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)