The Blackstone LaunchPad at Syracuse University is pleased to announce its inaugural Startup in a Day ideas competition winners. 38 teams participated in person, with another 41 participating virtually. The event was coordinated by LaunchPad program manager Sam Hollander ’21 (Whitman and Newhouse) and supported by the LaunchPad’s stellar student team.
Providing outreach, coaching, program support and judging were the LaunchPad team of Andrew Kim, Claire Howard, James LePage, Kelly Davis, Paul Hultgren, Justin Gluska, Bruno Gonzalez Hauger, Jackson Ensley and Jack Ramza. Each first place team won $1,000 from the Blackstone Charitable Foundation.
Winners by category included:
- Social Impact First Place: People’s Policy, Hunter Franklin
- People’s Policy is a think tank and lobbying firm working on behalf of ordinary Americans. Our team of experts crowdsource the public’s best ideas and turn those ideas into viable legislation.
- Honorable Mention: Rethinking Support & Travel, Yaoxu Zong, Emme Perkins
- Health + Life Sciences First Place: Natural Gate, Bearett Tarris
- A device that clips onto a shoe and provides the user with real-time feedback on their gait. The device aims to correct in-toeing/out-toeing which would, in turn, decrease the stress placed on joints and lower an individual’s chance for developing an injury.
- Honorable Mention: Sweatration, Anthony Mazzacane
- Consumer Products and Services First Place: Nootropic Supplements, Sebastian Gonzalez
- Nootropic Supplements consist of Lions’ mane mushrooms, Chaga mushrooms, and Ashwagandha. The combination of these ingredients will increase your brain’s productivity levels by reducing stress and anxiety and increasing focus and attention.
- Honorable Mention: Brief, Aidan Mickleburgh
- General First Place: Out2Win Sports, Sam Holland, Jack Adler
- Out2Win Sports is an innovative sports marketing agency aiming to assist student-athletes in capitalizing on their Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL). Their hands-on, all-encompassing approach is dedicated to seamlessly guiding thier athletes through the rapidly changing NIL landscape.
- Honorable Mention: Original Content, Taye Holder