New Venture Challenge 2023 by Central Michigan University College of Business Administration

WELCOME

It is our pleasure to welcome you to our 11th Annual New Venture Challenge! We are beyond excited to host over 50 participants this year within the Elevator Pitch Competition, Full Presentation Competition, Venture Gallery, and Campus Innovation Showcase.

At the Isabella Bank Institute for Entrepreneurship, we strive to make entrepreneurship accessible to all students across CMU’s campus. NVC represents the culmination of creativity, innovation, and entrepreneurial spirit of CMU students.

The teams you will see today have participated in programs throughout the year spending countless hours working to formulate and refine their business ideas, value propositions, and business models. A supporting team of CMU alumni and faculty mentors has provided one-on-one coaching and support throughout their journey. From attending networking events to participating in external pitch competitions, students have continued to opt-in to experiences to help develop their venture ideas. They even worked with their peers in graphic design, interior design, and mechanical engineering to craft and test prototypes, create virtual models, and build their brand.

Today, students will compete in two tracks of the New Venture Challenge: the full 7-minute presentation track and the 2-minute elevator pitch track. Students in both tracks will display their venture in the Student Venture Gallery. Once again, we also welcome student teams from Michigan Technological University (MTU) to compete. This year, a total of 56 teams pitched their venture in the virtual preliminary round earlier this month. Today, we welcome the final 40 teams competing for over $75,000 in cash awards.

For a second year, we present the Campus Innovation Showcase — a special display of innovative and entrepreneurial student projects across campus. You can learn more about the showcase on page 24.

We want to thank the many supporters and stakeholders who make NVC possible. In addition to our sponsors, we also thank our mentors, advisors, faculty, judges, and the family and friends of our student competitors. Your generous efforts have made a true impact on our students and their success.

We are appreciative to all those who support the success of our future entrepreneurs from Central Michigan University and beyond!

Chris Moberg, Dean Julie Messing, Director

David Nows, Chair

College of Business Administration Central Michigan University

Entrepreneurship Department

College of Business Administration Central Michigan University

Chris Moberg, Dean

Julie Messing, Director

Isabella Bank Institute for Entrepreneurship Central Michigan University

David Nows, Chair

SCHEDULE

12:00 PM Event Check-In

John G. Kulhavi Event Center Entrance

1:00 - 2:30 PM Elevator Pitch Competition Kulhavi Court McGuirk Arena

2:30 - 2:45 PM Break

2:45 - 3:00 PM Full Presentations Kick-Off Speaker: President Bob Davies

3:00 - 3:45 PM Full Presentations: Main Street

3:45 - 4:30 PM Full Presentations: Social Mission

Kulhavi Court McGuirk Arena

4:30 - 5:10 PM Full Presentations: High Growth Kulhavi Court McGuirk Arena

5:10 - 7:00 PM Gallery, Showcase & Strolling Dinner

7:00 PM Awards & Recognition

» CBA Dean Chris Moberg

» Supporters & Partner Recognition

» Campus Innovation Showcase Spotlights

» Jeff Thomas Acorn Awards

» Stephen Wakeling & Erin Gendron Entrepreneurial Program Scholars

» Gallery & Showcase Awards

» Elevator Pitch Awards

» Full Presentation Awards

Kulhavi Court, McGuirk Arena & John G. Kulhavi Event Center

Kulhavi Court McGuirk Arena

COMPETING VENTURES

ELEVATOR PITCH COMPETITION

AROMA ESSENSE

Lauren Chardenet

A responsibly sourced natural and safe alternative to home products such as candles, with a unique take on containers, subscriptions, and collectibles.

BULGARIAN COUTURE

Harsh Kaur & Kala Marshall

We are inspired by the Bulgarian craftsmanship of hand-made clothes, knitted fabrics, and needlework which is the most beautiful embroidery work done with wool and silk threads. We want to build our Bulgarian Couture into a luxurious brand of Haute Couture. We feel convinced through the traditional and rich art of Bulgaria to create a unique fashion collection in the United States.

CHOCOLETZLE LLC

Fatimah Khan

Chocoletzle LLC is a home-based bakery located in Midland, Michigan that specializes in chocolate covered pretzels, cakes, truffles, and more since June 2019. As a business that emerged from an opportunity to raise money for a local boy fighting cancer, it’s important that serving the community is an integrated aspect of the business. This year, we are pitching an initiative called “Baking a Difference,” a philanthropic program that provides free birthday cakes to youth in foster care in Midland County.

CK SHOPPER

Cameron Krauss

CK Shopper is an application that will tell users which grocery stores in their area have the products they need for the cheapest prices. Users can input individual items or entire shopping lists. When inputting a shopping list, in addition to telling the cheapest store per item, CK Shopper will also tell users which store has the cheapest total for their entire shopping list. This application will save the time typically spent in comparing prices between different grocery stores and will ensure that users get their groceries at the cheapest prices possible.

THE COCOA GARDEN

Ashley Adams

The Cocoa Garden is a bookstore with a twist. The bookstore will be a reflection of the community, allowing affordable and current books to be accessed by underfunded, underrepresented, and underserved communities.

THE DAVIS EDUCATIONAL CENTER

Jada Davis

This is a non profit center that will provide services for underprivileged children. The main service being a daytime summer camp where the children will work with and hear from adults who have excelled in their fields and participate in educational programs.

E.V.A.E

Nevaeh Banks

E.V.A.E (Eccentric, Visionary, Artistic, Expression), is a high-tech and sustainable made-to-order clothing brand that offers a variety of multi-functional clothing options for all ages, genders, and sizes. E.V.A.E reduces excess fabric waste and garment versatility for people with physical disabilities and custom options for customer self-expression by utilizing Augmented Reality (AR) for scanned body measurements, virtual try-on, and pattern development.

EASYTIE

Franklin Lama

A small tool that can slip on a bic lighter and can help fishermen tie their knots with ease so they will not lose their lure or fish.

ENVIOR

Kyron Williams

ENVIOR is a private restaurant that provides services for people who want to eat in an environment where no one else will bother them. We will hire various local chefs to cook unique menus, resulting in a variety of customers.

GIABELLA

LucaBella Giordano & Gia Hiddings

The new resale store owned by Gia and LucaBella is a boutique-style shop that specializes in selling gentlyused clothing items from well-known name brands. The store values quality over quantity and only accepts items in good condition to ensure a high standard of merchandise. With a focus on sustainability and affordability, the shop aims to offer stylish clothing options to their customers without breaking the bank or contributing to fast fashion.

GOLDEN

Trenton Williams

We will provide high quality service and comfort to our customers, with services to accommodate everyday lifestyles. This is a creation of a muti-facility center with such conveniences as a barbershop, restaurant, fitness center, laundromat, and ready now health care facility all in one building.

GREEN LEAF GROCERY

Annabella Loughridge

Fueled by a hunger for helping improve the world we live in, Green Leaf Grocery works to build a cleaner environment for a better tomorrow. Green Leaf Grocery is focused on bringing customers fresh, local, and environmentally friendly products all year round.

HAPPYPETS COMPANY LLC

Maxwell Grubaugh

HappyPets is an innovative pet care company that is reimagining the pet care industry, from adoptions, to retail, to services.

INBOXHERO

Joshua Couch & Citori Ruhl

At Inbox Hero we are a business that offers AI assisted email organizers, supported by a team of experts. Our software manages your inbox so it is easier to find important emails. It will also schedule appointments and manage the consumers’ calendar.

J CANFIELD PROPERTIES LLC

Jim Canfield

J Canfield Properties is a real estate holding company that buys houses and rents them out providing good housing to individuals.

KAP AND COMPANY

Jake Kapusansky & Ron Fairley

Our new venture is Kap and Company, a diversity, equity, and inclusion consulting firm. We work with small to mid-sized businesses to educate their teams on the implementation of DEI thought leadership into their existing businesses.

KING CREAM ROYAL TREATS

Calvin Price & Neeyah Mitchell

King Cream Royal Treats is an exotic ice-cream truck that provides a much needed resource at community events. We offer quality snacks at a fair and affordable price, while satisfying hunger and cravings with great service.

KITCHEN KULTURES

Ashfaq Sayeed, Ashiqur Rahman & Shanta Islam

Kitchen Kultures is a platform that connects home chefs and caterers with customers looking for homemade food. The platform is designed to provide an easy and convenient way for customers to order homemade meals and catered events, while also creating a new revenue stream for home chefs and catering businesses. The Kitchen Kultures platform is designed to be user-friendly, with a simple interface that allows customers to browse menus and order food with ease. This platform will provide fresh and healthy food to customers through a subscription-based platform. The platform will cater to different tastes and dietary requirements.

LEX LN.

Shadae Hillsman

Lex Ln. is an app that allows you to schedule a beauty care service and order products at the same time. An RV or mini bus would be transformed into a salon/ beauty supply on wheels in order to accommodate for people who don’t want to leave their location!

MANE ATTRACTION RETAIL

Mackenzie Good

Mane Attraction Retail is a pet store that takes all the guess work out of shopping for your pets. There are many unsafe pet products on the market that still seem like good products, and many pet parents fall victim to the marketing. At MARs, the dangerous products aren’t even stocked on the shelves, creating a safer shopping environment for pets and their people, and saving customers money by not accidentally buying something that they will find out they can’t even use.

MAPSCRATCHED

Carolina Hernandez Ruiz, James Hernandez Ruiz & Jesus Esquivel Roman

Create your travel profile and connect with world travelers to exchange experiences. MapScratched is the first social platform for travelers to build a travel profile, record and share trip memories, and quickly find travel information for future adventures. We aim to become the go-to platform for travel experiences and offer travelers a platform where they can exchange their adventures with others.

MO’ HAIR AND SELF CARE

Aniyla Anderson

We are a late night hair salon tailored to working adults that removes hairstyles, teaches you about the natural state of your hair and how to maintain it. We also provide the option of pamper treatments, such as face masks, all while being time effective and accessible for ultimate confidence.

NATURL

Connor Beaudoin

NATURL is a farming company that is looking to grow more sustainably and only sell high quality organic produce/cannabis. Phase one will be the sale of cannabis to dispensaries and produce to health food stores. Phase two will be selling starter kits for at home growing and farming.

THE R3AL

Riley Robinson

The R3AL - Art Studio is an open space for artists to work on projects and network with others who have a passion for creating. We also provide information about internships, fellowships, job opportunities, etc. in order to connect people with successful artists and companies.

RHF DEFENSE, LLC

Josh Wright & Joel Fritsma

RHF is committed to providing a wide variety of nonlethal solutions to grade schools and colleges with the ultimate goal of saving lives during emergency situations. We are committed to donating a percentage of our net profits to mental health organizations and underfunded schools.

ROC STUDIO

Nicholas Mueller

Creating opportunities for young artists and young entrepreneurs to find their next step. This will be a podcast/music opportunity. Using the right software for editing music and videos.

SCHOOL SWAP

Chethan Magnan

School Swap is a social venture dedicated to furthering computing aspirations for students in low income communities. Through participatory based design, we create educational modules focused on improving student aspirations in computing and STEM. These students aren’t shown what they’re capable of like what they can achieve with a few resources and a good deal of effort is astounding. We at School Swap want to do whatever we can to support them.

SULVE CO.

Mela Hammond

Sulve Co. is a B2B sustainability consulting service that helps small businesses adapt their everyday operations in an increasingly eco-conscious world. Our mission is to assist small businesses in accessing their green potential by providing custom sustainable solutions.

TACTILE ENCODING

Gianna Rose

Data transmission that requires neither sight nor sound. A proprietary haptic communicator with binary input. Utilizes buyer’s existing smartphone power for pulse-motion delivery, through Bluetooth operation.

TRIMTRY

Kaden Settles

TrimTry is an app with subscription-based pay that shows what different haircuts will look like with your unique features similar to the lens from a 3D snap chat filter. Users are able to download the app free of charge and can see limited different hairstyles but each month are awarded a new hairstyle to try on and keep.

WRESTLER’S SHIELD

Ja’Kerion Merritt

I am currently a member of the Central Michigan University wrestling team. I have been wrestling for over a decade. The most common problem that I see amongst athletes such as myself is cauliflower ear (damage to the ear). Wrestler’s Shield embodies my goal to prevent and protect others from suffering through this disfiguring ear injury.

FULL PRESENTATIONS

MAIN STREET | SOCIAL MISSION | HIGH GROWTH

DON ABELARDO’S BAKERY

Diana Magdaleno-Leal

There is presently a lack of authentic Italian bread in the metro Detroit area, Don Abelardo’s Bakery will make delicious bread in a loving, family environment.

website: www.donabelardo.wixsite.com/website

MIDWEST BEST CONSTRUCTION

Eric Olejniczak

Midwest Best Construction is launching summer 2023 in Wixom, Michigan. We are going to be starting as a small one crew company looking to provide and create beautiful structures for our customers. Our overall goal is to make a impact on our community by being able to design whatever they can imagine and to “Make Your Dreams Concrete.”

website: www.ericolejniczak.wixsite.com/my-site

ROAMIN ONE

Alina Krasinski

Roamin One was created in 2023, inspired by my love for the outdoors. Roamin One combines my love for hunting, fishing, and entrepreneurship in the form of an outdoor company used as a platform to share my family’s hunting products and techniques. Our signature device, the Fling-n-Feed, is a handheld broadcast feeder for hunters. It can be used to spread cracked corn or seeds up to 60 feet without ever touching it, leaving little to no scent on the feed, deeming it more valuable to wildlife all while mimicking their natural foraging patterns.

website: www.roamin1.wixsite.com/roaminone

SAFE SLEEPS

Amber Troyer

A mattress that regulates a baby’s body temperature and ensures they are either warmed or cooled through the mattress to keep the baby at the perfect temperature while sleeping. Safe Sleeps is a smart temperaturecontrolled infant crib mattress.

website: sway.office.com/hilpEbEfLgz35OnX

STEMPOWER

Bayle Golden

At STEMPOWER we aim to bridge the S.T.E.M gap by offering not only physical kits marketed towards and designed for girls but by also offering an entire online community and resource to foster education and confidence in any and every area of S.T.E.M. This community offers an interactive S.T.E.M world in which girls can create an avatar and interact with the world to reveal how S.T.E.M applies to it while also interacting and learning with peers.

website: www.bellgolden55.wixsite.com/stempower

THRIVE NONPROFIT STRATEGIES

Libby Jackson & Abbie Pinter

Thrive Nonprofit Strategies is a reputable student organization dedicated to professionalizing the social sector by advocating for best practices through education and professional development. Our vision is to provide nonprofits in Isabella County with the means to be as high-impact as possible. We will do this by offering an interactive newsletter with educational content tailored to Isabella County nonprofits as well as individual consulting services that will strengthen their organization.

website: nlsaconsulting.square.site

COYOTE COOKWARE

Zach Bagbey

Coyote Cookware is a brand targeting the growing number of men getting into cooking as a hobby. Our flagship product, the Measure Better, is a spice jar with the capability to measure out a precise amount of an ingredient from within the jar and dispense it from the jar without the need for a measuring spoon. We hope to sell this product to consumers through an ecommerce platform and supply the jars to spice producers so they can sell their ingredients packaged in our containers.

website: www.coyotecookwarenvc.com

Rourke Sylvain & Ali Dabas

Integrated Molecular Innovations (imi) is a visionary biosensing company with a mission to transform the healthcare industry from sick care to proactive, personalized healthcare. We aim to empower individuals to take control of their health through innovative, noninvasive, and continuous monitoring technology.

We are not just a biosensing company; we are catalysts for change. We relentlessly pursue the development of groundbreaking technologies that will redefine what it means to take charge of one’s health. Our novel biosensing technology is more than just a product; it is a symbol of our unwavering commitment to transform lives and challenge the status quo.

website: www.imolecularinnovati.wixsite.com/integrated-molecular

RASEGAN OUTDOOR COMPANY LLC

Robert Rasegan

Rasegan Outdoor Company provides loyalty to hunters everywhere by helping them perfect their craft. We provide new innovative products and strive to keep game cooler than ever for those with the same passion for hunting as us. Rasegan Outdoor Company will continue to produce new products in the hunting and fishing industries that will alleviate pains and increase gains for our followers.

website: sway.office.com/4TzVyVf2BNyGygLp

PRELIMINARY VENTURES

AirMaps Matthew Westman

Al Toque Kimberly Benites Meneses, Mohammed Mohiddin, Madhuri Karjala & Prajakta Nivargi

BarHop Robert Tessmar

Bubble Fit Lucas Delaurier

ChipMaps Shashwat Maharjan & Megan Mearnic

Chippies Coney Island Dylan Everett

ElectroWatch Nicholas Richez

Flint Mechanical Technologies Ryan Bierbusse

Golf Supplies Co. Golf Supplies Co.

Hudson Valley Ranch Eric Snyder

KTemp Kenneth Tate

Mje Mishkos Resort & Consumption Lounge Sophie Manitowabi

Neptune Automobile Solutions Jared Moore

Provisional Clothing Keighan Daly

Skin Wall Markus Shannon

Water Bottle Tracker Diego Luna

WoMa Bazaar Erin Markovicz

GALLERY & SHOWCASE

Consisting of 52 displays along the U-shaped hallways of the John G. Kulhavi Event Center (upstairs) and the floor of McGuirk Arena (downstairs), the Student Venture Gallery and Campus Innovation Showcase highlight many innovative thinkers and programs across CMU’s Campus. Please enjoy your strolling dinner and beverages while you meet students, entrepreneurs, and innovators. In addition, guests present today can vote for your favorite Student Venture Gallery display and Campus Innovation Showcase display via the QR code on the next page.

STUDENT VENTURE GALLERY

Check out 35 student displays to learn about their business concepts and creations from 5:10 – 7:00pm. In addition to the Audience Choice Awards, a group of judges will evaluate the student gallery displays to determine the prizes for the Isabella Bank Student Gallery Awards.

CAMPUS INNOVATION SHOWCASE

This year four colleges from across campus have come together to showcase some of their top innovations and creations including: the College of Business Administration, College of the Arts and Media, College of Science and Engineering, and College of Education and Human Services. Our vision is to elevate NVC to a community-wide showcase of the amazing developments and ventures from CMU and our regional partners. We are excited to introduce Audience Choice Awards for the Campus Innovation Showcase to encourage continuous campus-wide innovation.

We are thrilled that multiple outstanding programs and registered student organizations have partnered with us and will feature their programs and projects in the Showcase:

» Threads Fashion Show

» The Drone Lab, a multi-disciplinary program

» Engineering Senior Design Projects

» Animation BFA Senior Projects

» Moore Media Records

» WMHW Student Radio

» Theatre Costume Design

How to Vote for the Audience Choice Awards

1. Scan the QR Code or visit: www.bit.ly/NVC23

2. Tap on either “Student Venture Gallery Voting” or “Campus Innovation Showcase Voting”

3. Select your favorite display from the list.

4. Click submit to cast your vote.

5. Make sure you vote in both the Student Venture Gallery and Campus Innovation Showcase category. You can only vote once in each.

Do you need help voting? Visit the registration table for assistance.

STUDENT VENTURE GALLERY

CHOCOLETZLE LLC

Fatimah Khan

RHF DEFENSE, LLC

Josh Wright & Joel Fritsma

Aniyla Andersen

Nevaeh Banks

Kyron Williams

Trenton Williams

BULGARIAN COUTURE

Harsh Kaur & Kala Marshall

CK SHOPPER

Cameron Krauss

TACTILE ENCODING

Gianna Rose THE

Ashley Adams TRIMTRY

Kaden Settles

Riley Robinson

Franklin Lama

Joshua Couch & Citori Ruhl

COOKWARE

Zach Bagbey

Rourke Sylvain & Ali Dabas RASEGAN OUTDOOR COMPANY LLC

Robert Rasegan THRIVE

Libby Jackson, Abbie Pinter & Emma Kartes MIDWEST

Eric Olejniczak ROAMIN

Alina Krasinski

Amber Troyer

Bayle Golden

Mackenzie Good

Lauren Chardenet

Annabella Loughridge

Shashwat Maharjan & Megan Mearnic

Jada Davis

KING

Calvin Price & Neeyah Mitchell

MAPSCRATCHED

Carolina Hernandez Ruiz, Jame Hernandez Ruiz &

Jesus Esquivel Roman

KAP AND COMPANY

Jake Kapusansky

LEX LN.

Shadae Hillsman SCHOOL

Chethan Magnan

Md Ashfaq Sayeed, Ashiqur

Rahman & Shanta Islam

CAMPUS INNOVATION SHOWCASE

ANIMATION PROGRAM

Department of Art & Design

Axie and Chad: Stephanie Shaw & Demi Huertas-Romero

The Hunters: Clarisa Reyna, Jasmin Powell & Chelsea Dunham

THE CMU PRESENTATION SKILLS CENTER *

COLLEGE OF SCIENCE & ENGINEERING

Vampire Energy Waste Reduction

Coolant Nozzle Retrofit

Cast-in-Steel’ Design Team

COSTUME DESIGN

Department of Dance & Theater

THE DRONE LAB *

IDEA DEN *

Isabella Bank Institute for Entrepreneurship

MOORE MEDIA RECORDS

School of Broadcasting & Cinematic Arts

Loryn Hawley

THREADS FASHION SHOW

Department of Fashion, Interior Design, & Merchandising

Romantic Futurism: Joelle Beauchamp

Heal: Kylen Christie

Controlled Burn: Pablo Covarrubias

Nothingness: Jiajun Liang

Tranquility Base: Cassidy Marshall

Luminous Glow: Alyson Vitale

WMHW — 91.5 THE MOUNTAIN

School of Broadcasting & Cinematic Arts

Kylie Ann Sczepanski, Briana Thompson & Brady Whalen

AUDIENCE CHOICE AWARDS

Only student led projects and programs are eligible for the Campus Innovation Showcase Audience Choice Awards. See page 25 for voting information.

* Not eligible for the Campus Innovation Showcase Audience Choice Awards

Event Space

Restrooms

Catering

Student Venture Gallery

Campus Innovation Showcase

2022 First Place Main Street – The Cupcake Cafe LLC

2022 First Place Social Mission – SafeROW

2022 Korson Family Highest Growth Potential Award – BreezeSweep

AWARDS

MAIN STREET

The Main Street Business

First Place Award: $10,000

SOCIAL MISSION

1st Place Social Mission: $10,000

2nd Place Social Mission: $5,000

3rd Place Social Mission: $2,000 Sponsored by Mrs. Kristie Nystedt

LYNDELL PATRICK, CLASS OF 1975 ELEVATOR PITCH AWARDS

1st Place Elevator Pitch: $4,000

2nd Place Elevator Pitch: $2,000

3rd Place Elevator Pitch: $1,000

(2) Honorable Mention Elevator Pitch: $250 each

ISABELLA BANK GALLERY AWARDS

1st Place Gallery: $2,000

2nd Place Gallery: $1,500

3rd Place Gallery: $1,000

(2) Honorable Mention: $250 each

HIGH GROWTH

The Korson Family Highest Growth Potential Award: $10,000

The Reed Family Award 2nd Place High Growth: $5,000

3rd Place High Growth: $2,000

INVESTOR CONTRIBUTION AWARDS

Middle Michigan Development Corporation Investor Award: $2,000 and In-Kind Services

AUDIENCE CHOICE AWARDS

Top Venture Gallery: $1,000

Runner-Up Venture Gallery: $500

Top Campus Innovation Showcase: $1,000

Runner-Up Campus Innovation Showcase: $500

JUDGES

Justin Ashman Account Executive, Essium, LLC., Co-Founder, Form Further

Emily Austin Go To Market Strategist, Ford Motor Company

Carter Ballinger Owner, Seasonal Swing, LLC., CB Paint, LLC.

Dylan Banagis CEO and Co-Founder, The Wanderheart Project

Skylar Bennethum Associate, Hibiscus BioVentures

Kevin Blaser Tribal Economic Development and Strategy Executive

Tyler Bradfield Creative Director, Hyvion

Bryan Caragay Senior iOS Software Engineer, Remind

Greg Cocke Regional Sales Director, Sumo Logic

Thomas Coke Entrepreneur in Residence, Grand Valley State University

Liz Conway President and CEO, Mt. Pleasant Area Chamber of Commerce

Nick Cozzi City Medical Specialist, New York City Fire Department, Assistant EMS Medical Director, Rush University Medical Center

Casey Croad Co-Founder and Co-Owner, Ignite Donuts

Glenn Cross Retired, Vice President Global Field and Partner Marketing, Dynatrace

Lee Curtis CEO and Founding Partner, RESIDE Worldwide, Inc.

Jim Damman Executive Chairman, MODE Global

Lynette Disberry Supply Chain Manager, Bayer

Jae Evans Chief Executive Officer, Isabella Bank Corporation

Andy Fennell Finance Director, Dow Chemical Co.

Amy Fisher Dean of Business and Professional Studies, Mid-Michigan College

Tony Fox Regional Director, Mid-Michigan Small Business Development Center (SBDC)

Elissa Gagne Chief Operating Officer, Central Michigan University Research Corporation

Warren Galloway Founder & Chairman, National Microloan Conference

Courtney Garrett Regional Manager of Memberships, Central Michigan University Research Corporation

Casie Hansel, MA. Ed, Regional Director Business and Community Engagement, Innovation and Online, Central Michigan University

Steve Hahn SBIR/STTR Program Expert, National Science Foundation (NSF)

Dom Holmes Emerging Growth and Innovation Administrator, Oakland County, Michigan Government

Kristen Holt President and CEO, GreenPath Financial Wellness

Zachary Huffman Founder and CEO, Hyvion

Mike Jakolat CEO, The Beaconview Group, INC

Don Johnson Coordinator, Career and Technical Education, Midland County ESA

Melanie Kalmar Corporate Vice President, CIO, and CDO, Dow

Zachary Konarska Marketing Partnerships Manager, Elevate

John Kulhavi Senior Consultant, Merrill Lynch Wealth Management (Retired)

Bob Larson Executive Vice President, Sharp Entertainment

Courtney Lorenz Owner, Cultured Kombucha Co.

Kati Mora Vice President, Middle Michigan Development Corporation

Chris Moultrup Director of Business Development, Three Rivers Corporation

Philip Mundt Founder and CEO, Form Further

Kyle Murray Co-Founder, FTN Network

Kristie Nystedt Founder, President and CEO, ABS Commercial, Atlantic Brew Supply, Raleigh Brewing, and Atlantic Process Solutions

Olivia Pageau Marketing Specialist, Jackson County Chamber of Commerce

Marv Pichla Creative Advisor and Owner, Inspiring Innovations, Inc.

Hailey Polidori Owner, Hazel Coffee Co., Freelance and Consulting

Eric Roberts Executive Director, 20Fathoms

Clyde Rucker Franchise Owner, Jack in the Box and Denny’s

Mike Rush President, Junior Achievement of Central Michigan

Jerome Schwind President, Isabella Bank

Erin Strang President and CEO, Central Michigan University Research Corporation

Alexandria Tinker Project Manager, Covet Security

Jody Trietch Executive Director, Northern Michigan Angels

Matt Uhl Mergers Acquisition Advisor, Calder Capital, LLC.

Leslie Vickrey CEO and Founder, ClearEdge Marketing

Jon Voigtman Executive Chairman, Sports and Health Tech Acquisition Corporation

Stephen Wakeling Founder and CEO, Phobio

Ken Williams Serial Entrepreneur & Instructor, Central Michigan University

Emily Worline Social Media Coordinator, ClearEdge Marketing

David Zick Owner, Rehab and Mobility Systems LLC. (Retired)

MENTORS

Joe Affholter Faculty Entrepreneurship Department, Central Michigan University

Emily Austin Go To Market Strategist, Ford Motor Company

Dylan Banagis CEO & Co-Founder, The Wanderheart Project

Skylar Bennethum Associate, Hibiscus BioVentures

Bryan Caragay Senior iOS Software Engineer, Remind

Casey Croad Co-Founder and Co-Owner, Ignite Donuts

Glenn Cross Retired, Vice President Global Field and Partner Marketing, Dynatrace

John Gustincic Faculty Entrepreneurship Department, Central Michigan University

Stephen Hahn SBIR/STTR Program Expert, National Science Foundation (NSF)

Zachary Huffman Founder and CEO, Hyvion

Roy Messing Director of State Center Operations, Employee Ownership Expansion Network

Kati Mora Vice President, Middle Michigan Development Corporation

Kyle Murray Co-Founder, FTN Network

David Nows Chairperson, Entrepreneurship Department, Central Michigan University

Olivia Pageau Marketing Specialist, Jackson County Chamber of Commerce

Samantha Pina Senior Event coordinator, Hagerty

Hailey Polidori Owner, Hazel Coffee Co., Freelance and Consulting

Mike Schuette Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, GCI Water Solutions

Alexanderia Tinker Project Manager, Covet Security

Stephen Wakeling Founder and CEO, Phobio

Dan Ward Co-Founder and President, Detroit Labs

Penny Woelfert Faculty, Entrepreneurship Department, Central Michigan University

Emily Worline Social Media Coordinator, ClearEdge Marketing

Lauren Zettel Faculty, Entrepreneurship Department, Central Michigan University

NVC PARTNERS

Entrepreneurship, innovation, and creativity are at the heart of what we do at CMU. We aim to connect people from different backgrounds and disciplines to inspire design thinking, problem solving, and creating something new. As the New Venture Challenge continues to evolve and expand the innovation ecosystem at Central, we want to recognize our partners from across campus who offer student experiences in these areas.

We are grateful for our partnership over the past 10 years with the Broadcast and Cinematic Arts and Graphic Design programs at Central who have provided:

» Student-produced live broadcasting of the New Venture Challenge.

» Student-led graphic design services for teams competing in NVC.

With the growth of such partnerships, we are well on our way to elevating the entrepreneurial culture at Central Michigan University.

GRAPHIC DESIGN STUDENTS

Donovan Andrews

Emily Bredin

Katelyn Buerke

Alison Burch

Erin Dougherty

Madelyn Kerbyson

Samuel Kroll

Emily Large

Amy Mitton

Samuel Ondrias

Nathan Reihl

Riley Robinson

Rachel Showers

Alexandria Sprague

Dominique Toth

Kaily Wasielewski

Kendyl Wilson

BROADCASTING STUDENTS

Isaiah Bella Audio Operator

Addy Crane Graphics Operator

Jake DeRees Host

Mike Gonzalez Audio Operator

Megan Hart Technical Director

Emily Martin Camera Operator

Abbey McKenzie Director

Rachel Ramsay On Air Reporter

Nicholas Riley Camera Operator

Kylie Sczepanski Radio

Tim Short On Air Reporter

Christian Swincicki Host

Jake Swope Executive Producer

Briana Thompson Radio

Brady Whalen Radio

Consider supporting on behalf of Jeff Thomas, former department chairperson of Entrepreneurship at CMU.

GET INVOLVED:

Contact Julie Messing at julie.messing@cmich.edu

DONATE:

Give online at www.giving.cmich.edu

JEFF THOMAS ACORN AWARDS

Each year in memory of Jeff Thomas, the Entrepreneurship Department presents Acorn Awards to individuals who honor Jeff’s legacy and passion for entrepreneurship. The acorn represents a symbol of growth and unlimited potential, which is something Jeff was extremely passionate about. It possesses the “oak knowledge” or all of the knowledge that is needed to create the mighty oak tree. The acorn teaches us about our own potential as one acorn can grow into a colossal oak tree and seed an entire forest.

Each year two recipients will receive the Jeff Thomas Acorn Award. One recipient will be a student or recent graduate and the other will be a faculty member or mentor. The “future oak” award will be awarded to an individual who has really “planted” themselves in the entrepreneurship program by making the most of the opportunities at CMU and has begun to show the early indicators of entrepreneurial leadership. The “oak” award will be awarded to a current or past faculty member, advisor, or alumni who has directly invested themselves, their ideas, connections, resources, time, etc. into the entrepreneurship program at CMU to help develop “future oaks”.

“I had an aching sense that our time is short, shorter than we ever know, short as a morning run, and I wanted mine to be meaningful. And purposeful. And Creative. And Important. Above all…different. I want to leave a mark on the world”

Hailey Polidori ’18

Owner, Hazel Coffee Co.

Owner & Photographer, Polidori Photography

Co-Founder, Scrappy Technologies

Young Alumni Acorn Award

Shadae Hillsman

Freshman, Entrepreneurship Major

Jeff Thomas Entrepreneurship Scholarship Award

Dan Ward

Co-Founder & President, Detroit Labs Mentor Acorn Award

Alina Krasinski

Junior, Entrepreneurship Major Lyndell Patrick Scholarship Award

ENTREPRENEURSHIP AT CENTRAL

ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN THE CLASSROOM

Central Michigan University’s College of Business Administration is the home of the Isabella Bank Institute for Entrepreneurship and the first Department of Entrepreneurship in the state of Michigan. Our goals are to teach practical skills, inspire innovative thinking, and connect students with mentors and other resources. We accomplish this through activities such as bootcamps, skillbuilding sessions, the New Venture Challenge, and our Make-A-Pitch event, where students from all disciplines interact with experienced alumni, faculty, entrepreneurs, investors, and other leaders to become better prepared to DO!

Next year, we are excited to integrate the NVC into a course that will serve as an idea accelerator and introduction to seeking investor capital for students from across campus. Specifically, ENT 497I (Seeking Venture Capital and Angel Investment) will be a 3-credit course offered in the spring term on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5:00 to 6:15 pm. Students will, among other things, learn about seeking capital from investors, while developing their ideas by leveraging mentors and other resources available through the NVC. ENT 497I will not have prerequisites. Additionally, we also offer several other undergraduate curriculum options in entrepreneurship, including:

Several à la carte Entrepreneurship Courses — where undergraduate and graduate students from various programs enroll in individual entrepreneurship courses

Certificate in Entrepreneurial Studies — where undergraduate students complete 12 credits of entrepreneurship and business-related coursework

Minor in Entrepreneurship — where undergraduate students complete 21 credits of entrepreneurship and business-related coursework

Major in Entrepreneurship — where undergraduate students pursuing a B.A.A. degree complete approximately 45 credits of entrepreneurship and business-related coursework

Graduate-level coursework in Entrepreneurship includes options such as individual courses, a certificate in Venture Financing, and an area of emphasis in entrepreneurship within CMU’s MBA program. To learn more about these offerings, please e-mail Entrepreneurship Chairperson David.Nows@cmich.edu or visit cba.cmich.edu

ISABELLA BANK INSTITUTE FOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP

We elevate student success by fostering a campus-wide entrepreneurial mindset that promotes interdisciplinary collaboration and the creation of new ventures.

WE DO CROSS-CAMPUS COLLABORATION

The IBIE is located in the IDEA Den (Grawn 166) a student-centric hub where experiential, curricular, and external entrepreneurial opportunities intersect. Achieve your entrepreneurial goals with us today!

SIGNATURE PROGRAMS:

» The New Venture Challenge

» Make-A-Pitch Competition

» Hackathon: ReImagine

» Business skill-builders

» Venture workshops

» Mentor program

EXPLORE THE IBIE www.cmich.edu/ibie

DIFFERENT ENTREPRENEURIAL PATHWAYS

The NVC provides a real-world experience in developing an executive summary, projecting financial information, and creating either a two-minute or a seven-minute pitch. Students from a variety of academic disciplines benefit from this transformational experience. Some of these students and teams are ready to start their own companies. Founding a start-up is exciting! However, becoming an entrepreneur is not just about going out and starting your own company. Many of our CMU graduates explore other entrepreneurial pathways – these paths include:

» Being change agents at established organizations

» Managing small businesses

» Working as employees at new ventures

» Advancing social enterprises

» Leading family businesses

We built our entrepreneurship courses and programs with these different pathways in mind. To learn more about these offerings, please e-mail Entrepreneurship Chairperson David Nows at David.Nows@cmich.edu or visit cba.cmich.edu

THANK YOU

The New Venture Challenge is a success because of YOU! This event would not be possible without the generosity of our partners, sponsors, and donors. Thank you for supporting our goal of an enhanced cross-campus celebration of entrepreneurship and innovation.

It is not too early to commit to helping for next year’s event! In addition to judges and mentors, there are various levels of fundraising support needed to continue to produce this great event.

GET INVOLVED

If you are interested in giving of your time, talent or treasure, please contact Julie Messing at julie.messing@cmich.edu or visit www.cmich.edu/ibie

Explore, Make, Create

Stop by our student space on campus to experiment with:

3D Printers

Cricut die-cut machine

One-on-one mentoring

Your innovative ideas

Curious? Join us in the Idea Den Grawn 166 Mon-Fri 9:00am-5:00pm

NEW WORLD NEW SKILLS

THE KORSON FAMILY

TOM & VICKI CELANI STUDENT VENTURE CAPITAL FUND

MRS. KRISTIE NYSTEDT

MICHAEL & DIANNE MOREY

THE LABELLE FAMILY

JOHN G. KULHAVI

LYNDELL PATRICK class of 1975

THE REED FAMILY