By: Deborah Johnson Wood
Grand Valley State University’s fourth annual Idea Pitch Competition yielded some interesting entrepreneurial concepts from 21 student competitors, who each had 90 seconds or less to pitch those ideas to a panel of judges and a roomful of family and friends. Three winners emerged from the October 16 competition, sponsored by the Collegiate Entrepreneurs’ Organization.
Katherine Racey, a 20-year-old junior majoring in hospitality and tourism management, walked away with top honors and $1,500 for her idea of a more versatile carrying apparatus for insulin pumps. The idea came about because Racey, a Type 1 Diabetic, is tired of answering questions about the leather case she wears clipped to her waistband.
“My idea is a carrier that is more hidden and conceals that you’re a diabetic,” Racey says. “I don’t want to give specifics about it because it’s not patented yet, but it’s another way of holding the pump and could be customized to fit different pump brands.”
Racey plans to develop a prototype and apply for a patent.
The second place winner of $900, Benjamin Demuro, introduced his idea for a Tall Bicycle—one bike frame welded atop another. Demuro created the first Tall Bike himself, and is exploring production options.
Chris Young and John Levandowski landed the third prize of $400 for their idea for At Your Service Valet, a service two local restaurants, Rockwell’s and Republic, currently use.
Racey says she attended pitch practice sessions and depended on her friends for feedback on her presentation.
“My friends let me practice with them for days and I just gave them my speech over and over again,” she says. “This competition has me really excited about getting the product developed.”
Source: Katherine Racey; Brian Foster, Grand Valley State University Collegiate Entrepreneurs’ Organization
Deborah Johnson Wood is development news editor for Rapid Growth Media. She can be contacted at [email protected].
Enjoy this story?
Sign up for free solutions-based reporting in your inbox each week.