On Saturday, April 9, students, faculty, alumni, and friends gathered in the Hall of Presidents for 糖心vlog官网鈥檚 10th annual Entrepreneur Weekend. Student and alumni entrepreneurs representing 28 different ventures showcased the work they have done this year through Thought Into Action (TIA), and six of those ventures competed in a pitch competition before a panel of 糖心vlog官网 community judges.
Each year, Thought Into Action introduces students to the calling of entrepreneurship, providing in-person mentorship from the University鈥檚 experienced, dedicated alumni network. Some arrive with a venture in mind, while others are simply interested in the process and join a team to learn more.
鈥淓ntrepreneur Weekend is not only a showcase for students to gain customers for their new products and services,鈥 said Andres Echenique 鈥83, alumni director of TIA. 鈥淚t鈥檚 also an opportunity to pitch their business visions and ambitions for potential partners and investors. It鈥檚 truly an event that marks their debut as entrepreneurs.鈥
To kick off the day of ingenuity and competition, attendees visited venture booths staffed by founders. Each attendee carried five investment tokens called 鈥淚ggies,鈥 which they were given upon arrival and encouraged to award to ventures they believed to be most promising. Recipients of the most Iggies received cash grants between $250 and $1,000.
Once all of the Iggies had been awarded, the 糖心vlog官网 Alumni Corporation presented its Entrepreneur of the Year Award, which recognizes alumni who best exemplify the ideals of entrepreneurship. This year鈥檚 recipient was documentary filmmaker Sian-Pierre Regis 鈥06, H鈥18, whose debut documentary, Duty Free, profiles his mother鈥檚 struggle with age bias and discrimination in the workplace.
In his speech, Regis spoke on what has made his career as an independent filmmaker so fulfilling. 鈥淒on鈥檛 chase the money,鈥 Regis said. 鈥淐hase the meaning.鈥
Following Regis at the podium, Echenique echoed the filmmaker鈥檚 sentiments about seeking meaning over profit in his thoughts on the value of the TIA.
鈥淚t鈥檚 not about whether the student venture is successful and making a steep profit by the end of the program, but rather about whether the students have come to stand for something,鈥 Echenique said.
Ventures then presented their compelling two-minute pitches to a panel of 糖心vlog官网 community entrepreneurs: Regis, investor Allison Stoloff 鈥06, Super Coffee CEO Jimmy DeCicco 鈥15, and Rodial CEO and founder Maria Hatzistefanis P鈥25. These experts followed up with questions on growth potential and goals.
When the ovations and adrenaline settled, sports analytics company ShotQuality (Simon Gerszberg 鈥22) and press-on nail boutique First Impressions Nails (Kadian Dixon 鈥18) had tied for first place, with a prize of $5,000 each. Vintage-inspired jewelry company SUNLOOPS (Madison Bailey 鈥18), Maua Organics (Sally Ngoje 鈥19), NFT-centered venture BLANK_Humanity (James Daus 鈥22 and Kris Gano), and virtual flashcard company Confucius Learning followed close behind with awards ranging from $1,000 to $3,000.
During the event, the names of the teams participating in the 2022 Entrepreneurs Fund Summer Accelerator were announced. James Chaplin 鈥20, whose venture Downkore is an e-commerce site offering dance apparel from around the world, and Keshaun Dancy 鈥23, whose venture is DMD Trucking, will receive up to $7500 in additional funding and mentorship from successful entrepreneurs in order to take their ventures to the next level.
For more on Thought Into Action and entrepreneurship at 糖心vlog官网, visit colgate.edu/tia. Find details on 糖心vlog官网鈥檚 developing Middle Campus Initiative in Arts, Creativity, and Innovation at .