We are pleased to announce the teams who made the cut for the Harriet Stephenson Business Plan Competition Semi-Finals! All of the teams put a tremendous amount of effort into their business plans, and we applaud them for their work. The following teams will give a two-minute pitch, and have a booth at the tradeshow on May 7th at the Semi-Finals.
2ND DEGREE SNACKS
Teresa Slosson (LEMBA), Kristy Foster, Ally Nisbet, Randy Henson
Food company focused on healthy snacking with the mission to start with flavor and nutrition first while leading industry transparency.
CASH BUTTE DISTILLERY
Julia Bringolf (PMBA), Arielle Newcomb (PMBA), Eric Lein (PMBA)
Subsidiary Distillery of Royal Bluff Orchards. Creates distilled spirits from unmarketable apples considered waste.
ERUDITION CONSTRUCTION
Denise Burnside (LEMBA '18), Brian Burnside
Erudition Construction is a new company and we are teaming up with an award-winning architecture firm to create specialized architect/contractor processes and tools, a hybrid of the design/build concept, that will improve collaboration leading to better pricing outcomes.
GARDEN GROUNDS
Audrey Nevue (UG, Finance & Marketing), Kyla Cantillo (UG, Marketing), Matt Heffel (UG, Finance & Marketing), Alejandro Ramirez (UG, Business), Jake Zeigler (UG, Business, Caleb Dickinson-Cove (UG, Business), John Gavin (UG, Accounting & Business Analytics), Andrew Freemuth (UG, Graphic Design)
Garden Grounds produces and distributes biochar, a fertilizer substitute, and sells it wholesale and retail, targeting individual consumers. We source raw material (used ground coffee beans) from local and commercial coffee shops. Biochar extracts carbon from the atmosphere, and provides nutrients to plants, giving it a competitive advantage over fertilizer.
GIVE YOUR CHICK A CHANCE
Bettina Paek (LEMBA)
Give Your Chick a Chance provides an affordable and easily scalable solution to provide labor support, improve the birth experience and decrease health care costs by decreasing length of admission and rates of cesarean birth.
INFLUX PARKING
Masashi Schafer (ECE & CS '18), Mahekdeep Singh (ECE '18), Ross Hartley (ECE '18)
Influx Parking sells software to large retail centers (malls) that can predict the capacity of the lots. This gives them analytic insights into both the real time and projected flow of traffic in their garages.
LYFE TECH
William Luckett (UG, Business), Alexis Figueroa-Guttierez
Lyfe.Tech offers a multifaceted alarm system in the form of a helmeted bullet proof vest which will be held in a secure tight case in each classroom. We aim to provide protection in the event of an active shooting on school grounds.
NEURAL SYNERGY
Duron Jones (BA, Business '14), Nina Cook (Neuroscience '17)
Neural Synergy LLC is an organization specializing in polychromatic light therapy, promoting individual health and overall wellbeing. Light therapy is a non-invasive, drug-free alternative to lasting pain relief, improving physical and mental performance. Neural Synergy offers in-clinic sessions, providing personalized care aimed to address client-specific concerns.
PACIFIC NORTHWEST CRUISES
Kenny McCray (BA, Finance & Marketing '13), Rose Breeskin (MA, Accounting '16)
Pacific Northwest Cruises is a Fine Dining experience in the beautiful waters of the Salish Sea.
REVEL
Summer Burt (LEMBA)
REVEL is a franchisor built explicitly to partner with existing dermatology practices. This turn-key solution will add a franchised medical spa onto existing dermatology practices, providing small dermatology firms with an umbrella of tools and resources making them more competitive against the onslaught of competitors moving into the minimally-invasive cosmetic space.
START DATE
Jessica Bishop (LEMBA '18), Taysser Gherfal, Ali Anderson
Start Date is an innovative new digital product that saves users time and energy while they engage in career building and/or job seeking efforts. Users will generate job specific resumes, track career building progress, and utilize career development support tools. Start Date is the new employee focused career building experience.
TEAK & TIMBER
Daniel McConnell (PMBA), Darby Stearns (PMBA '19)
An online platform that connects custom woodworkers with buyers of custom furniture. The customer is seeking premium furniture that is difficult to buy online; comparables are often manufactured and lack the local craftsmanship feel. Custom woodworkers often have a hard time finding customers outside their friends and family.
THE FUNHOUSE GAMES
Kim Flanery-Rye (LEMBA), Tony Flanery-Rye (MS, Finance '10), Sawyer Flanery-Rye
The FunHouse Games is a family owned company that will bring the next generation of niche Euro-Style board games and strategy into the table-top game market. The FunHouse Games is a social enterprise focused on giving back in a 1:1 model to support non-profit organizations.
UBUNTU HELMETS
Latio Cosmos (BA, Public Affairs), Mary Anne Fombu (MA, Nursing)
By wearing an Ubuntu design, each rider can take pride in knowing that they have supported the mission of helping another rider who may not have the resources to make a successful recovery
Be sure to join us throughout the rest of the competition, and root for your team!
Semi-Finals: May 7th, Campion Ballroom 2:00-5:00pm (Get Tickets Here)
See the Semi-Finalists sell their idea to you in a two minute pitch, and vote for your favorite teams at the tradeshow!
Finals & Awards: May 31st, Columbia Tower Club, 4:00-7:00pm (Get Tickets Here)
See the final four teams present their businesses in an investor-style ten minute pitch, and see who will take home $10,000. We will also take the time to celebrate all of those who make these events possible!