Tsuboi Agriculture was the winner of the 10th Baker Business Bowl and went home with a check for $10,000 to start his business.
Local brand company Tsuboi Agriculture plans to farm Australian red-claw crayfish in large-scale aquaculture conditions. Their goal is to continuously supply high-end seafood restaurants and consumers with cost-effective, sustainable, tastier, and lobster-like products. Veteran student Austin Hronek, as a one-man team, created a plan for Baker to win all three rounds of the Bowl.
“It was a great blessing and opportunity to participate in the Baker Business Bowl. There were so many other great business ideas that entered the contest. Family, friends, Citadel faculty, judges, sponsors, and event organizers. I am forever grateful for the support they have given to the success of Tsuboi Agriculture,” said Mr. Hronek.
Taking second place in the Baker Business Bowl and receiving a $5,000 check was the Baffling Solutions team. The company, made up of Cadet Gabriel Wentworth, Ellis Batley, Calvin Brodersen and Charles Geiger, will develop a trailer-mobile robot called Argo. We aim to make mobile trailers safe and convenient with durable and easy-to-maintain products.
In the first round of BBB, each team submitted an application consisting of a team name and a description of their business idea. In round 2, the remaining teams present their elevator pitches to a team of judges, who then decide which teams advance to the final round. In this final round, five teams presented their complete business plans through professional presentations, including marketing, pricing, production strategies, and other relevant business details. Cadets, undergraduates, and graduate students are eligible to participate in the Baker Business Bowl.
BBB's other finalists were Team Passive Dredging Solutions, Team Oasis Verde and Team Reddere.
This year's panel of judges included:
• Mark Dajani
• Stephen C. Evans
• Darlene Fillan
• Dr. Al Lovborn
• Debbie Malindin
•Doug McFarland
• Charlie O'Brien
• David Saulnier, ’89
• René Studer
• Mona J. Simmons
•Derek Willis
This event was made possible through generous donations from the Citadel Class of 1989, Jeff Cobb, CPA, William Hancock, CPA, and Dan D. Nail, PE. Click here to learn more about this program and the Tommy and Victoria Baker School of Business.
