Ice cream company Protein Pint was selected as one of approximately 350 angels and venture entrepreneurs from top universities around the world at the 2024 Rice Business Plan Competition (RBPC) held on April 6th. They competed for awards in front of capital, corporate investors and members and won the grand prize. of the business community.
Paul Rees, founder and CEO of Protein Pint, said in his acceptance speech: I and the other students here will never forget it. ”
Organized annually by the Rice Alliance for Technology and Entrepreneurship and Rice University's Jones School of Business, RBPC is the world's largest and most well-funded student startup competition.
RBPC provides a real-world opportunity to learn what it takes to successfully launch a new business. In addition to large cash, investment and in-kind prizes, the competition centers around mentorship from investors and experienced entrepreneurs. RBPC alumni have raised over $6.1 billion in funding and 288 are in business or have successfully exited businesses.
Winners were announced at the conclusion of a three-day pitching, coaching, and networking event that included an elevator pitch contest, practice rounds, semifinals, wildcards, and final rounds. At the awards banquet, his more than 80 prizes totaling $1.5 million in investment and non-dilutive prize money were announced. Every team took home cash.
RBPC Director Catherine Santamaria said in her welcome speech at the awards ceremony on April 6th, “We will be awarding a $1 million prize to each contestant, which will serve as foundational capital to launch a startup.'' ” he said.
“This is so many prizes, but the biggest thing our startup leaves behind is the generosity and sense of community from this room. This community invests time, money, and resources in these student innovators. By doing so, we are always ready to support our founders and support our vision for the competition.”
The 42 competing startups represent 35 universities from four countries. They were selected from his more than 450 applicants and competed in one of his five categories: energy, clean technology, and sustainability. Life science and healthcare solutions. Consumer products and services. hard technology. and digital enterprise. Learn more about all startups here.
The seven finalists based on the judges' overall scores are:
Protein Pint, Michigan State University — won first place and the $150,000 GOOSE Capital Investment Grand Prize.
- Protein Pints are high-protein, low-carbohydrate ice cream products designed for people who want to get a functional ice cream or a tastier, more enjoyable protein option.
Somnair, Johns Hopkins University — Second place and $100,000 investment award sponsored by David Anderson, John Finger, Anderson Family Fund, Finger Interests, Greg Novak and Tracy Doles.
- Somnair is a new non-invasive neurostimulation device for the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea.
Power2Polymers, RWTH Aachen University — Third place, $50,000 investment in Rice University, provided by Rice Alliance for Technology and Entrepreneurship, Finger Interests, Anderson Family Fund of Greater Houston Community Foundation, Greg. Sponsored by Novak and Tracy Dorus.
- Power2Polymers is addressing the pressing problem of “forever chemicals,” which are linked to more than 6.5 million deaths in the United States alone, by providing safe alternatives that are free of forever chemicals.
tulane university inforouter — Fourth place and $5,000 in prize money, sponsored by Norton Rose Fulbright.
- Informuta's proprietary technology uses DNA sequencing to predict whether bacteria will respond to different antibiotics or whether they will develop resistance for the first time in the future, causing treatment failure.
University of Kansas Icorium Engineering Company — 5th place and $5,000 prize sponsored by EY.
- Icorium Engineering Company is a chemical engineering startup and spinout of the University of Kansas developing sustainable circular economy technologies for refrigerants and other complex chemical mixtures.
Harvard University EndoShunt Medical — 6th place and $5,000 prize, sponsored by Chevron Technology Ventures.
- EndoShunt is transforming trauma surgery with a rapid and targeted blood flow control device.
D. Saul, Carnegie Mellon University — 7th place and $5,000 in prize money, sponsored by Shell Ventures.
- D. Sole is developing remote patient monitoring in podiatry using foot insoles designed for early detection and monitoring of diabetic foot complications such as ulcers and deformities.
Additionally, startups placed 4th through 7th each will receive an additional $25,000 investment award provided by Rice Alliance and sponsored by David Anderson, Jon Finger, Anderson Family Fund, Finger Interests, Greg Novak, and Tracy Druce. awarded, bringing the total prize pool for finalists up to $30,000. .
Other important awards and winning teams this year include:
- $200,000 Goose Capital Investment Award — Osphim, RWTH Aachen University
- $250,000 OWL Investment Award — MesaQuantum, Harvard University
- $100,000 OWL Investment Award — Icorium Engineering Company, University of Kansas
- $100,000 Houston Angel Network Investment Award — Somnaire, Johns Hopkins University
- $100,000 Indus Entrepreneurs (TiE) Texas Angels Investment Award — Protein Pint, Michigan State University
- $60,000 nCourage Courageous Women Entrepreneur Investment Award — MesaQuantum, Harvard University
- $40,000 nCourage Courageous Women Entrepreneur Investment Award — Icorium Engineering Company, University of Kansas
- $40,000 Pearland EDC Spirit of Entrepreneurship Prize — Informuta, Tulane University
- $25,000 New Climate Venture Sustainable Investment Award — Oxylus Energy, Yale University
- $25,000 Dream Big Ventures Latino Entrepreneur Investment Award — Dendritic Health AI, Northwestern University
- NOV Energy Innovation Prize of $25,000 — LiQuidium, University of Houston
- Wins $25,000 Urban Capital Network Diversity Investment Award in partnership with South Loop Ventures Investment Award — TouchStone, University of California, Berkeley
- $25,000 Southwest National Pediatric Device Consortium Pediatric Device Prize — EndoShunt Medical, Harvard University
- $25,000 Jacobs, Intuitive Machines, WRX Company Rising Stars Space Technology and Commercial Aerospace Gold Award — MesaQuantum, Harvard University
For more information about the 2024 Rice Business Plan Competition, visit rbpc.rice.edu.
