BUFFALO, NY – Canisius University entrepreneurship students took home two awards at the 5th annual Western New York Student 2 Biz Challenge, held Friday, April 7. Championed by The Western New York Consortium of Higher Education, the Student 2 Biz Challenge encourages student teams from the consortium’s 32 colleges and universities to submit business plans around student-born innovations designed for currently unmet needs. Teams then pitch their ventures to an external panel of judges. They compete in six categories: information technology/software; social entrepreneurship/non-profit; clean technology; advanced technology; products; and services.
Seven Canisius students participated in the 2017 Student 2 Biz Challenge. Patrick Brady ’17, an entrepreneurship and management major, won in the service category with his pitch “Lake Effect Boulder Club.” He now advances to the New York Business Plan Competition, which takes place April 28 in Albany. Elizabeth Nolan ’17, an entrepreneurship and marketing major, received the Esprit de Corps Award, which recognizes a student for her/his loyalty, enthusiasm and devotion to the team.
In addition to these two awards, the following Canisius students pitched their business plans:
- Alexander Stuver ’17, entrepreneurship, pitched “Buffalo Chicken Dip”
- Connor Neil ’17, entrepreneurship and management, pitched “Helping Hands”
- Ellen Hamlett ’18, entrepreneurship and political science, pitched “Campus Deals”
- Jean Rios ’18, entrepreneurship and Alexander Montilla ’18, management, pitched “College Trade Center”
- Timothy Wysocki ’18, entrepreneurship and management , pitched “The Community Garage”
Ji-Hee Kim, PhD, associate professor of management and director of the Department of
Entrepreneurship, served as faculty advisor to the students team. Stuart Angert, the college’s Coleman Entrepreneur-in-Residence, along with members of the Canisius Entrepreneurs on Campus advisory council, also provided their professional feedback, insights and experiences to help students’ improve their business plans.
Canisius University is one of 28 Jesuit universities in the nation and the premier private university in Western New York.
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