Celebrating the 25th Annual Harriet Stevenson Business Plan Competition
On Friday, June 2, 2023, four finalist teams in the 25th Annual Harriet Stevenson Business Plan Competition presented 10-minute investment-style pitches to a panel of judges to see who would win the $20,000 grand prize . Jones Foundation and Madeline Haydon Award for Entrepreneurship, sponsored by Herbert B.;
After much consideration, the final jury selected SMER, led by Vincent Rettinger, BSME ’25, as the 2023 Grand Prize winner. SMER is a company that provides new technologies to extend survival of transplanted organs.
finalist team
1st Place – SMER, $20,000
Vincent Rettinger, BSME '25 | Shen Ren
Sponsored by the Herbert B. Jones Foundation and the Madeline Haydon Entrepreneur Award
2nd Place – Jane, $10,000
Heidi Dischenault, LEMBA '23
Sponsored by John Meisenbach and Madeline Haydon Entrepreneur Award
3rd Place – Oakmoss, $5,000
Irina Müller, PMBA '23
Sponsored in memory of Don Leutold and his friends at IEC
4th Place – SmartDash AI, $2,000
Zachary Jeffries, MSCS '23 | Robert Griffiths
Sponsored by Friends of the IEC
Semi-finalist award winner
john castle award – Home filtering
Aaron Becken, LEMBA '23
In his memory, sponsored by Jeff Widmyer and friends of John Castle ($2,000)
Social Innovation Award – campy
Shilpa Alimatti, EMBA '23
Sponsored by Elaine Baylor ($1,000)
Pitch Judge Award – Idley on wheels
Preity Suryakumar, MSBA '23
Sponsored by Kurt Wedgwood ($500)
Trade show jury award – Face Market
Yamato Suiji, EE '26
Sponsored by Friends of the IEC ($250)
Audience Choice Award – Encocore
Dawn Meader McCausland, PMBA '23
Sponsored by Friends of the IEC ($250)
