{"id":105768,"date":"2025-04-11T11:44:29","date_gmt":"2025-04-11T15:44:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/?p=105768"},"modified":"2025-04-11T13:16:58","modified_gmt":"2025-04-11T17:16:58","slug":"startup-pitch-competition-brings-buy-in-to-budding-entrepreneurs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/2025\/04\/11\/startup-pitch-competition-brings-buy-in-to-budding-entrepreneurs\/","title":{"rendered":"StartUp Pitch Competition Brings Buy-in to Student Entrepreneurs"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"UMW
UMW seniors (left to right, middle of frame) Helen Worku, Taylor Munger and Katie Reif\u00a0 pose with judges Joel Griffin and Robby Noll \u201988 (far left), and Andrew Blate ’04 and Christine Goodwin \u201996 (far right). The student trio won first place – and $2,500 – in the Eagle Innovation StartUp Pitch Competition for their plans to launch the FlossyPik dental flosser. Photo by Karen Pearlman.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

From cleaning services to apps that promote style and fitness, there\u2019s no shortage of business ideas brewing in the minds of University of Mary Washington entrepreneurs. But the winners of last week\u2019s Eagle Innovation StartUp Pitch Competition, presented by UMW\u2019s College of Business (COB), gave judges something they could sink their teeth into … and sink into their teeth.<\/p>\n

Mary Washington seniors Taylor Munger, Katie Reif and Helen Worku\u2019s FlossyPik dental flosser won first place in the annual Shark Tank<\/em>-like contest, along with $2,500 in prize money to take the tooth-cleaning tool to the next level. Its mobility-friendly design and the group\u2019s plan to produce it in various colors with addable stickers \u2013 and apply for a patent \u2013 bring comfort and pizzazz to the business of flossing. And the judges praised its potential appeal in pediatric dentistry.<\/p>\n

\u201cI see entrepreneurship as more than just starting a business,\u201d COB Dean Filiz Tabak said to kick off the event in the Hurley Convergence Center\u2019s Digital Auditorium, where nine finalists\u2019 ideas for new ventures took centerstage. \u201cIt\u2019s about identifying opportunities; it\u2019s about solving problems; and it\u2019s about creating and adding value. It requires resilience, creativity and the courage to take risks.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lessons in all the above are incorporated into the curriculum for UMW\u2019s management and entrepreneurship major, launched just last year, and for its entrepreneurship minor. The programs dissect the process of building a business, from germination and testing to planning, development and pitching. Open to all Mary Washington students, the spring competition pits presenters against one another in a quest to impress a team of experienced judges who provide feedback, name three top contenders and award a total of $4,500 in startup funding.<\/p>\n

\u201cParticipating in this event offers students the chance to transform their ideas into a feasible and viable venture, while building connections with entrepreneurial mentors who can guide them in creating their own business,\u201d said COB Assistant Professor Lulu Huang.<\/p>\n

\"From <\/a>
From left to right: Judges Christine Goodwin \u201996, Joel Griffin and Robby Noll \u201988 pose with second-place winner, UMW junior Joey Welsh, and the contest’s fourth judge, Andrew Blate ’04, during the Eagle Innovation StartUp Pitch Competition. Photo by Karen Pearlman. <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"From <\/a>
From left to right: Contest judge Christine Goodwin ’96, UMW junior David Fitzgerald, judge Joel Griffin, judge Robby Noll \u201988, UMW juniors Max McCusker and Themba Martin-Weiler, and judge Andrew Blate ’04. The three students, all UMW men\u2019s rugby team members, claimed third place in the Eagle Innovation StartUp Pitch Competition, winning $500 for Zip Rugby and their plan to launch high-quality uniform apparel. Photo by Karen Pearlman. <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>\n

UMW alumni Andrew Blate \u201904, co-owner\/founder of remodeling company Beautiful Home Services; Christine Goodwin \u201996, CEO of digital design firm Banduri; and Robby Noll \u201988, principal of Building Management Company Holdings Group, served as judges. They were joined by Joel Griffin, founder and CEO of Fredericksburg-based Riphean Investments.<\/p>\n

Junior Joey Welsh took second place \u2013 and $1,500 \u2013 for the work he completed with senior Cody Faust, who was unable to attend the event. Their project, Electric Thrillz, proposes a rental service for motorized scooters. Juniors David Fitzgerald, Themba Martin-Weiler and Max McCusker, all UMW men\u2019s rugby team members, claimed third, winning $500 for Zip Rugby and their plan to launch high-quality uniform apparel. All winners are eligible to enter their ideas in a national video pitch competition by the Sigma Nu Tau Entrepreneurship Honor Society.<\/p>\n

\"UMW <\/a>
UMW seniors Kylie Cooper and Brooke Evans, along with their teammate, junior Anna Stamm, received an honorable mention for their project, StyleFix, an app that aims to help users create fashionable outfits and repurpose old clothes. Photo by Karen Pearlman. <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Eagle <\/a>
Eagle Innovation StartUp Pitch Competition judges Christine Goodwin ’96 and Andrew Blate ’04 listen to the entrepreneurial plans of students who presented their projects last week. Photo by Karen Pearlman. <\/div> <\/div>
\"College <\/a>
College of Business Dean Filiz Tabak kicked off the Eagle Innovation StartUp Pitch Competition with a poignant definition of entrepreneurship. Photo by Karen Pearlman. <\/div> <\/div>
\"UMW <\/a>
UMW junior Max McCusker helps present research for his team’s project, Zip Rugby, which took third place in the competition. Photo by Karen Pearlman. <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"From <\/a>
From left to right: UMW seniors Helen Worku, Taylor Munger and Katie Reif present their first-place project, FlossyPik, a new take on dental flossers for which the group plans to apply for a patent. Photo by Karen Pearlman. <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>\n

Seniors Kylie Cooper and Brooke Evans, along with their teammate, junior Anna Stamm, received an honorable mention in the UMW contest for their project, StyleFix, an app that helps users create fashionable outfits and repurpose old clothes.<\/p>\n

Other competitors included:<\/p>\n