(l.to r.: Shad Wenzlaff, Carrie Sanders, and Gerardo Mancilla tells students about new ‘Pitch Competition.’)
Madison, Wis. (February 18, 2019) – Edgewood College launched its first entrepreneur pitch competition for all currently enrolled students, individually or as a team, to win a $500 prize in each of the four categories: business and technology, social impact, art, and sustainability. The competition partners with the 15th Annual Edgewood Engaged, an annual college-wide celebration of undergraduate research and academic engagement.
“The pitch competition offers an exciting forum for innovative ideas to move from the planning stage to the real world,” Carrie Sanders, Director for Community Engagement & Impact, said. “In the process, students who research an idea can learn what makes for a compelling pitch and receive feedback from professionals to help move the project forward.”
Any projects on social entrepreneurship and social innovation under the four categories are welcome to be submitted online by March 15.
“This opportunity encourages students to create their own career opportunities out of personal interests and creativity,” Victoria Palmisano, Assistant Dean of Undergraduate Affairs in the School of Business, said.
Proposals from all disciplines at Edgewood College are encouraged. The top 3 proposals in each category will be selected and announced by April 1. With faculty mentor assistance, finalists will refine their projects through a pitch development workshop and a business plan workshop before they pitch their ideas on Friday, May 3. The panel of judges is composed of alumni, local entrepreneurs, and community members.
The competition is jointly sponsored by School of Integrative Studies, School of Business, Social Innovation & Sustainability Leadership Graduate Program, and the Gener8tor, a nationally-ranked accelerator that invests in high-growth startups. “We feel excited to include this pitch competition in Edgewood Engaged this year,” Shad Wenzlaff, Director of Student Research, said. “It expands our students’ research applications and community engagement to help solve social problems and bring positive impacts on society. Pitch your idea, make a difference!”
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