The Blackstone LaunchPad at Syracuse University is pleased to announce its inaugural Ideas Competition Winners, an initiative by the 46 universities that are part of the Blackstone LaunchPad network. First place Syracuse winners in four categories each took home a $1,000 prize provided by the Blackstone Charitable Foundation, along with the opportunity to move on to the network finals and a chance at a $10,000 grand prize.
Syracuse campus winners included:
- Social Impact
- 1st Place: People’s Policy, Hunter Franklin. People’s Policy is a think tank and lobbying firm working on behalf of ordinary Americans. A 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
- 1st 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: HydroHealth, Anthony Mazzacane
- Consumer Products and Services
- 1st 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
- 1st 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 their athletes through the rapidly changing NIL landscape.
- Honorable Mention: Original Content, Taye Holder
Here are key dates for teams moving on to the final round:
Week of November 19: Campus winners announced and invited to finalist/Network Round
December 1: Finalist/Network Round App Deadline (each finalist must submit 7-page deck)
December 15: Grand Prize Winners Announced
The network-wide LaunchPad Ideas Competition was designed to provide students with early-stage business ideas with chance to win money to take it to the next step. The program supported LaunchPad’s goal in de-risking entrepreneurship, broadening accessibility, and diversifying engagement with a focus on recruiting underrepresented and under-resourced students to participate.