ST. LOUIS — Washington University-St. Louis students and staff got a chance to pitch their business ideas as the next big thing, the evening of Nov. 8. The Skandalaris Center’s IdeaBounce event is like the college version of the TV show “Shark Tank”.
The Skandalaris Center is the university’s entrepreneurship and innovation incubator. Managing director Dr. Il Luscri welcomed a crowd in the Mallinckrodt theater.
“We have a group of presenters on your agenda,” said Luscri. “They’ve agreed to come up and deliver a two-minute pitch. There’s no notes or audio-visual available during the pitches and there’s no Q and A.”
Students and staff gave their “elevator pitches” for a product or idea before a panel of judges.
Portions of student pitches included:
- “I come from Denmark where I work for a company called Blue Ocean Robotics. We create and commercialize robots.”
- “I’m a junior here at Washington University studying business and computer science. Is there a way we can connect college students that love free food with leftover food on campus? Yes.”
- “It basically acts as a store-away-from-home for students looking for bundles, extensions, wigs or other hair accessories.”
- “Jonah: Shawn, here, is going to bring us the scientific and technical expertise we need to build these kits. Shawn: And Jonah will offer us the business and social capital.”
Judges outlined what characteristics they were looking for.
Kristen McLauchlin is with St. Louis Equity in Entrepreneurship Collective. “I am definitely looking for equity and bright ideas that are broad for everyone,” said McLauchlin.
Judge Chris Daming is CEO of Legal GPS. He says, “Before the competition, they told us it’s not about the feasibility of the idea as much as it is about the clarity of the pitch,” said Daming.
The five winners chosen, as determined by the panel of judges, each received $100, and a nice addition to their resume.
Professor Betsy Sinclair, one of the winners, is with a venture known as Magnify Your Voice, Inc. “We build private social networks for organizations and provide A.I.-backed mobile and website technology to boost volunteer engagement,” said Sinclair.
Winner Tony Sims’ venture is known as Lyfe Health. “During the pitch, I asked the question, ‘Who has access to health information and is able to share it?’” said Sims, "and no one raised their hand, which is like perfect.”
Skandalaris Center administrators are also collaborating with Harris-Stowe, Principia, and Lindenwood to create similar IdeaBounce programs at those universities.