Harriet Stephenson Business Plan Competition 2023 Winners

Three men in suits holding an oversized check for $20,000 made out to SMER

Student- and Alumni-led teams take home over $40,000 in cash prizes at the 25th Annual Harriet Stephenson Business Plan Competition

June 2, 2023

Celebrating the 25th Annual Harriet Stephenson Business Plan Competition

On Friday, June 2, 2023 the four finalist teams in the 25th Annual Harriet Stephenson Business Plan Competition presented their 10-minute investment-style pitches to a panel of judges to see who would take home the $20,000 Grand Prize, sponsored by the Herbert B. Jones Foundation and the Madeline Haydon Award for Entrepreneurship.

After much deliberation, the Finals Judges select SMER, led by Vincent Rettinger, BSME '25 as the 2023 Grand Prize Winner. SMER is a company providing novel technology to extend transplant organ viability.

Finalist Teams

1st Place - SMER, $20,000

Vincent Rettinger, BSME '25 | Shen Ren

Sponsored by The Herbert B. Jones Foundation & The Madeline Haydon Award for Entrepreneurship

2nd Place - JANE, $10,000

Heidi Dishneau, LEMBA '23

Sponsored by John Meisenbach & The Madeline Haydon Award for Entrepreneurship

3rd Place - Oakmoss, $5,000

Irina Mueller, PMBA '23

Sponsored in Memory of Don Leuthold & Friends of the IEC

4th Place - SmartDash AI, $2,000

Zachary Jeffreys, MSCS '23 | Robert Griffith

Sponsored by Friends of the IEC

 

Semi-Finalist Award Winners

John Castle Award - HomeFiltered

Aaron Bekken, LEMBA ’23

Sponsored by Jeff Widmyer and Friends of John Castle, in his memory ($2,000)

Social Innovation Award - Campalicious

Shilpa Allimatti, EMBA ’23

Sponsored by Elaine Baylor ($1,000)

Pitch Judges Award – Idli on Wheels

Preeti Suryakumar, MSBA ’23

Sponsored by Kurt Wedgwood ($500)

Tradeshow Judges Award - FaceMarket

Yamato Suizi, EE ’26

Sponsored by Friends of the IEC ($250)

Audience Choice Award - Encocoa

Dawn Meader McCausland, PMBA ’23

Sponsored by Friends of the IEC ($250)