The Startup Pitching Competition, modeled on the popular ABC show Shark Tank, gave students the opportunity to pitch their business ideas to entrepreneurs and investors.
PURCHASE, N.Y., Jan. 10, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- On Wednesday, December 6, Purchase College, SUNY took a page from reality television when they presented their own Startup Pitching Competition, modeled on the popular ABC show Shark Tank. The competition gave students the opportunity to pitch their business ideas to entrepreneurs and investors.
The judges and audience determined the winners who received awards for their business pursuits. The $5,000 in prizes was provided by the Dr. E. Lawrence Deckinger Family Foundation.
This year's grand prize of $2,500 went to communication major Priya Tejpal, arts management major Diogo Diallo, and photography major Steven Reyes for their new online textbook company idea, iTextbook. The purpose of iTextbook is to save students money and make it easier for them to access much needed course materials.
The award for Purchase Community Enhancement for $1,500 went to biology manor Anabela Taveira for her popular service, Fairy Sweet-Cakes On Campus, which makes and delivers special occasion cakes to her classmates.
The Audience Favorite Prize for $1,000 went to acting majors Tachynel Merveille and Destiny Barbour for Bev N'Tings, their already thriving on campus catering company.
"Shark Tank offers Purchase students incredible opportunities. We have contestants who are already running their small businesses, and the competition provides them with the chance to contemplate scaling up and dreaming big. Additionally, we have students who only have their big idea, and Shark Tank assists them in formalizing it into a doable business plan. The Microeconomics I and Entrepreneurship courses provided by the Economics department are invaluable for comprehending the costs and benefits of a business, as well as understanding how to integrate it into both local and global markets," said Assistant Professor of Economics, Iuliia Chikish, who spearheaded the competition.
The "sharks" were a diverse group of entrepreneurs who provided invaluable feedback after each student's presentation.
They included:
Zoe Gadsden '15
Another proud economics graduate of Purchase College, Gadsden double majored in arts management. She is currently the COO of Matter Labs, the company behind zkSync, whose mission is to break financial barriers and enhance people's freedom by enabling the mass adoption of public blockchains. Matter Labs recently raised an impressive $200 million. A founding member of the creative collective Female Narratives, Gadsen is on the 2022 Forbes 30 Under 30 Europe/Finance list.
Alicia Grande
Alicia founded Grande Cosmetics in 2008 with a revolutionary lash serum. Now almost 15 years later, Grande is the CEO at the helm of America's top lash & brow serum brand, which has accumulated 100+ industry awards and sold over 10 million bottles. Passionate about helping others, she created the philanthropy initiative, Grande Gives Back, to raise over $800,000 for those in need. Employing over 95% women of all backgrounds, ethnicities, and ages, she empowers each employee to flourish within a positive environment.
Nick Ohnell
Entrepreneur, Founder, former CEO, and owner of Communications Supply Corporation; CEO of Ohnell Capital; President of the Ohnell Family Foundation; and trustee of Manhattan Institute.
Nick Read
Read has had an extensive career in a corporate environment most notably with the advertising group Deloitte and WPP. More recently Read has ventured out on his own, providing advice to young, independent entrepreneurs in the services sectors. He also acts as CFO to the not-for-profit International Center of Photography, located on the Lower East Side of Manhattan.
David Settanni '09
After graduating cum laude from the economics program at Purchase College, Settanni worked at the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics as a Field Economist. In 2018, he founded a Registered Investment Advisory firm, Settanni Financial. Currently, he is Chief Financial Officer of Luxie Club, a luxury e-commerce business.
About Purchase College, SUNY
Purchase College, part of the State University of New York (SUNY) network of 64 universities and colleges, was founded in 1967 by Governor Nelson Rockefeller. His aspiration for Purchase was to create a dynamic campus that combined conservatory training in the visual and performing arts with programs in the liberal arts and sciences, in order to inspire an appreciation for both intellectual and artistic talents in all students. Today, Purchase College, SUNY is a community of students, faculty, and friends where open-minded engagement with the creative process leads to a lifetime of intellectual growth and professional opportunity. For more information about the College, visit www.purchase.edu.
Media Contact
Betsy Aldredge, Purchase College, SUNY, 1 914 251 6959, [email protected], www.purchase.edu
SOURCE Purchase College, SUNY
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