Thursday, February 1, 2024
Media Contact: Jeff Hopper | Communications Coordinator | 405-744-1050 | jeff.hopper@okstate.edu
More than 50 students representing 33 teams from across Stillwater's campus competed in the Riata Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship's annual business plan competition from Nov. 8 to Jan. 27. Students competed for her more than $40,000 in scholarships.
After the initial competition, the top 16 teams advanced to the final live presentation round. Students who participated in the finals were asked to create a 2-5 minute executive presentation, rather than a 10-page business plan as in previous years. Also new this year is the Elevator Pitch Contest, where students present their best 90-second pitch for their business.
“Each year, this contest surprises me more and more,” said Paula McCullough, Reata Center Outreach Program Coordinator. “New ideas, new students, and new energy, and this competitive season was no exception. We've introduced some new ideas to the competition. We're very proud of all the teams who competed this year.”
Contest winners and company names. (In each category, the 1st place team received his $4,000, 2nd place – $3,000, and 3rd place – $2,000. Additional finalists received $1,000 each, and the winner of his elevator pitch received his received $500):
main street lifestyle
1st Place — The 405, Marian Gutierrez — Spears School of Business
2nd place — Just Desserts, Kloe Flud — Spears School of Business
3rd Place — Function Events, Bry Henning — Spears School of Business
high tech
1st place — Burgess Aerospace Innovations, Jonathan Burgess, Roger Tan, Matthew Laster, Chandrika Kompela — College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology
2nd Place — Inhaler Innovation, Ted Sperry, Emmanuel Younge, Rashed Islam, Anahita Badkoube — College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology
3rd Place — Samtrax, Ahmad Abdullah, Shelby Sledge — Spears School of Business
budding entrepreneur
1st Place — Piensa Consulting, Dania Crivelli — Spears School of Business
90 second elevator pitch
1st place — AI.n Captain – Dr. Mijanur Rahman, Nicoletta Fara, Niklas Schulmeyer, Luis Alarcón Aneiva.
Brenda Tapia was recognized as a Tourtelotto Scholarship recipient and received $3,000. The Richard L. Tourthelot Family Scholarship is designed to encourage business creation and academic research into how government and the private sector can work together to achieve economic growth and job creation in Oklahoma. is.
Click here for more information on the Business Plan Contest.
