Winners of the First Annual Fowler Business Concept Challenge Announced

On Oct. 30, the Schulze School of Entrepreneurship at the Opus College of Business announced the winners of its first annual Fowler Business Concept Challenge. Made possible by a generous gift from Ron Fowler ’66, the Fowler Business Concept Challenge is open to all UST students. For more information about the challenge, see Page 5…

On Oct. 30, the Schulze School of Entrepreneurship at the Opus College of Business announced the winners of its first annual Fowler Business Concept Challenge. Made possible by a generous gift from Ron Fowler ’66, the Fowler Business Concept Challenge is open to all UST students. For more information about the challenge, see Page 5 in the fall 2009 issue of B. magazine, or visit www.stthomas.edu/business/schulzeschool/fowler challenge.

Winning teams divided scholarship money of various amounts. Each of the first place teams in the graduate and undergraduate divisions received $10,000. Second-place teams received $5,000, third-place teams received $2,500, and fourth-place teams received $1,000. In addition, a best presenter prize of $1,000 was given in both the graduate and undergraduate divisions.

The winning graduate team, Derek Buschow and Jeremiah Messerer, presented iApply, a business solution that allows employers to streamline applicant evaluations. In second place, Senthil Kumaran and Mike Wayman presented Letsdiviup.com, an online tool geared toward mobile-device users to share expenses with roommates, friends and family. In third place were Tanya Novak and Jeremy James with StoreMaps.com, a cell phone-based product search-engine that provides in-store product inventory and location data to consumers. The fourth-place graduate-division winners were Jordan Jones and Laura Storkamp, who presented The Farm, a mental health and vocational training center for people with severe and persistent mental illness. Kumaran won the prize for best presenter in his division.

Matt Lichtfuss and Zach Neugebauer were the top undergraduate team. They presented 5th Corner Media, which would provide satellite music with targeted advertising in tanning salons. In second place, Joseph Nesbitt and Jeff Sevaldson presented iFam, a wireless device that enables older adults to communicate with family members by simply pushing a button. Two undergraduate teams tied for third place, receiving $1,750 per team: Emily Pritchard and Martha McCarthy, who presented SnapSystem Bikes, multi-component, “snap-in-place” bicycles, and Anthony Kelly and Noah Namowicz, who presented Megan Friday’s, a collaborative shared-office environment. Neugebauer won the prize for best undergraduate division presenter.

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