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KENT, Ohio â€“ Eight finalists have been selected to compete in the Center for Entrepreneurship and Business Innovation’s fifth annual CEBIpitch competition. The event will take place virtually from 4 to 6 p.m. on Wednesday, April 7. The event is free and open to the public, but registration is requested . Registered attendees will receive a link to view the pitch the week of the event.

The annual CEBIpitch event helps Kent State entrepreneurship students grow their startup companies, awarding a total of $20,000 in cash prizes amongst the participants.

The eight finalists will virtually pitch their business ideas to a panel of executive judges. The finalists are as follows:

• Luke Leyden, a junior computer engineering technology major and theatrical lighting minor, will pitch his company, Trolder:

  • Trolder makes kits of electronic components with fun and easy to follow instructions that anyone can use to put together a fun device. Individuals of any skill level can obtain a Trolder kit and have a great time completing it.

• Joseph Lewis, a junior business management major and entrepreneurship minor, will pitch his company, Above Par Media:

  • Above Par Media is designed to enhance golfers' experience through easily accessible hole flyover videos. These individual, hole by hole flyover videos are accessed by unique QR codes that are placed on a hole flyover card or golf cart decal. This allows golfers to view an aerial flyover of any hole on the course with a quick and simple scan of their phone.

• Logan Schouman and Lukas Minkov, senior entrepreneurship major and business management major, respectively, will pitch their company, Afters.io:

  • Afters.io is an online, hyper-speed convenience store. The company’s mission is to provide a delivery service to the community, particularly college students and those with low income. The company strives to eliminate drunk driving by providing an affordable late-night service. Afters.io delivers snacks, drinks, paper products, phone chargers and a variety of other products faster than competitors and without a delivery fee.

• Grace Irvin-Dillard, a senior entrepreneurship and pan-African studies major, will pitch her company, Touched by Grace Body Care:

  • Touched by Grace Body Care provides all natural, handmade personal care products for those with skin sensitivities. Products include facial, body and feminine care items.

• Amrth Shenava, a senior computer science major and entrepreneurship minor, will pitch his company, Flashmates:

  • Flashmates is an application that makes it easier for students to find affordable off-campus housing and roommates based on their preferences and interests.

• Heeju Noe, a Master of Fashion Industry Studies (MFIS) graduate student, will pitch her company, Workmanship:

  • Workmanship is a sustainable clothing brand that uses detachable collars, cuffs and sleeves to promote circular fashion. Customers can purchase fewer, higher-quality garments to increase sustainability efforts while fully expressing their creativity and individuality by using detachable functions and designs.

• Jonathon Henry, a Master of Business Administration (MBA) graduate student, will pitch his company, CommUNITy:

  • CommUNITy was created to provide customizable sterilization solutions that are sustainable. Using UV-C irradiation allows the company to create sanitation products that require no chemicals to target and kill pathogens.

• Mattney Yates, a senior entrepreneurship major, will pitch her company, Capsule Collective:

  • The Capsule Collective is founded on celebrating and sustaining memories. The company creates custom and ready-to-wear jackets out of recycled materials. Jackets will fill the piece of your heart you didn't know you were missing.

Judges

• Shampa Banerjee, Ph.D., ’99, Chief Product Officer/Executive Vice President at Pluto TV, ViacomCBS

• Michael Capellas ’76, Founder and CEO of Capellas Partners

• Tina Floyd ’03, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Consumer Foods, The J.M. Smucker Company

• M.R. Rangaswami ’78, Co-founder of the Sand Hill Group, LLC

• Michael Solomon '74, Entrepreneur and Investor

Kent State College of Business Administration

Â鶹´«Ã½â€™s College of Business Administration is among the fewer than 1% of business colleges worldwide to obtain dual AACSB accreditation in both business and accounting.

The Kent State College of Business Administration ranks as one of the nation’s Best Business Schools by Princeton Review. The College is committed to sustainability as an advanced Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME) signatory and is recognized by the Sales Education Foundation as a top university for professional sales education. 

Media Contacts:

Joni Bowen, jbowen1@kent.edu, 330-672-1279