On Saturday, October 15, The University of Akron hosted the latest PITCH U competition, which was sponsored by Burton D. Morgan Foundation. The competition attracted over 40 student entrepreneurs from Northeast Ohio who were competing for $6,000 in prizes.
The PITCH U event was coordinated by Scott Shane, Ph.D., professor of entrepreneurial studies and economics at Case Western Reserve University and research fellow for Morgan Foundation. Last year, Shane organized four PITCH U competitions as a part of his research efforts for the Entrepreneurial Education Experiment on training techniques related to making persuasive business pitches. The general reaction to the competitions was so positive that Shane and Morgan Foundation agreed to hold an additional Pitch U event, but replaced the research component with a training session that incorporated materials developed as a result of last year’s study.
The winners of the PITCH U competition were:
- 1st Place ($4,500) – Kent State University student Shanice Cheatham, for her portable handwashing system to aid healthcare workers in underdeveloped countries.
- 2nd Place ($1,000) – Case Western Reserve University student Matt Campagna, for his system to test for concussions.
- 3rd Place ($500) – The University of Akron student Kaushik Mishra, for his light-sensitive adhesive that allows for bandages to be removed with little to no pain.