opportunity to tackle this everyday frustration.

“At first I was thinking it’d be like a specific Tupperware container that heats up,” Vienna recalls of her initial concept. But she quickly realized the limitations. “That’s not that expansive. Some people have chicken fingers and some people have a sandwich—it’s not going to work in the same container.”

The design evolution tells a story of persistence through trial and error. Vienna and her family experimented with hand warmers, microwaved rice pouches (which only stayed hot for 30 minutes), and even lava stones. “It actually ended up breaking and kind of exploding in my microwave, which my mom was not very happy about,” she laughs.

Engineering Across Continents

The breakthrough came when Vienna shifted from microwavable solutions to rechargeable technology. Despite admitting that engineering “is not something I’m very good at,” she found a manufacturer in Pakistan through Upwork, a freelance platform. The international collaboration proved surprisingly smooth.

“It really wasn’t that hard. We just exchanged emails and texts on Upwork. I called him a few times just explaining it,” Vienna says. The arrangement worked particularly well because she wasn’t dealing with a large corporation. “He’s not like a whole manufacturing company. He just does it in [a] place next to him. So it’s pretty simple.”

The process wasn’t without challenges. During development, a conflict in Pakistan complicated shipping just weeks before Vienna’s major presentation. “He had to take out the battery and ship them separately so it wouldn’t be [considered] an electronic, and we had to put them together at my house. It was really tight—maybe like a few days before my presentation. It was quite stressful.”

More Than Just a School Project

Vienna’s experience in the Young Entrepreneurs Academy transformed her understanding of business. “Before that, I’d done business classes at school but nothing serious,” she reflects. “At YEA, we actually brought our ideas to life instead of just thinking about them and making a business plan.”

The program’s intensity—driving an hour to Eastern University every week for three hours—taught her about commitment. The investment paid off when she successfully pitched to investors, despite one nerve-wracking moment when a judge jokingly asked if her parents were charging her interest on their financial support.

The current prototype features high-power batteries housed in a sleek design. She’s working on eliminating the charging port that could allow liquid to enter, replacing it with wireless charging similar to phone charging pads.

Building for the Future

Vienna’s market research extends beyond her own experience. She’s identified 100 people already interested in purchasing the product, and her initial production run will start small—100 to 200 units sold through her website. But she sees potential well beyond students.

“My mom, who’s an architect, always works with contractors who work outside. They don’t have access to a microwave,” Vienna notes, recognizing that outdoor workers represent another significant market. The applications could extend to catering, food delivery, and anyone who needs to keep meals warm on the go.

Balancing School and Startup Life

Now in her first year at Germantown Friends School, Vienna is navigating the challenge of balancing academics with entrepreneurship. “My last school was very easy, but GFS—I mean, it’s only been three days—I have maybe 45 minutes of homework a day and tennis until 6:30. It’s a lot.”

The move to GFS has introduced her to like-minded peers. “There’s a lot of very smart, motivated people, so I feel comfortable around them, which is a really nice feeling,” she says. She’s already identified entrepreneurship programs at her new school and hopes to mentor other students interested in the Young Entrepreneurs Academy.

More Than Just Business

Vienna’s entrepreneurial journey has shaped her approach to problem-solving beyond business. “You have to be very detailed. I’m someone who’s more focused on the bigger picture, but being an entrepreneur—I did my business mostly alone—you have to figure out everything that could be a problem.”

Her advice to other young people with business ideas is direct: “You’re not too young to do anything. You can ask people for help, but you still have the power to change something. You can still influence people and influence what you do.”

What’s Next

As Vienna fine-tunes her final prototype, she’s preparing for the next phase: bringing “Have It Hot” to market. While she doesn’t have a specific timeline, she’s confident in her approach. “Once I get that final thing, I’m going to want to start selling it pretty soon after.”

Looking ahead two to three years, when she’ll be a junior in high school, Vienna envisions selling “definitely more than 100” units. But perhaps more importantly, she sees this experience as preparation for whatever comes next. 

For Vienna, the journey from cold lunch frustration to hot innovation represents more than just solving a personal problem—it’s proof that age doesn’t determine the validity of an idea, and that sometimes the best solutions come from those who experience the problem firsthand.

Vienna credits her success to a strong support network, including her parents, her Young Entrepreneurs Academy mentors Ellen, Emory, and Casey, and her fellow program participants. “Everyone would present their ideas and ask questions, helping us prepare for the investor panel. I owe all of them because they all helped me so much.”

As she continues refining “Have It Hot” while adapting to high school life, Vienna Canno represents a new generation of problem-solvers who see challenges as opportunities and turn everyday frustrations into innovative solutions. Her rechargeable lunchbox warmer may keep food hot, but her entrepreneurial spirit is what’s truly warming hearts and inspiring others to believe that good ideas, regardless of their creator’s age, deserve to be pursued.

Help us honor Vienna by sharing what her contributions mean to you in the comments below.