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Apr 14 2025
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Pitch Dingman

Who’s advancing in the 2025 Pitch Dingman Competition?

Get ready, get set… go! It’s hard to believe, but it’s already here — our 10th anniversary Pitch Dingman Competition! This year, over 97 ventures applied, all vying for their share of $170,000 in prizes. Our panel of judges was able to narrow down the wide range of applicants to reveal the top teams that will be advancing in the 2025 competition. We’re excited to see the top ventures pitch on the big stage at our finals event on April 24 at Samuel Riggs IV Alumni Center for a shot at the grand prizes!

Read on to learn more about the tracks and the ventures that will be advancing in the competition:

Alumni Tech Track

In partnership with the UMD Alumni Association, this track supports alumni-founded, tech and software ventures with traction. To be eligible, ventures must have some traction in the form of early customers, and/or a developed MVP/prototype that is being tested, and have less than $100K in annual recurring revenue. The finalist ventures in this campus-wide track for alumni will have access to support in an entrepreneurship bootcamp and coaching to take their ventures to the next step. On April 24, the finalist teams will pitch their businesses to an expert panel of judges on the Finals stage, and the semifinalist teams will showcase at Terp Town for a chance to win additional audience choice prizes.

Alumni Tech Track Finalists – pitching

Cursive – Joseph Thibault ’23 – Cursive is an API for authorship. We verify writing through transparency to support learning and responsible co-creation with AI.

Plan Forward – Anne Spear ’19 – Plan Forward is a decision-making platform for K-12 administrators, transforming raw data into actionable insights. By leveraging educational frameworks and AI models, we don’t just provide data—we make sense of it, helping schools and districts make informed decisions that drive continuous improvement. Our platform empowers educators to monitor progress and adjust strategies in real-time. Plan Forward helps schools tell the story behind their data, turning insights into meaningful action.

Alumni Tech Track Semifinalists

Presixion – Flavia Negrete ’22 – Presixion is developing a multi-channel lateral flow assay that can detect multiple pathogens from a single swab, providing a rapid, cost-effective, and scalable diagnostic solution for infectious diseases.

Bon Voyage – Bosith Weerasinghe ’23 – Optimizing Travel Planning for Single and Multiple-day Trips Using the Powers of Machine Learning and AI

Gym Supreme – Obidi Orakwusi ’12 – Product Design and Technology company with 3 patents. We influence the mass market adoption of self-care using fitness. We help a generation learn to take care of themselves and feel more confident through product design and technology.

Alumni Tech Track Quarterfinalists – Honorable Mention

Clinix – Sahar Farajun ’22 – Skip months of reading through thousands of pdfs and clinical notes – Clinix will do it for you! Clinix is a software to automate the data collection, analysis, and entry for clinical research.

Healthier Forms – Jose Leon ’17 – We have created a B2B SaaS platform to help Imaging Centers solve the complex and inefficient process of MRI safety by automating patient screening, implant guideline matching, and safety decision-making through an integrated, user-friendly dashboard.

InZone, Inc. – Jayme Kame ’24 – InZone is an expanding community of tweens built around mindful social media use, unlimited AI characters, fun 3D avatars, and parental oversight. Our primary customers are first‑time social media users aged 8–12 and our secondary customers are parents concerned with their children’s digital well‑being

Makerstate – Jenny Larios Berlin ’04 – Makerstate supports creators by building a clear path to monetizing cultural products with an AI-powered platform offering personalized venture building education, tailored career and artistic goal setting, and tools for independent production at scale. Here creators take ownership of their creative careers!

WISE Cities – Marie Brodsky ’24 – In the future that we hope to live in, our communities are adapted to support us as we age. We envision that we can participate meaningfully, take advantage of the resources available, and connect with one another at community spaces in our vicinity. But today, that world isn’t reality. Instead, although 90% of older adults want to age at home, 40% say they don’t know of organizations in their community that support them. For a change to happen, we need a new avenue for older adults and local providers to connect. WISE Cities spurs this change through an accessible platform for older adults to discover local services and opportunities, paid for by businesses who want to reach older adults.

YourStory – Steve Johnson ’16 – Provides AI-driven educational solutions tailored to K-12 students and teachers, supporting more personalized learning paths.

Alumni Main Street Track

In partnership with the UMD Alumni Association, this track is for alumni-founded, non-tech small businesses that have revenue and initial customers. To be eligible, ventures must have generated at least $1,000 in lifetime revenue and less than $100K in annual recurring revenue (ARR). The finalist ventures in this campus-wide track for alumni will have access to support in an entrepreneurship bootcamp and coaching to take their ventures to the next step. On April 24, the finalist teams will pitch their businesses to an expert panel of judges on the Finals stage, and the semifinalist teams will showcase at Terp Town for a chance to win additional audience choice prizes.

Alumni Main Street Track Finalists – pitching

3708 Spirits – Tony Ajayi ’10, Mitchell Linton, Zachary Spence – 3708 Spirits is an upscale premium locally black-owned agave spirit brand that is handcrafted using traditional methods and only the finest blue agave from Jalisco, Mexico.

Green Mechanics Benefit LLC – Justan Randolph ’19, Larry Davis – Give Us A Problem, We Will Use Nature To Solve It. We support large industrial clients, counties, farmers and municipalities in meeting their environmental permits through our innovative, cost effective and low disturbance nature-based technology portfolio.

Alumni Main Street Track Semifinalists

OcuClips – Mohil Gupta ’19 – The world’s first patented premium eyewear accessory. Say goodbye to discomfort from headphones or external pressure—OcuClips keeps your glasses secure and comfortable all day long.

Bright Labs Diagnostics – Jennifer Ukegbu ’14 – Our DNA, drug, and alcohol testing business provides reliable Testing & Diagnostic Services, Medical & Scientific Equipment Supply, and Consulting, Training, and Specialized Support Services. We serve a diverse customer base, including individuals (B2C) seeking DNA or drug and alcohol testing, businesses (B2B) such as employers, rehab centers, hospitals, and DOT-regulated companies needing workplace drug and alcohol testing, and government agencies (B2G) at the federal, state, and local levels requiring specialized testing solutions. Our expertise ensures accurate, compliant, and confidential testing services tailored to the needs of each client.

Alumni Main Street Track Quarterfinalists – Honorable Mention

Dream of Coffee – Reid Xu ’24 – A specialty coffee concept that bridges Gen Z preferences with the artisanal world of third-wave coffee. Through immersive flagship cafés, they partner with roasters to deliver ethically sourced, twist-based coffee experiences.

Envirowell – Alec Soffer ’23 – EnviroWell is an innovative water well technology company that utilizes a patented Safe, Directional, Drought-Resistant Dug Well (SDDW) method developed by the United States Geological Survey (USGS) to provide safer, more cost-efficient alternatives for municipalities and regions with limited water infrastructure.

Ginja Snap – Shaakira DeLoatch ’17 – Ginja Snap is a functional ginger water beverage that transforms a health remedy into a grab-and-go, good and good for you beverage option for wellness enthusiasts. Free of carbonation, artificial flavors, and processed sugars, its ingredients are real and simple: water, organic ginger, raw honey, lemon, and lime. @drinkginjasnap on all social media platforms.

Greenie – Ethan Pham ’24 – Greenie is a flash retail business and e-commerce store, specializing in premium second-hand clothing to offer a sustainable alternative to fast fashion. We host CP Flea, College Park’s first premiere outdoor flea market that brings together 12+ vendors from across the DC, Maryland, and Virginia area. Our customers are style-conscious Gen Z and Millenials who value individuality, sustainability, and community.

HAT Ladies Pound Cake – Teri Walker ’92 – Hat Ladies Pound Cake Frozen Batter changes the way people bake at home with this frozen pound cake batter that let’s you bake fresh, homemade quality cake with 3-easy steps: Thaw, Pour and Bake – no mixing, measuring or mess!

Onye Vé – Goodness Ihekweme ’21 – Onye Vé exists to redefine luxury fashion by making high-quality, bold, and statement-making pieces accessible to individuals who want to express confidence, individuality, and power through their style. The brand’s core mission is to disrupt the industry by bridging the gap between exclusivity and inclusivity, ensuring that luxury fashion is available for all body types while maintaining high-end craftsmanship and uniqueness.

Main Street and Quattrone Tech Tracks

The semifinalist ventures in these two advanced UMD-CP student tracks will each receive a $500 prize, participate in an entrepreneurship bootcamp, and meet with advisors to help them further accelerate their businesses and make them more competitive for the next round. On Friday, March 28, the semifinalist teams pitched their businesses to an expert panel of judges in Van Munching Hall, and the top 3 of each track will be moving on to pitch on the Finals stage.

Main Street Track Finalists – pitching

Dare to Dream – Takiyah Roberts ’25 – Dare to Dream Inc. is a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering marginalized communities through entrepreneurship. They provide confidence, education, mentorship, and resources to help individuals chase their dreams unapologetically. Their initiatives include 9th-12th grade afterschool programs, the Young, Diverse, & Gifted Event Series, and an international project in Ecuador to build entrepreneurship among young dreamers.

Energy by Evelyn – Evelyn Murphy ’28 – Healthy, delicious snack food products made from simple, natural ingredients.

Papa Suya – Yassine Boukari ’27 – A West African culinary brand innovating through licensing, authentic products, and a scalable fast-casual model.

Main Street Track Semifinalists

Body Essentials by Abiara – Mathea Abiara ’28 – Body Essentials by Abiara (BEBA) is a bodycare brand dedicated to crafting high-quality products with cold-pressed, unrefined butters and oils, combined with carefully selected ingredients that cater to a wide range of skin types. At the heart of our formulations is Shea Butter, sustainably sourced directly from Nigeria, ensuring both authenticity and excellence in every product.

M’Elyon Organics – Adewunmi Agagu ’25 – At M’Elyon Organics, we passionately craft organic, handmade haircare products, blending the purest plant-based herbs, lightweight oils, and essential oils. Our mission? To unlock the secret to radiant, thriving hair. Each product in our lineup is a testament to our commitment to using natural and chemical free products, formulated to not only promote hair growth and strengthen follicles but to also combat hair breakage, hair thinning and shedding, and to block DHT (dihydrotestosterone), lastly, to also infuse your hair with lasting nourishment. Beyond nourishment, our creations boast anti-fungal and antimicrobial properties, ensuring your scalp’s health is always at its peak.

MundaneMarketplace – Obi Nzerue ’26 – Mundane Marketplace is a clothing brand that challenges the ordinary by redefining the everyday. We take inspiration from the overlooked details of daily life and transform them into unique, thought-provoking designs. Our brand thrives on the intersection of simplicity and creativity, making the mundane feel extraordinary. Our customers are individuals who appreciate minimalism with a deeper meaning—people who find beauty in the routine, the unassuming, and the often-ignored. They are creatives, deep thinkers, and those who seek to express themselves through subtle yet impactful fashion. Whether they’re artists, students, or professionals, our customers resonate with the idea that the mundane isn’t boring it’s a canvas for storytelling.

Main Street Track Semifinalists – honorable mention

Divine Ethereal Collections – Daisy Lopez ’26 – At Divine’s Jewelry, our vision is to empower individuals to express their unique style and embrace self-love through exquisite jewelry pieces. We aim to inspire confidence, celebrate individuality, and evoke a sense of self-expression in every wearer.

Grinzo Project – Anthony Kang ’27, Shen Gu ’25 – Grinzo is our team’s original IP brand that sells Grinzo-related creative merchandise such as keyrings, coasters, dolls, badges and other cultural and creative accessories. Our goal is to provide a unique and creative product experience for young people.

Ivansupply – Ivan Marroquin ’26 – A sneaker and streetwear brand with daily restocks, offering authentic products and fast shipping.

Linen and Purple Co – Ivon Santos Castellon ’25 – Linen and Purple Co is a purpose-led clothing store created to provide more women with modest clothing options for everyday wear, and special occasion. We aim to bridge the gap in the fashion industry for modest fashion.

Movement Street – Lyric Amodia ’25 – The Movement Street is a nonprofit organization founded in 2020 with the mission to make community service accessible, enjoyable, and impactful. We address the challenge of disengagement by creating creative pathways for people to volunteer, especially younger generations, in ways that feel inclusive and rewarding. Through in-person, virtual, and passive service initiatives, we foster a sense of connection and belonging, bringing people together to make a positive impact in communities they may not call home. Our approach transforms volunteering into a shared experience that inspires lasting change. Ultimately, we aim to increase volunteerism by ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to give back and feel supported.

Noir Auto Detailing – Ysaak Wabreha ’27 – Noir Auto Detailing was founded three years ago with a clear mission; to deliver high-quality, affordable car care to every client. We work with a diverse range of customers, including rental companies, wrap shops, and owners of high-performance vehicles, offering tailored yearly plans and partnerships. Additionally, we serve the general public by providing a wide spectrum of services, from routine maintenance detailing to in-depth disaster detailing. Our goal is to make professional-grade car care accessible and reliable for all.

ProTags – Jason Okorie ’25 – We specialize in creating entirely reusable, aluminum QR code-based business cards and name tags for students and organizations.

Sincere Gear – Adam Antar ’25, ’24 – Discover the essentials you never knew were essential. These are the game-changing products that will seamlessly integrate into your life, becoming indispensable from the moment you experience their transformative power.

Wellness Detailing – David Castillo ’26 – We provide mobile and at-business automobile detailing for both interior and exterior. We also offer paint correction and other vehicle revitalization services.

Quattrone Tech Track Finalists – pitching

BetterU – Saurabh Chapagain ’25 – BetterU is a gamified social habit builder that helps people become the best versions of themselves in a fun & social way!

Saved – Aayush Gupta ’25 – We turn live streams into viral clips.

Tailored – David Shukhin ’27, Ian Picard ’26 – We are making it easier and more accessible to buy secondhand clothing so we can reduce the impact of fast fashion on the environment. We are doing this by utilizing an AI-powered recommendation system paired with a tinder-style swiping interface. We are currently on the IOS App Store with 200+ users.

Quattrone Tech Track Semifinalists

PropertyWorx AI – Aaron Warren ’26 – PropertyWorx AI™ is a next-generation Proptech SaaS platform designed to revolutionize property management by streamline vendor-tenant communication, improve property maintenance operations, and enhance the customer experience for property management teams. The platform integrates Generative AI, Agentic Ai and a mobile-first experience. Our platform enhances automates maintenance workflows, property managers workflow automation, communication tools, analytics, tenant engagement and vendor management solutions powered by Insite22™ to help property managers reduce tenant turnover, improve operational efficiency, and simplify maintenance coordination.

Omniscouts – Vaibhav Vasudevan ’28 – Building AI agents for industrial/chemical sales reps finding exactly the right people to target with all the context.

Quattrone Tech Track Quarterfinalists – honorable mention

App Dev – Matt Gashaw ’25 – App Dev is bridging the gap between academic learning and real-world software development. This organization has a dual approach to social good; one is equipping UMD students with practical experience, crucial for securing internships in the saturated tech industry, and developing software for socially impactful corporate projects.

Finaive – Henry Uwabor ’26 – Finaive is an AI-powered escrow platform designed to make online transactions safer and more seamless for businesses, freelancers, and e-commerce users. Our platform ensures secure payments by holding funds in escrow until both parties fulfill their contractual obligations. Leveraging AI-driven fraud detection and automated dispute resolution, we minimize financial risks, prevent fraud, and streamline the payment process.

OMAL – Dikennaya Ejiogu ’25 – At OMAL Solutions, we specialize in matching businesses with the perfect freelancers to elevate their brand. From logo and brand identity design to web and UI/UX design, we offer everything you need to take your business to the next level. Our platform is your one-stop solution, streamlining the process of finding top talent and enabling you to fully automate your operations. What makes us different? We don’t just connect you with freelancers; we curate the right team for your unique needs, allowing you to focus on growth while we handle the details. Whether it’s a single project or ongoing support, our flexible packages ensure your business is always ahead of the curve. Though we’re a new agency, we’re fueled by a passion for excellence and a commitment to building lasting relationships. Ready to scale your business with ease? Let’s connect and explore how we can make it happen.

Pickaxe – Pranav Bolla ’25 – Our venture provides a sports betting optimization platform that combines consulting and proprietary software to maximize profits for our customers. We help individuals and groups leverage sportsbook promotions and bonus bets through strategic hedging, ensuring guaranteed profits.

Red Alert – Miles McDonald ’27 – Red Alert: an emergency information distribution system. Red Alert is an alert system to be used in the case of school shooting situations, which notifies students on campus of an emergency and allows them to easily report their status to school and police authorities. What separates Red Alert from other alert systems is its use of student locations to provide top-quality safety.

Sellwase – Bhagavan Bolli ’25 – Our venture offers a secure, university-exclusive platform where students can trade daily essentials such as textbooks, tables, and tech gadgets. We specialize in creating a safe and reliable environment that will only allow students to trade and ensure that every user is a current student or faculty member. This approach keeps the marketplace insulated from outside interference and scams, fostering a community-centric trading space that’s all about student convenience and connection.

SONE – Yonatan Tussa ’26 – An eye-tracking system to improve communication between patients and nurses.

Theki – Kareem Bishr ’25 – Theki is building a trust engine for technical hiring through Web3-verified credentials: Core Product: – Automated/instant credential verification platform that accurately verifies claims made on resumes – Real-time verification through established databases via Chainlink oracles – Privacy-preserving verification using zero-knowledge proofs for sensitive data – Blockchain-stored credentials owned by job seekers

Tranquil – Chirag Jain ’26 – AI-powered mental wellness platform where users can journal their thoughts and engage in weekly AI-driven conversations for emotional support and self-reflection. It integrates a chat feature and plans to incorporate GPT-powered voice interactions for a more natural and engaging experience.

Yuuera – Raymond Flowers ’27 – Yuuera is a platform that empowers teachers to develop engaging and dynamic conversational practice assignments for foreign language students, solving a critical lack of confidence and conversation capabilities of students in foreign language classrooms.

Joan and Chester Luby Idea Track

The finalist ventures in this early stage UMD-CP student track participated in an entrepreneurship bootcamp and marketplace to help them further hone these venture ideas. They submitted 5-min video pitches to an expert panel of judges for their finals, and the winners will be announced on April 24. You can see all of these amazing finalists show off their ideas at Terp Town.

Joan and Chester Luby Idea Track Finalists – Terp Town

AkereRose Glove – Rosabella Mvemba ’27 – Cultivating a love, embrace, and care for thick and curly hair through natural hair tools, education, and community.

Alcclear – Rachel Snow ’28 – Instant Protection Against Drink Spiking.

Arithmetix – Shankar Haridas ’26 – Integrating technical math notation into typing-based note-taking processes.

Artha – Nataraj Shivaprasad ’25 – An intelligent wallet that automates your finances.

Bluuzone Bottles – Robbie Ballentine ’26 – Creating 100% plastic-free, disposable, and compostable water bottles to address the health hazards of microplastics in bottled water.

Breaking The Ice – Isha Kamara ’20, ’25 – Bridging the gaps between Black entrepreneurs, executive directors, and their ecosystem through community-building.

Chic Sweeteners – Brianna Robinson ’28 – Offering gourmet sweeteners with unique flavors for tea lovers to elevate their daily tea rituals.

Dancify – Natali Oleinik ’28 – Using AI to analyze and improve dance performances, offering real-time feedback to help users perfect every move.

Educate – Vraj Patel ’25 – AI-enhanced learning platform that syncs with Canvas LMS, offering personalized study plans and academic support.

EDvancedGPT – Denonte McKinney ’25 – An AI-powered platform for enhancing accessibility and inclusivity in education, offering personalized learning experiences.

FinGo – Tyler Boden ’25 – A personal finance app for high school, college students, and young adults to learn budgeting, saving, and investing.

Proco – Aditya Sengar ’27, Akshita Tiwari ’27, Grace Jagga ’27 – A professional networking platform focused on meaningful mentorship and connections based on personal relationships.

Sit’n Sweet – K’Lor Simms ’26 – A health-conscious bakery offering customizable, wholesome cookies for those seeking a balance of wellness and indulgence.

Podfolio – Feileen Li ’26, Juhi Parikh ’26 – A social podcast platform for discovering, tracking, and sharing podcasts.

Spotter – Kevin Kyle ’27 – An AI-powered mobile app that analyzes and provides real-time feedback for gym workouts.

The Muse Relationship Company – Kris Pipion-Williams ’27 – A web app to provide insights into romantic relationship styles and offer resources for improvement.

Zahara Blends – Kaoutar Cheji ’25 – A premium, ethically sourced clean beauty brand specializing in 100% pure, cold-pressed hair oils.

Joan and Chester Luby Idea Track Semifinalists – Honorable Mention

BenchmarkGo – Alex Hearn ’25 – A GPS-powered mobile app to find, verify, and report benchmark conditions nationwide for surveyors, civil engineers, government agencies, and outdoor enthusiasts.

ByteBabel – Eman Bautista ’25 – Developing an AI-powered tool to seamlessly translate code between languages, frameworks, and architectures for developers and enterprises.

Loco Logoz – Jayla Parrott ’26 – Custom-designed logos and branding services for businesses to establish strong brand identities.

Our Incredible Judges

These early stages of Pitch Dingman Competition set the entire experience into motion and we are grateful for this exceptional group of judges that review, score and provide growth feedback for all applications. These judges are or were founders/investors/entrepreneurial support individuals themselves, and have played significant roles in our programs over the years. Thank you for all you do to support these founders in their journeys!

Round 1

Alumni Tech Track

Athena Abbott ’91
Brin Xu ’23
David Greenfield ’20
Drew Bewick ’88
Evan Shubin ’97
Kelsey Abernathy ’20
MaiLinh Ho
Reed Harrison ’71
Shivam Goyal

Alumni Main Street Track

Connie Ford ’77
Dan Raithel ’24
Francie Wasser ’11
Max Weiner ’96
Sammy Popat ’15

Main Street Track

Barathi Aravindan ’21
Bright Djampa ’22
Brooke Smith ’17
Fredrica Antwi ’15, ’21
Henrik de Gyor ’98
Natalie Urban ’19
Shane Kim ’98
Theresa Alfaro Daytner ’89
Tricia Homer

Quattrone Tech Track

Aishwarya Tare ’22
Alla McCoy ’13
Ben Slavin ’08
Bryan Houlton ’22
David Steele ’18
Jake Taub ’20
Josh Doying ’23
Mildred Diggs ’24
Rob Cohen
Ryan Downing ’22
Shannon Hynds
Sophie Li ’21
Tim Shaw ’90

Joan and Chester Luby Idea Track

Brandon Schwab ’15
Cedric Nwafor ’18, ’21
Chris Light ’93
Courtney Johnson ’23
Ellen McGeoch ’10, ’17
Erich Meissner ’18
Jenny Larios Berlin
Kobby Osei-Kusi
Latrice Wilson ’21
Marie Brodsky ’24
Matt Foulk ’23
Nazea Khan ’20, ’24
Nima Farshchi ’20
Obidi Orakwusi ’12
Phillip Alvarez ’22
Polly Vail ’04
Robert Choe ’23
Sourabh Mane ’24
Vaughn Hatfield ’25

Round 2 – Semifinals

Alumni Tech & Main Street Tracks

Bill Smith ’81
Chris Malone ’86
Hillary Berman MBA ’03
Moniesha Shorter ’96, MPP ’20

Main Street Track

Abby Malchow ’17
Neal Kursban MBA ’00
Sydney Parker ’18
Theresa Alfaro Daytner ’89

Quattrone Tech Track

Evan Shubin ’97
Maurice Boissiere ’89
Shalanda Armstrong MBA ’12

Round 3 – Finals

Alumni Tech & Main Street Tracks

Akash Magoon ’18
Elana Fine ’97
Jasmin El Kordi ’83
Sayed Naved MS ’92
Seema Alexander ’00

Quattrone Tech & Main Street Tracks

Ali von Paris ‘12
Chris Ballenger
David Quattrone MBA ’05
Jennifer Hsin ’98
Kendall Holbrook MBA ’01
Tom Parsons ’93 MBA ’10

Joan and Chester Luby Idea Track

Bryan Houlton ’22
Elana Fine ’97
Gary Swart ’83
Jainaba Ceesay
Jordana Lynn Armstrong
Sarah Miller
Shannon Hynds
Steve Freishtat ’81

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Mar 20 2024
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Pitch Dingman

Who’s advancing in the 2024 Pitch Dingman Competition?

Get ready, get set… go! In another record-breaking year, Pitch Dingman Competition received over 107 venture applications, all vying for their share of $170,000 in prizes. Our panel of judges was able to narrow down the wide range of applicants to reveal the top teams that will be advancing in the 2024 competition. We’re excited to see the top ventures pitch on the big stage at our finals event on April 25 at Samuel Riggs IV Alumni Center for a shot at the grand prizes!

Read on to learn more about the tracks and the ventures that will be advancing in the competition:

All Stars Track

The finalist ventures in this Maryland-wide track for alumni and students at University System of Maryland (USM) Institutions will have access to support in an entrepreneurship bootcamp and coaching in the coming weeks to take their ventures to the next step. On April 25, the finalist teams will pitch their businesses to an expert panel of judges on the Finals stage, and the semifinalist teams will showcase at Terp Town for a chance to win additional audience choice prizes.

All Stars Track Finalists – pitching

Fem Equity – Adeola Ajani ’20 (Towson University); Malir Burks – Fem Equity is an AI Powered Future of Work platform that creates solutions for women and underrepresented professionals going through pay or professional gaps in real-time. It is a double-sided platform that provides these solutions for women and minority professionals and gives organizations access to a highly qualified diverse pool of young women and minority professionals.

NextStep Robotics – Bradley Hennessie ’09 (Towson University) – NextStep Robotics is building the next generation of rehabilitation robotic solutions for neurorecovery. Focusing initially on stroke and neuroplasticity training this devices aims to be efficacious first, fit clinic work flow second, and accessible through cost management.

All Stars Track Semifinalists – Terp Town

Biochemical Analyzer – Chad Sundberg ’25 (University of Maryland, Baltimore County) – Enables automated, real-time measurement of analytes within biomanufacturing processes

THE SHELLER – Shelby Blondell ’18 (University of Baltimore) – THE SHELLER is a patented, stainless steel, seafood multitool – mallet, picker, and bottle opener – made in Maryland.

Xeddy – Basil Udo ’22 (University of Maryland, Baltimore County) – Xeddy is a multi-business platform for restaurant rewards.

All Stars Track Quarterfinalists – Honorable Mention

AidSmart – Jaivien Kendrick ’24 (Bowie State University) – AidSmart is the first mobile app that turns financial aid learning into a fun board game, helping HBCU students master financial aid literacy.

Jay’s Watermelonade – Joyson Balisamore ’26 (University of Baltimore) – Jay’s Watermelonade is a natural juice brand based in Baltimore on a mission to lower cardiovascular mortality by promoting healthier hydration and offering delicious, natural alternatives to sugar-sweetened beverages.

Lytos Vodka – Alex Zephir ’14 (Towson University); Billy Fanshawe ’14 (Towson University) – Lytos Vodka is a patent-pending, high alkaline, gluten-free, premium vodka with added electrolytes which include salt, potassium, and phosphorus. Lytos Vodka was born in Baltimore, MD, distilled in Columbia, MD, and enjoyed everywhere.

Taqueros Del Mar – Thomas Zinzi Jr ’25 (Salisbury University) – Late Night Taco shop founded to reduce drunk driving/alcohol poisoning by bringing Mexican Street cuisine and culture to the college scene.

The Collegiate Care Experience, LLC – Kendal Howell ’26 (University of Maryland, Baltimore County) – The Collegiate Care Experience is a faith-based on-campus self-care supply store bridging the gap between college students and hygiene products. Currently, it is based at the University of Maryland Baltimore County serving students through online order & pickup and frequent pop-up shops for an in-person experience.

Tomorrow’s Bio – David White ’26 (University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science) – Created a single camera ingestible tablet for large animal endoscopies. The tablet works by capturing images and sending them to an application to be used to assist with diagnoses, making it safer for vets to use while also reducing costs on farmers.

Alumni Pilot Track

The finalist ventures in this pilot track for alumni from UMD-CP will have access to support in an entrepreneurship bootcamp and coaching in the coming weeks to take their ventures to the next step. On April 25, the finalist teams will pitch their businesses to an expert panel of judges on the Finals stage, and the semifinalist teams will showcase at Terp Town for a chance to win additional audience choice prizes.

Alumni Pilot Track Finalists – pitching

BrightWave Partners LLC – Paula Henry ’84; Tim Shaw; Ken Peretti – BrightWave’s technology enables customers across a dozen industries to produce renewable feedstocks on a minimal footprint. Their photobioreactors, used to cultivate algae and seaweed, can be co-located with primary manufacturing or refining activities.

JUUCE – Jake Taub ’20; Pouya Susanabadifarahani ’19; David Greenfield ’20 – JUUCE offers secure and convenient on-the-go charging solutions through portable charger rental kiosks and digital signage for venues and events.

Alumni Pilot Track Semifinalists – Terp Town

NotUrAverage Candles – Courtney Johnson ’23 – NotUrAverage Candles is a coconut wax candle company that illuminates the world of science through fragrance.

Travana – Rohan Tangadpelli ’23 – Travana is your AI-powered travel companion, streamlining the journey from inspiration to destination, making travel planning seamless, personalized, and fun.

Alumni Pilot Track Quarterfinalists – Honorable Mention

CSL Therapy – Tai Brown ’13 – A regulatory organization working to bridge the gaps of surgical care for American healthcare stakeholders.

Cursive Technology, Inc. – Joe Thibault ’07, MBA ’23 – Cursive Technology is focused on the writing process, using Machine Learning and AI to support accelerating writing skills development, provide feedback, provide shareable verification, and promote academic integrity.

E-Livestock Global Inc. – Chris Light ’93 – An award-winning healthy livestock traceability platform powered by Blockchain.

Korion Health – Akshaya Anand ’23 – The mission of Korion Health is to expand access to healthcare screenings in an ultra patient-centered and culturally competent way, enabling not just technical screenings but also breaking down barriers to knowledge, allowing people to own their data, and ultimately engaging more people in their own healthcare. Their first product is an electronic stethoscope and guided user interface that allows anyone to record heart and lung sounds from the comfort and convenience of their home.

Lumikha Cosplay Resale – Myleah Lofland ’18 – Buying and selling cosplay on social media has long been a pain for cosplayers. Lumikha Cosplay Resale is a community marketplace where users can buy and sell costume items specifically for the cosplay community.

Redhelm Labs – Neil Sorkin ’23 – Redhelm Labs empowers limitless drone flight through laser power beaming.

Main Street and Quattrone Tech Tracks

The semifinalist ventures in these two advanced UMD-CP student tracks will each receive a $500 prize, participate in an entrepreneurship bootcamp, and meet with advisors in the coming weeks to help them further accelerate their businesses and make them more competitive for the next round. On Friday, March 31, the semifinalist teams pitched their businesses to an expert panel of judges in Van Munching Hall, and the top 3 of each track will be moving on to pitch on the Finals stage.

Main Street Track Finalists – pitching

Cookies By Drew – Drew Haas ’24 – Cookies By Drew is a business that sells stuffed cookies and cookie cakes all over the DMV area and nationwide. They cater events, sell locally, and distribute their cookies in 9 different Foxtrot locations along with other stores and bakeries.

Dawson’s Detailing – James Dawson ’24 – Dawson’s Detailing provides the best detailing in the DMV, creating an experience that goes beyond the physical cleaning of the car.

StreetLoveDMV – Jeffrey Kyei-Asare ’25 – StreetLoveDMV is the #1 place for Streetwear You Love. It is a student-run vintage and streetwear clothing store dedicated to promoting positivity and building community through fashionable clothing. With over 2000+ total happy customers, it’s a hub for street fashion enthusiasts.

Main Street Track Semifinalists – Terp Town

AfroLuxe Glam Shop – Chelsea Amadi, ’24 – AfroLuxe Glam Shop is an online cosmetic store that currently sells a variety of AfroLuxe brand cosmetic products. Products offered by this brand are curated to African American women and were made to address problems faced by black women in the beauty industry. AfroLuxe Glam Shop celebrates the luxury in African American beauty at a very affordable price.

Exercise Network – Candace Austin ’24 – Exercise Network designs customizable fitness and aquatic programs, aiming to motivate kids, especially those who struggle in larger group activities, to stick with sports and physical activity. They offer private lessons and small group class options, differentiating themselves from competitors by providing multidiscipline programs in a non-competitive, stress-free environment with a low instructor to student ratio.

Retro Boomin – Ethan Pham ’24 – Retro Boomin is an e-commerce and flash retail business, specializing in premium second-hand clothing to offer a sustainable alternative to fast fashion.

Quattrone Tech Track Finalists – pitching

Engauge – Rodrigo Sandon ’24; Marie Brodsky ’24 – Students in large lecture math courses often get confused mid-lecture and are not willing to raise their hand to express that they are no longer following.

Iffirm, LLC DBA Journiy – Mildred Diggs ’24 – Journiy is a digital care management company that uses a culturally tailored and individualized approach to make it easy for patients to follow their treatment plans. With Journiy, patients can effectively manage their chronic diseases and improve their overall health.

Vyne – Shaurya Saran ’25; Vaughn Hatfield ’25 – Vyne is an innovative application designed to revolutionize the thrifting experience for buying and selling clothes within local communities (specific focus on college campuses). Their mission is to help make student fashion more sustainable on campuses everywhere.

Quattrone Tech Track Semifinalists – Terp Town

Dondon Animation Tech – Shu Chen ’24 – Dondon Animation Tech provides state-of-the-art software to assist artists and producers making traditional 2D animation.

Sociable AI – Thomas Noh ’24 – Sociable AI is an AI social media manager platform designed to automate social media interactions for creators, brands, and businesses. Their no-code web app allows users to train data and clone their brand voice as an AI to automate interactions such as DMs and comments on social media platforms like Instagram. The platform aims to make it easier for users to engage with their audience and grow their brand presence online.

Temporal – Sourabh Mane ’25; Niklas Elmqvist – Bringing new dimension to entertainment experience. Explore, analyze & share your sports telemetry inside your browser.

Main Street & Quattrone Tech Tracks Quarterfinalists – Honorable Mention

BetterU – Saurabh Chapagain ’25 – BetterU is a gamified social habit builder that helps people become the best versions of themselves in a fun & social way!

Chatty – Tarun Thatavarthi ’24; Advait Kushe – Chatty is an AI interviewing agent who is able to give useful feedback to software engineers and guide them towards smarter problem-solving during interviews. Chatty is also capable of collecting user data through these conversations and producing detailed performance analysis.

E. Ozie Studios – Ijeoma Asonye ’24 – E. Ozie Studios is a multimedia creative house that blends nature, tech, and art in storytelling for the adult and YA-crossover market.

Heart2Starr – Illy Lozano ’24 – Heart2Starr began in 2013 as a safe space for poet Ileana ‘Illy’ Lozano. It follows Lozano through her artistic journey and quest to spread appreciation for the arts.

Hermes – Rohan Bajpai ’24 – Hermes empowers developer teams to focus on innovation and maximize productivity with their unified, searchable development platform.

Planda – Hevander Da Costa ’25 – Planda is the go-to travel planning social media that allows you to effortlessly organize trips to your dream destinations on the go, share your exciting adventures, and explore all the places your friends have been.

Sellwase – Bhagavan Bollina Bolli ’25 – Sellwase offers a secure, university-exclusive platform where students can trade daily essentials such as textbooks, tables, and tech gadgets.

Slut for Yarn – Anna Boyd, ’24 – Slut for Yarn sells ethically handmade crochet items for all body types at an affordable price point.

StudentHousingEU – Justin Wagner ’24 – StudentHousingEU is an organization developed by past study abroad students. They offer an online database of safe and verified apartments for students to rent through the platform. Additionally, StudentHousingEU provides insight into the culture and infrastructure of where students plan to study abroad. Utilizing the services offered by StudentHousingEU, students can feel confident in their decision to study abroad.

Savor – Saurav Vidyadhara ’25 – Savor enables restaurants to create and market fire sales on items about to expire, allowing them to increase their profit margins and reduce food waste.

Taty’s Desserts – Randi Whitehurst – Taty’s Desserts is a Latina-based and owned dessert company.

Ticker – Max Harris ’25; Max Kaufmann – Ticker Markets is a network for venture capital limited partner secondaries. They allow VC funds to offer selling opportunities to their investors throughout the lifetime of the fund. And have built a network and system to streamline the transaction process.

Vizuri – Crystal Ndungu ’25 – Vizuri is an aggregator site to consolidate all the people, primarily students, in our area that can do hair, nails, haircuts, hair braiding, etc.

Joan and Chester Luby Idea Track

The finalist ventures in this early stage UMD-CP student track will participate in an entrepreneurship bootcamp and marketplace in the coming weeks to help them further hone these venture ideas. On April 25, the top teams will show off their ideas to an expert panel of judges at Terp Town in the Finals Event.

Joan and Chester Luby Idea Track Finalists – Terp Town

Bon Voyage – Nethmi Weerasinghe ’24; Bosith Weerasinghe ’23; Ravindu Adikarige; Sameera Herath; Markell Shepherd – Optimizing travel planning for single and multiple-day trips using the power of machine learning.

Chai Shai – Ismaeel Ibrahim ’25 – Chai Shai makes special Pakistan chai called dhood patti with a perfected recipe of cookies cultivating a warm mix of flavors to bring people together.

Cloudola – Yifan Zhang ’27 – Violinists often suffer from fatigue after long practice sessions because their shoulder rest, which props the instrument against the body, does not fit well. Cloudola makes custom shoulder rests tailored for each violinist’s body using 3D scan data.

Exchange Roots – Evie Scott ’26 – Exchange Roots is a digital farmer’s market, designed to promote local food systems and allow small farmers and home gardeners to sell or exchange produce in their local community.

Full – Kiran Muthusamy MBA ’25 – Next-generation food service.

Kulqi – Mary Sangurima Loayza ’24 – A fintech app for Hispanic Americans, using AI to offer personalized financial education, generate future cash flows, and guide strategic investing in the U.S.

Matching Students Abroad – Maryann Vazhapilly ’24; Miranda Song ’24 – Matching Students Abroad is an app that allows exchange and international students to meet each other by providing percentage matches based on responses from their profiles.

Memorial Music – Lauren Twombly ’24 – Memorial Music provides live harp music to funeral homes that are interested in offering live music as a default part of their deluxe packages.

M’Elyon Organics – Adeuwnmi Agagu ’25 – At M’Elyon Organics, we passionately craft organic, handmade haircare products, blending the purest plant-based herbs, lightweight oils, and essential oils.

MyUniventure – Brandon Fung ’24; Jake Blum ’24; Caleb McClatchey ’24; Megan Nee – MyUniventure is an online platform which enables prospective college students and their families to book one-on-one experiences with current college students of their choosing. These experiences are designed to give prospective students a personal, unscripted perspective of the universities they are interested in.

Nerve Systems – Cartor Hancock ’26 – Design improved non-invasive devices & methods for high spatial and temporal resolution brain scanning and targeted neuron stimulation.

Strapt – Emily Ciardiello ’24 – Strapt LLC offers luxury phone accessories that allow individuals to live worry free. Designed specifically for the socially active, Strapt devices prevent the loss of your phone while out in public, crowded spaces. These accessories are life essentials that also make for great gifts.

SunDance – Eric Detjen ’24 – A CPG developed and marketed to help people embrace their social side by enhancing their energy, happiness, and confidence.

Unifyr: Meeting Mismatch Mayhem Solved – Rohith Pulaputturi MBA ’25 – Spark romance, reconnect with friends, or network seamlessly! Find the perfect “midpoint” venue for any meet-up, blending individual preferences – cuisine, activities, even allergies. Say goodbye to generic cafes, hello to unique restaurants, museums, adventure spots, and more! Personalized connections start with the perfect meeting place.

Joan and Chester Luby Idea Track Semifinalists – Honorable Mention

AR Billboard – Tracy Chen ’24 – AR Billboard is a free AR content management platform for local business.

BoostMark.io – Armaan Jain ’26; Aadesh Kheria – BoostMark.io is an advanced bookmark management tool designed to streamline and enhance your web browsing experience.

Cutz – Oliver Fitch ’24; Ben Dietz – Cutz is designed as a center for appointment creation, 3D haircut scanning and modeling, as well as a social media hub to show and share haircuts with your friends.

Cordeaux A – Astrid Tagne ’26 – Cordeaux A is a Cameroonian-owned brand selling handmade bags straight from the motherland.

John – Utkarsh Agrawal ’24 – Improving car service industry using machine learning and augmented reality.

Munching Boxes – Bhavya Peddigari ’24; Satish Vennapu, ’24 – Munching Boxes revolutionizes the convenience food industry by offering high-quality, affordable, and nutritious ready-to-eat Indian recipes, uniquely packaged in eco-friendly, edible, and crisp boxes, catering to kitchen-challenged, time and budget-conscious consumers seeking quick, healthy, and delicious meal options.

PTBamboo – Brennen Le ’27 – Our platform enables individuals to get information straight from the source– going to the individuals who experience events firsthand without having experience filtered by mediary entities.

Sanda Technology – Srinickethan Ramamoorthy ’25 – The company utilizes advanced automation in medical coding to deliver rapid and precise solutions, catering to healthcare providers seeking precise code accuracy for billing, minimizing errors, and ensuring compliance with industry regulations.

VogueVeda – Yashveer Jain ’24; Dhruv Sharma ’24; Suryavardhan Reddy Chappidi ’24 – VogueVeda is at the forefront of a technological revolution in the fashion industry. Utilizing advanced AI algorithms, the system is designed to adapt and refine fashion recommendations by continuously learning from user interactions.

Our Incredible Judges

These early stages of Pitch Dingman Competition set the entire experience into motion and we are grateful for this exceptional group of judges that review, score and provide growth feedback for all 100+ applications. These judges are or were founders/investors/entrepreneurial support individuals themselves, and have played significant roles in our programs over the years. Thank you for all you do to support these founders in their journeys!

All Stars Track

Breonna Massey
Brin Xu
Chris Adams
Drew Bewick
Felipe de Padua
LaKisha Greenwade
Michael Berardi
Mike Ravenscroft
Nazea Khan
Polly Vail
Tom Davidson

Alumni Pilot Track

Ben Taylor
Cedric Nwafor
Dan Raithel
Evan Shubin
Francie Wasser
Henrik de Gyor
Janice Burg-Levi
Kirk Morris
Max Weiner
Rick Genzer

Main Street Track

Alan Spurgin
Audrey Awasom
Edwin Bright Djampa
Mathew Parsons
Neal Kursban
Shalanda Armstrong
Shane Kim
Zeluis Teixeira

Quattrone Tech Track

Athena Abbott
Ben Tchoubineh
Camilo Melnyk
Dan Fucich
Fredrica Antwi
Kendall Holbrook
Kevin Tu
Maurice Boissiere
Steve Freishtat

Joan and Chester Luby Idea Track

Barathi Aravindan
Benjamin Taragin
Blake Kuzemchak
Brandon Schwab
Connie Ford
Daniel Shapiro
Ellen McGeoch
Gabrielle McLaughlin
Goodness Ihekweme
Joelle Anselmo
Matthew Foulk
Nishelle Oglesby
Robert Choe
Sanketh Andhavarapu

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Nov 06 2023
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E-fund

Revolutionizing Essay Grading: EssayGraderAI Receives E-Fund for AI-powered Innovation

Here at the Dingman Center for Entrepreneurship, we are always thrilled to highlight groundbreaking ventures that are reshaping industries through innovative solutions. Today, we are proud to congratulate EssayGraderAI for securing a significant funding grant from our Entrepreneurship Fund (E-Fund). EssayGraderAI, an exceptional startup, has been leveraging the power of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to revolutionize the way professors grade essays. In this blog post, we will delve into the remarkable features and benefits of EssayGraderAI while shedding light on the financial support they received from the E-Fund to further fuel their mission.

Solving a Common Pain Point:

EssayGraderAI addresses one of the most tedious and time-consuming elements of a professor’s role – grading essays. With their cutting-edge technology and AI algorithms, EssayGraderAI significantly streamlines the essay grading process, allowing professors to say goodbye to long, sleepless nights spent marking papers.

Benefits that Boost Productivity:

The core strengths of EssayGraderAI lie in its extraordinary features that set it apart from traditional grading methods:

  1. Lightning Fast Feedback: By harnessing the power of AI, EssayGraderAI can grade essays in the blink of an eye. No more laborious hours spent deciphering students’ work and providing feedback – EssayGraderAI delivers results rapidly, allowing professors to efficiently allocate their time to other valuable academic tasks.
  2. Reliable Outcomes: Powered by Retrieval Augmented Generation, EssayGraderAI eliminates grading discrepancies and ensures dependable results. Professors can trust that the feedback provided by their AI-enabled assistant adheres to the highest standards.
  3. Personalized Criteria: EssayGraderAI offers customizable rubrics and grading instructions, empowering professors to maintain their unique teaching style and standards. This flexibility ensures that the grading process remains tailored to individual professors while embracing the advantages of AI technology.
  4. Deep-Dive Analytics: With EssayGraderAI, professors gain access to advanced analytics at both the student and class levels. These insights help them foster a thorough understanding of their students’ progress and enable them to make more informed instructional decisions.
  5. Seamless Integration: EssayGraderAI seamlessly integrates with existing Canvas Learning Management Systems (LMS), minimizing disruption and allowing professors to adopt this innovative tool with ease. No extensive changes to their workflow are necessary.

Financial Support for Growth and Development:

With the grant received from the Dingman Center’s E-Fund, EssayGraderAI can scale up its operations and continue delivering exceptional value to professors within the educational community. The funds allocated for a 3-month period will cover various vital costs:

  • AWS Lightsail server (2 months): $50
  • Bubble prototyping (1 month): $30
  • Website hosting (3 months): $39
  • OpenAI API: $121
  • Domain name: $10
  • Total: $250

Conclusion:

EssayGraderAI’s groundbreaking approach to essay grading is transforming the landscape of education through the power of AI. By successfully securing funding from our Entrepreneurship Fund, EssayGraderAI is poised to revolutionize the industry by providing professors with lightning-fast, reliable, and personalized feedback for their students. As we congratulate EssayGraderAI on their accomplishment, we eagerly anticipate witnessing the positive impact they will continue to make in classrooms worldwide. Stay tuned for more exciting updates from the Dingman Center for Entrepreneurship!

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Dec 03 2021
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Feature Friday

Feature Friday! E. Ozie Productions

“The Beautiful Math of Coral,” an original novel by E. Ozie Productions founder, Ijeoma Asonye ’23

DC: What is your name, major, minor, and graduation year?
Asonye: My name is Ijeoma Asonye. I am a junior mechanical engineering major and creative writing minor graduating in 2023. I am also part of the QUEST Honors Program.

DC: Which Dingman Center programs have you been involved with?
Asonye: I have been involved in Ladies First Founders. In the past, I would actively come to First Fridays!

DC: In two to three sentences, how would you describe your startup?
Asonye: With our foundations from the novel “The Beautiful Math of Coral”, E. Ozie Productions is a multimedia creative house. We are using our creative voice to rise to the forefront of revolutionary conversations about community, society, and identity. We believe in the power of art, STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics), and storytelling for social impact through various different mediums.

DC: At what point did you know you wanted to start your own venture? 
Asonye: I’ve always loved books so the idea of writing a book came across my mind during the pandemic and I just jumped on the opportunity. My venture started off with my book “The Beautiful Math of Coral” after watching a TEDtalk of the same name. I would call my book a coming-of-age story that creates metaphors with concepts in STEM, mixed with lots of love and other intangible things. I think it’s a very swoon-worthy book. Now I am looking forward to expanding what kind of creative works we do in the future as a creative house like an AR app for books we are working on.

DC: What or who is your biggest influence for your startup?
Asonye: As of right now, ARTECHOUSE plays a big influence for my startup showing the beauty in STEM with their recent exhibition of “Life of A Neuron”. I love how ARTECHOUSE integrates art, science, and technology in the visual sphere. I also was inspired to create my own creative house by learning more about Einhorn’s Epic Productions which is an entertainment creative house. I think they are doing some really cool stuff for underserved gen-z fandoms which is an industry I am tapping into with my book. One of the co-founders of the company purchased my book and that is how I learned more about them.

DC: What updates or significant accomplishments can you share with us about your company from the last six months?
Asonye: My most significant accomplishment, as of right now, would have to be that my book “The Beautiful Math of Coral” debuted as a #1 New Release on Amazon! I also participated in Terp Marketplace which was super exciting. I sold a few copies and was able to meet lots of people with an interest in books. My book got featured in the mechanical engineering department magazine, Metrics. Although I don’t consider it as a direct project under my company, the research I started as an undergraduate researcher, which is similar to the values of my company called “E.Ozie and The Mixed Reality For Humanity Project” received a grant from the Do Good Institute at UMD!

DC: As a young business owner, what motivates you?
Asonye: What I look to for motivation changes every day. It could be an hour long conversation I had with someone in the film industry that pumps me up or simple affirmations I say every day. As of lately, the music group BTS has motivated me to work hard. Funny enough my college essay was about their influence on me and now I’m a university student so I guess it must be working. I have a poster of them in my room on the cover of TIME Magazine with the headline “Next Generation Leaders”. Although the title “Next Generation Leader” seems like a lot to bear to me I imagine myself as one. Also hearing stories of boss women doing their thing in different industries like music, business, technology, etc.

DC: If you could give advice to any aspiring entrepreneurs, what would it be?
Asonye: Three things: grow your network, explore, and surround yourself with like minded individuals.

To learn more about E. Ozie Productions please visit the website here.

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May 11 2015
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Events

Event Recap: 2015 Smith Entrepreneurship Research Conference

Each year, the Smith School of Business hosts leading and up-and-coming stars in entrepreneurship research from around the globe for a three-day academic research conference. This year celebrated the 11th anniversary of the Smith Entrepreneurship Research Conference, which was held from May 7-9, in Van Munching Hall at the Robert H. Smith School of Business. The invitation only conference is co-chaired by Anil Gupta, the Michael D. Dingman Chair in Strategy and Entrepreneurship at the Smith School, and David Kirsch, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Management and Entrepreneurship at the Smith School.

The goal of the invitation-only event is to gather both junior and non-tenured faculty to present early stage entrepreneurship research to senior, tenured faculty for discussion and feedback — very similar to the way in which entrepreneurs constantly pitch their ideas, hear reactions and pivot. Continue reading →

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Nov 14 2014
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Cupid's Cup

Do you have what it takes? Top 10 Reasons to Apply to Cupid’s Cup 

Kevin Plank’96, founder and CEO of Under Armour, is looking for the world’s most passionate student entrepreneurs for the 10th Annual Cupid’s Cup. If you are a student entrepreneur with a game-changing business idea, here are 10 reasons you should apply today.

Continue reading →

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Aug 13 2014
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Fearless Founders

Fearless Founder Helps Those with Curly Hair Find the Right Products

By Danielle Bennings

Fredrica Antwi is the founder of Locks of Curls, a customized subscription box service for people with naturally curly hair. She’s tackling a problem that curly haired people have known forever: not all curls are the same and thus cannot be treated the same. To help the millions of people taming their curly hair users of Locks of Curls receive five sample sizes of products chosen specifically for them based on a questionnaire that they fill out on the Locks of Curls web site. After a few months, users should be able to identify products that work for their hair and lifestyle.

locksofcurls3 (1)

Continue reading →

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Aug 05 2014
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Fearless Founders

Meet Fearless Founder Chris Lane

By Danielle Bennings

Chris Lane is a Smith School student that wears many hats: entrepreneur, Fearless Founder and campus leader, just to name a few. The role we at the Dingman Center know him best for is founder and CEO of Procity, a University of Maryland service network that rewards users for doing Procity Logo 2014 good. Chris got the idea for Procity, during his first semester at UMD. While taking a Psychology 101 course, he learned about reciprocity; doing something good that may result in getting something good in return, but not asking for it. Chris developed Procity to combat the idea that money is the only value in society. Using his platform, you can do good in your community and receive rewards such as discounts from restaurants or ProPoints used to obtain items from the site. The company launched on September 17, 2013 and now has more than 470 users.

Procity Team Continue reading →

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Feb 21 2014
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Community

MBA Students Work for MD Startup VisiSonics in Venture Practicum Course

In the second installment of our Venture Practicum series, Dingman Center marketing graduate assistant Grant Lee interviews Salomon Camhi, a second year MBA student focused on marketing strategy. Camhi joined Venture Practicum to experience what startup life is all about.

Grant Lee (GL): What startup will you be working with this semester?
Salomon Camhi (SC): The startup I am working for is VisiSonics. Specifically, I am working for the product, RealSpace 3D Sound. RealSpace creates 3D immersive sound effects that allows users to use headphones enjoying sounds from 360 degree. The traditional sound effect is more flat and comes from 2D, whereas the RealSpace is more complete and exciting.

Grant Lee (GL): Describe your project? What are the deliverables?
Salomon Camhi (SC): My focus in the MBA program is marketing strategy, and this project is all about marketing and new product development. For the project, my MBA team partner, Semret Lemma, and I will be working on the competitor and SWOT analysis. We need to analyze VisiSonics’s own SWOT, create a go to market strategy and find a channel to enter. Other things that we might be tackling include webpage design and product positioning.

Salomon

Grant Lee (GL): What do you want to take away from this project?
Salomon Camhi (SC): Prior to Smith MBA, I had ten years experience in the sales, but I have never been involved with the strategic planning process. This project serves a good opportunity for me to develop the strategy and actually implement it. Also, this is a real company not just a school project. I will see the impact of my work in real life.

Grant Lee (GL): Have you worked in a startup before? Describe the experience.
Salomon Camhi (SC): Yes, last summer I worked as a marketing and development intern for UberOffices in Virginia. My project was similar but the scale is much bigger this time. Working at a startup is different from a traditional corporate environment. It is less structured and the organization is more flat so communication is faster.

Grant Lee (GL): Describe the working environment. Is your startup located in a co-working space–like an incubator? Or, do they have their own office space?
Salomon Camhi (SC): Visionics belongs to Technology Advancement Program on the UMD campus. It is a cool place. I know two people who currently work there are UMD graduates. It used to be a chemistry lab, but now it is more of a demo-testing center. There is little office space there.

Grant Lee (GL): What skills do you think you can contribute to Visisonics?
Salomon Camhi (SC): Coming from the sales background, I understand the sales process. This specialty allows me to think from a sales’ perspective when creating marketing strategy. I will be able to develop more realistic and actionable strategy for the company to implement. Also, personally I like technology, especially gaming. This will help me to be familiarized with the industry.

Grant Lee (GL): How do you think the project will help you in your career?
Salomon Camhi (SC): This project will give me hands on experience in developing marketing strategy. It also gives me a picture of how a new technology product will be launched into the market.

About Salomon Camhi
Salomon Camhi is a second year full time MBA student at Smith School of Business. He was born and raised in Guatemala City, Guatemala. He graduated from Purdue University with dual degrees; one in Management with a Minor in Marketing and a the second in Computer Programming Technology. Professionally, he work as a sales representative for two different construction material companies in DC area. Solomon worked for a lumber yard in the DC before beginning his MBA journey.

Grant Lee1512432_10100192309098222_25303874_n1
Grant Lee is a second year full-time MBA student focused on Marketing Strategy at Smith School of Business. Prior to MBA, he had four years of experience in retail marketing and advertising in Taiwan. During first year, he differentiated himself by participating in three business plan competitions and won top five in Wake Forest Retail Innovation Challenge. Now in his second year, he is dedicated to learning more about entrepreneurship by working as a Marketing Graduate Assistant for the Dingman Center, where he enjoys every moment of it. Grant shares his perspectives in his personal website mrgrantlee.com 

About VisiSonics
VisiSonics’ was spun out of the department of computer science at UMD, and is led by the original scientific team working with experienced entrepreneurs. The technology, based on a deep understanding of how the human brain perceives 3D sound, allows creation of immersive sound over any headphones with pinpoint precision. This allows stunning virtual realism in gaming, movies and music. VisiSonics hardware also can capture and stream sound at live events with precision, creating a “best seat in the house”  experience.Visisonics Logo

Follow the Dingman Center blog for updates on the other students and startups participating in Venture Practicum.

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Jan 17 2014
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Uncategorized

Dispatches from Inside the Classroom: Day 8

Best Marketing’s Liz Sara, Entrepreneur-in-Residence at the Dingman Center of Entrepreneurship and former Dingman Board member, concluded the Business to Business Marketing course with a tall order for the part-time MBA students: create and present a marketing plan for a real startup. Four company CEOs participated in this project:  Sean Virgil, founder of last year’s Cupid’s Cup finalist company Diagnostic anSERS; Brian Johnson, founder of Divvy Cloud; Jack Reis, founder of ManageUrID; and Payam Fard, founder of Subject-7.  All four CEO’s attended class, listened, probed and commented on the marketing plan presentations.

This type of pitch was a first for many students including Antwan Jefferson. “This was the first time in my education I have had the opportunity to interact with an actual company. Being afforded the opportunity to provide solutions to a CEO is one of the more exciting experiences that I have had,” said Jefferson.

After the final class Sara felt the students took a sip from the fire hose of B2B Marketing. “From hearing more than a dozen CEOs who took the time to present a marketing challenge to class discussion to actually developing a plan for a real company – well it just doesn’t get more experiential than that,” Sara concluded.

Sara-05Aug13-97Liz Sara has 20 years of experience in the local high tech community as an entrepreneur, business leader, angel investor and philanthropist. In 2001, she founded Best Marketing, LLC to provide early stage software companies with strategic marketing, PR and business development services. Her company offers clients all the benefits of a full-scale, seasoned marketing department on a ‘virtual’ basis — eliminating overhead and headcount associated with full-time staff. Previously, she played a principal role as co-founder of SpaceWorks, an eCommerce software company, where she facilitated its startup and growth to nearly $25 million in revenue; at America Online, where she designed the PR program and investor road show for the IPO; at United Press International, where she facilitated a turn-around strategy; and for LEXIS/NEXIS, where she was instrumental in the creation and successful launch of a new division. Ms. Sara holds an M.A. in Journalism from the University of Maryland. She is a member of the Business & Professional Women’s Committee of the Corcoran; the Women’s Committee of National Museum of Women In the Arts; and the Board of the Capital City Ball. In addition, Ms. Sara is an Entrepreneur-in-Residence at the University of Maryland’s Dingman Center for Entrepreneurship.

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