On Dec. 12, the University of St. Thomas Schulze School of Entrepreneurship held its semiannual student business plan competition for undergraduate students in ENTR 450 (Entrepreneurship: Management/ Strategy), taught by Dr. Alec Johnson, and graduate students in ENTR 704 (Launching New Ventures), taught by Dr. Jay Ebben. Students presented a plan outlining a new business to a panel of judges. They were judged on their written plan, their presentation and the overall viability of the proposed new venture.
In the undergraduate category, first place went to Ryan Kulka and Lucas Maupin for Wired Energy Beverage Shops. The business is geared toward providing technology-savvy energy beverage shops on or near college and university campuses. The shops would primarily offer original mixed/blended energy drink “cocktails,” and also would provide single-serve herbal and energy drinks in cans and bottles along with select food items geared toward energizing customers. Technology services would include plug-and-play music libraries, workstations equipped with PCs containing top-of-the-line software, podcast stations and plasma-screen HDTVs.
Second place was presented to Patrick Warren and Ellie Strauch for Cellar Solutions, providing luxury wine storage and related services throughout the metropolitan Minnesota market. Third place was awarded to Adam Bressler and Joel Doherty for Creative Wrapping Solutions, Inc., offering Easy Gift Wrap, a pre-cut wrapping paper with pre-applied adhesive, for business and individual use.
On the graduate level, first place was awarded to Jordan Milan for Hibernicor, LLC. The company has created a heart preservation device that allows for prolonged preservation of a donor heart in the context of a heart transplant. The device currently preserves donor hearts up to six hours, with the potential of 24-hour preservation, which will increase the number of available donor hearts, shorten waitlists and improve success rates.
Second place was presented to Kara Richter for From Bags to Riches, a business that allows members to rent designer handbags. Third place went to John Kinzel for The Guide Connection, an interactive Internet-based hunting and fishing guide referral service.
