New Venture Challenge 2024

CENTRAL MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY

2024

TABLE OF CONTENTS 01

Welcome

02

Event Schedule and Event App Login

03

Innovation Showcase

04

Elevator Pitch

06

Full Presentations

08

Judges

10

Awards

11

Jeff Thomas Acorn Awards

12

Thank You

13

IBIE Team

WELCOME We are delighted to welcome you to our 12th annual New Venture Challenge (NVC)! We’re excited to host over 90 participants this year in the Elevator Pitch Competition, Full Presentation Competition, Venture Gallery and Innovation Showcase.

At the Isabella Bank Institute for Entrepreneurship, our mission is to teach practical skills, inspire innovative thinking, and connect student entrepreneurs with mentors and other resources. NVC is a celebration of the creativity, innovation and entrepreneurial spirit of CMU. The teams you will see today have participated in programs throughout the year, spending countless hours formulating and refining their business models. Students have leveraged IBIE resources such as prototype building, mentorship, pitch competitions and workshops. The mentor program of CMU alumni and faculty members provided one-on-one coaching and support through meetups and networking nights. These opportunities gave budding innovators the ability to build on their ideas, hone their skills and network with industry experts.

Chris Moberg, Dean College of Business Administration Central Michigan University

This year, we're excited to introduce the new Alternative Entrepreneurial Pathways (AEP) competition track, generously powered by CMU alum Doug Parker.

Alternative Entrepreneurial Pathways is an avenue beyond the start-up. It is a category for students exploring entrepreneurship through acquisition or a familyowned business.

Today, students will compete in two tracks of the New Venture Challenge: the full 10-minute presentation track and the 90 second - 2-minute elevator pitch track.

Students in both tracks will display their venture in the Venture Gallery. A total of 46 teams pitched their venture in the preliminary round earlier this month.

We welcome the final 9 teams competing for the $20,000 grand prize in the full presentation category and the final 30 elevator pitch competitors pitching for the top $4,000 prize. Thanks to our generous supporters, teams have the opportunity to win awards for creativity, campus innovation, rural impact and more.

Julie Messing, Director Isabella Bank Institute for Entrepreneurship Central Michigan University

For the 3rd year, we present the Innovation Showcase- a special display of innovative, creative and entrepreneurial student projects across campus. For more information about the showcase, go to page 3.

We want to thank all the many supporters and stakeholders who make NVC possible. In addition to our sponsors, we also thank our mentors, advisors, faculty, judges, and the family and friends of our student competitors. Your generous efforts have made a true impact on our students and their success.

We appreciate all those who support the success of our future entrepreneurs from Central Michigan University and beyond!

Spenser Robinson, Chair

Chris Moberg, Dean

Julie Messing, Director

Spenser Robinson, Chair

Entrepreneurship Department College of Business Administration Central Michigan University

New Venture Challenge 2024 1 1 Central Michigan University

SCHEDULE TIME

EVENT

LOCATION

1:00 PM

Event Check-In

EHS French Lobby

1:45 PM

NVC Kick-Off

EHS French Auditorium

2:00 - 2:15 PM

2:20 - 3:05 PM

Full Presentation: Alternative Entrepreneurial Pathways

EHS

Full Presentations: Main Street

EHS

French Auditorium

French Auditorium 3:10 - 3:55 PM

Full Presentations: Social Mission

EHS French Auditorium

4:00 - 4:15 PM

Elevator Pitch: Top Five

EHS French Auditorium

4:20 - 5:05 PM

Full Presentations: High Growth

EHS French Auditorium

5:00 - 7:00 PM

7:00 PM

Gallery, Showcase & Strolling Dinner

BIO

Awards & Recognition Cultured Kombucha Founder, Courtney Lorenz

BIO

Atrium, 1015

1010

EVENT APP REGISTRATION

Scan the QR code to access the event app. Enter the passcode 'nvc2024' and create an account.

2

Central Michigan University

GALLERY & SHOWCASE The Venture Gallery and Innovation Showcase highlight the innovative ventures, projects and programs across CMU’s campus. 63 displays will line the main hall of the Biosciences building. As you meet the students, entrepreneurs and innovators, please enjoy your dinner and beverages, specially created by CMU Catering. In addition, guests present today can vote on their favorite Venture Gallery and Innovation Showcase display via the eventmobi app.

Student Venture Gallery Check out 40 student displays and learn about their business concepts and creations. In addition to the Audience Choice Awards, a group of judges will evaluate each table to determine the prizes for best venture gallery display.

Campus Innovation Showcase Students and programs from across the College of Business Administration, College of Arts and Media, College of Science and Engineering, College of Education and Human Services, will showcase some of their top innovations and creations. Guests today will vote to award $1,000 to the best Innovation Showcase display.

Feature programs and projects in the showcase: American Chemical Society Student Members: We Do Exploration Animation BFA Senior Projects:

Blight

Sweet Silkie

The Arcade Showdown

The Skullys

Baja SAE Chippewa Performance 2024 Competition Vehicle Chippewa Racing Formula SAE IDEA Den Mechanical Engineering Senior Design:

DTE/ESD: Multi-point Thermocouple Assembly

Vantage Plastics: Thermal Imaging for Process Optimization

Bay Cast: SFSA Cast in Steel 2023-2024 Competition

How to vote for the Audience Choice Awards 1. Scan the QR code or visit:

Moore Media Records: Sampler Album 20

eventmobi.com/nvc2024

Threads Fashion Show:

2. Enter the passcode "nvc2024"

Dancing with Minerva

Divine Skies N'Firey Underworld

3. Create an account

From Paint to Pattern

4. Select the left-hand tab

Live Fast, Die Young

Resplendence

5. Click on "Audience Choice Voting"

The Annunciation

The Art of Innovation

The Drone Program University Innovation Fellows Wakeling Gendron Entrepreneurship Scholars Program CMU Department of Theatre & Dance

6. Make sure you vote in both the Venture Gallery and Innovation Showcase category.

You can only vote once in each.

Do you need help voting? Visit the registration table for assistance.

New Venture Challenge 2024

3

ELEVATOR PITCH 4

Central Michigan University

MISSION LURES*

NATURE'S TOYBOX

JOMANA LIMITED*

Jack Flynn

Cameron Krauss Fallon Schulte

Joseph Marah

SNAPFIT Srikar Puma Rohan Muthyala

SMART WHIZ STIMULATIONS Yaswanth Kumar Madaka

PORTA-WALL

RECRENTAL Dylan Everett

STARLEAF BOTANICALS Ian Becker

KTEMP Kenneth Tate

A RETAIL VISION Venkata Subba Reddy Pulagam

BENIFLUENCE Anamica SarkerAmi Shravan Kumar Asima Akter Chowdhury Jannatul Nayeem

TAMAS COLLECTIONS LTD

EDGEWATER ESTATE MANAGEMENT

Helen Oyimi Bebenimibo

Trevor Shuman

Robert Rasegan

THE ROXIE*

EVENTIFIDE

RAYGUN DIGITAL MEDIA

Mela Hammond Savana Stewart Jerome Essenmacher

Erin Markovicz

Markus Shannon

RASEGAN OUTDOOR COMPANY

Justin Miller

STARDOM STUDIOS Kefir Klee Andrew Bootz Logan Harding

GREENERY

COLLEGIATE COFFEE COMPANY MAIN ATTRACTION RETAIL

KTEMP Kenneth Tate

Mackenzie Good

POLARFLEX

QUICK ZIPS

Mitchell Metiva

Patrick Zamora

LIFETRACK

MATCHRIX

Justin Spivey

Filip Dimitrievski Mateja Milicevic

*Full presentation runner up

MAPSCRATCHED Carolina Hernandez Ruiz

Derek Ballas Joshua Lim

Ryan Bierbusse

Russell Timmerman

Nick O'Brien

Thuy Trang Nguyen Xiaobai Chen Wanping Chen Tien Nguyen

FLINT MECHANICAL TECHNOLOGIES

GUNTHER GUITAR CO.

CRCL

DMF BAIT CO. Connor Beaudoin

New Venture Challenge 2024

5

FULL PRESENTATIONS

High Growth

BUFF CO. Aj Kostic

CHXPT

DOMINATOR CLEATS

Rocio Costilla Marisa Lopez

Lawai’a Brown

Main Street

TIDES & TIARAS

HAPPYPETS LODGE

NORTH WOODS MUSIC

Alina Krasinski

Maxwell Grubaugh Kendyl Wilson

Jacob Mcleod

Social Mission

SUSTAINABOWL

ATTI NAOMIS FOUNDATION

Meenakshi Cheella Rohith Sangars

Omomoemi Agbegha

Alternative Entrepreneurial Pathways – Powered by Doug Parker: Winner

LEAD YOU HOME INCORPORATED David Abilez

RESTORATION 1 DETROIT Gavin Kushmaul

New Venture Challenge 2024

7

JUDGES

8

EMILY AUSTIN

Go To Market Strategist, Ford Motor Company

CARTER BALLINGER

Owner, Seasonal Swing, LLC., CB Paint, LLC

DYLAN BANAGIS

CEO & Co-Founder, The Wanderheart Project

JULIA BECKER SKYLAR BENNETHUM KEVIN BLASER ROB BURGAN BRYAN CARAGAY HAILEY CARAGAY GREG COCKE LAURA COFFEE LIZ CONWAY CASEY CROAD LEE CURTIS AARON DESENTZ ENRICO DIGIROLAMO TONY FOX ELISSA GAGNE KEVIN GILBOE LASHANTA GREEN STEVE HAHN DOM HOLMES

Owner, Valhalla Indoor Axe Throwing

ZACHARY HUFFMAN NICK JACQMAIN

Founder and CEO, Hyvion

MIKE JAKOLAT JOHN KOLAREVIC

CEO, The BeaconView Group

JOHN G. KULHAVI JAMES MCBRYDE

Senior Consultant, Merrill Lynch Wealth Management (Retired)

Central Michigan University

Associate, Hibiscus BioVentures Tribal Economic Development and Strategy Executive IT Consultant/Technician, RFM Group Senior IOS Software Engineer; Remind Owner, Hazel Coffee Co. Freelance and Consulting Regional Sales Director; Sumo Logic Marketing & Owner Services Manager, GreenTree Co-op Market President and CEO, Mt. Pleasant Area Chamber of Commerce Co-Founder and Co-Owner. Ignite Donuts CEO and Founding Partner. RESIDE Worldwide, Inc. City Manager, City of Mount Pleasant CFO General Motors Europe (Retired) Regional Director, Mid-Michigan Small Business Development Cnter (SBDC) Chief Operating Officer, Central Michigan University Research Corporation Project Lead Global Epicenter of Mobility, Design Core Detroit Head of Marketing & Community Relations, Dow Credit Union SBIR/STTR Program Expert, National Science Foundation (NSF) Emerging Growth & Innovation Administrator, Oakland County, Michigan Government President and CEO, Springfield Commercial Roofing Managing Partner, ECEK Holdings, LLC President and CEO, Middle Michigan Development Corporation

PHILIP MUNDT

Founder and CEO, Form Further

KRISTIE NYSTEDT

Founder, President and CEO, ABS Commercial, Atlantic Brew Supply, Raleigh Brewing, and Atlantic Process Solutions

OLIVIA PAGEAU

Marketing Specialist, Jackson County Chamber of Commerce

ERIN PATRICE LYNDELL PATRICK ROBB PORTER

Conversationalist and Community Engagement, The Breaking Bread Village

ELIZABETH PROPP

Real Estate Investment & Development Executive

JEFF PUNCHES LEE RICHARDS DAVE ROMENESKO MIKE RUSH ERIN STRANG CRINA TARASI

Small Business Consultant, Small Business Development Corporation

LISA TARKINGTON ALEXANDERIA TINKER JODY TRIECH MATT UHL JON VOIGTMAN CHRIS WILLIAMS STEPHEN WAKELING

Founder, Lead Nonprofit

AMBER ZASKE DAVID ZICK

Community Relations Specialist, Isabella Bank

President, Florida Business Interiors (Retired) President, Head of Shipper Solutions & Managed Transportation at Loadsmart

President, Blue Water Angles Investment Group Partner, Legacy Wealth Advisors (Retired) President, Junior Achievement of Central Michigan President & CEO, CMU Research Corporation Professor of Marketing, Central Michigan University Project Manager, Covet Security CPA, Investment Manager & Finance Professional Mergers Acquisition Advisor, Calder Capital, LLC Executive Chairman, Sports and Health Tech Acquisition Corporation Owner, Lyseon Additive Manufacturing, LLC Founder and CEO, Phobio Owner, Rehab and Mobility Systems LLC. (Retired)

New Venture Challenge 2024

9

AWARDS HIGH GROWTH

The Korson Family High Growth Potential Venture Award: $10,000 The Reed Family 2nd Place Award: $5,000 Kristie Nystedt 3rd Place Award: $2,000

MAIN STREET

Kulhavi Top Main Street Award: $ 10,000 Isabella Bank 2nd Place Award: $5,000 Clyde & Jessica Rucker 3rd Place Award: $2,000

SOCIAL MISSION

OVERALL VENTURE AWARD

The Michael & Dianne Morey Overall Venture Award: $10,000

Top Social Venture Award: $ 10,000 2nd Place Social Venture Award: $5,000 3rd Place Social Venture Award: $2,000

ALTERNATIVE ENTREPRENEURIAL PATHWAYS – POWERED BY DOUG PARKER The Doug Parker Pathways Award: $5,000

THE LYNDELL PATRICK ELEVATOR PITCH COMPETITION AWARDS Best Overall Pitch: $ 4,000 1st Runner-up: $ 2,000 2nd Runner-up: $ 1,000 (2) Honorable Mention: $ 250

VENTURE GALLERY AWARDS

1st Place Gallery: $ 2,000 Team Financial Group, Inc. 2nd Place Gallery: $ 1,500 3rd Place Gallery: $ 1,000 (2) Brenda & Dennis Buckler Honorable Mention: $250

AUDIENCE CHOICE AWARDS

Greg & Sue Cocke Top Venture Gallery: $1,000 Team Financial Group, Inc. Runner-up Venture Gallery: $500 Team Financial Group Inc. Top Innovation Showcase: $1,000 Team Financial Group, Inc. Runner-up Innovation Showcase: $500

STAND-OUT AWARDS

The Bob Larson Creativity Award(s): $5,000 Doug Parker Rural Impact Award: $5,000 Campus Impact Award: $5,000

INVESTOR & IN-KIND AWARDS

Matthew Skornicka: Free accounting services for 1 year Middle Michigan Development Corporation Ivestor Award: &2,000 & in-kind services 10

Central Michigan University

JEFF THOMAS ACORN AWARDS In memory of Jeff Thomas, each year the Entrepreneurship Department presents Acorn Awards to individuals who honor Jeff’s legacy and passion for entrepreneurship.

The acorn represents a symbol of growth and unlimited potential, which is something Jeff was extremely passionate about. It possesses the “oak knowledge” or all the knowledge that is needed to create the mighty oak tree.

The acorn teaches us about our own potential as one acorn can grow into a colossal oak tree and seed an entire forest.

Each year two recipients will receive the Jeff Thomas Acorn Award. One recipient will be a student or recent graduate and the other will be a faculty member or mentor. The “future oak” award will be awarded to an individual who has really “planted” themselves in the entrepreneurship program by making the most of the opportunities at CMU and has begun to show the early indicators of entrepreneurial leadership. The “oak” award will be awarded to a current or past faculty member, advisor, or alumni who has directly invested themselves, their ideas, connections, resources, time, etc. into the entrepreneurship program at CMU to help develop “future oaks”.

David Nows Faculty Acorn Award Recipient

JEFF THOMAS ENTREPRENEURSHIP SCHOLARSHIP We are currently raising money to create a scholarship in honor and memory of Jeff Thomas. Scan the code if you would like to donate. Your contribution would be greatly appreciated.

Matthew Skornicka Young Alumni Acorn Award Recipient New Venture Challenge 2024

11

THANK YOU The dedication and passion of everyone makes the New Venture Challenge a success. This event would not have been possible without the generosity of our partners, sponsors, and donors. Thank you for supporting our goal of an enhanced cross-campus celebration of entrepreneurship and innovation.

Together we can build a brighter future. It’s not too early to commit to helping with next year’s event! In addition to judges and mentors, there are various levels of fundraising support needed to continue to produce this great event.

GET INVOLVED If you are interested in giving your time, talent, or treasure, please contact Julie Messing at julie.messing@cmich.edu or visit www.cmich.edu/ibie

12

Central Michigan University

IBIE TEAM

Director of IBIE, Julie Messing Entreprenuer In-Residence, John Gustinic Program & Event Manager, Kaye Reimers Executive Secretary, Danielle Mason Ambassador, Jackson Raymond Ambassador, Jazlyn Coles Ambassador, Reshma Chowdhary Event Coordinator, Reeve Katt Communications Coordinator, Breanna Prince Graduate Assistant, Ekhomen Ehimen-Ebitibituwa Graphic Design Coordinator, Amy Adams Graphic Design Coordinator, Skky Lawrence Promotions Coordinator, Jada Gardner Tech Coordinator, Connor Johnson

New Venture Challenge 2024

13

THE KORSON FAMILY

TOM & VICKI CELANI STUDENT VENTURE CAPITAL FUND

MRS. KRISTIE NYSTEDT

MICHAEL & DIANNE MOREY

LYNDELL PATRICK

JOHN G. KULHAVI

THE LABELLE FAMILY

MATTHEW SKORNICKA, CPA

THE REED FAMILY

GREG & SUE COCKE

BRENDA & DENNIS BUCKLER

BOB LARSON

DOUG PARKER

CLYDE & JESSICA RUCKER

@CMU.NVC

@CMUNVC

@CMU_ibie

nvc@cmich.edu | 989-774-3920 | cmich.edu/ibie | Grawn Hall 166