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Emma Rothman ’21 Writes About “Living Like She’s Dying” in Her New Book, “Things My Therapist Told Me Not to Say: Ten Years Post Heart Transplant”

On a first impression, it’s unlikely you would assume that Emma Rothman ‘21—a former Blackstone LaunchPad Global Media Fellow and the 2019 Hunter Brooks Watson Scholar at the LaunchPad —received a life-changing heart transplant when she was just twelve years old. From that day on, she was prescribed a new life structure that never felt like her own. Struggling to find balance between being “normal” and chronically ill, and dealing with issues of body image, guilt, anger, and ego, Emma has been on a long journey to recovery that went beyond her physical health. It’s this exact journey which she shares within the pages of her newly released book, “Things My Therapist Told Me Not to Say: Ten Years Post Heart Transplant.”

Every author sets their sights on the day when they’ll be able to hold their finished book in their hands for the first time, and just a few weeks ago, Emma finally reached that long-awaited finish line. Four carboard boxes showed up on her front doorstep containing a few hundred print copies direct from her publisher. As a first-time author myself at the querying stage, I can only imagine the elation she felt to see her hard work paid off in a tangible form. I was eager to congratulate Emma on this huge accomplishment and dive deeper into her experience with the writing and publication process.

For this book, Emma decided to partner with New Degree Press (NDP), a community-owned hybrid publishing house based out of Potomac, Maryland. Think of it as “guided self-publishing.” Authors who publish with NDP are entitled to the full creative control, intellectual property rights, and royalties from sales of their book, yet maintain the added benefit of marketing, editing, and distribution services like that of a traditional publisher. And for first timers like Emma, NDP also offers a community-based book writing initiative called The Book Creators Program to help authors develop a first draft manuscript over the span of about five months, all while working alongside a cohort of fellow passionate writers.

Emma at an authors’ book reading and signing

“Now that I’m finished, I definitely thought it would feel much easier in hindsight,” Emma told me. “I didn’t really know what to expect going in. It was a huge learning curve, and I had to do a lot more leg work than I’d thought initially. For example, we put a lot of effort into launching and rallying support for a pre-sale crowdfunding campaign last April which paid for the cost of publishing the book, which I’m grateful for. Most of the time, authors are expected to front all the money for publishing, which can easily become a huge barrier for authors of different socio-economic statuses. This type of approach can be great for helping certain stories and voices reach the public that might not be able to otherwise.”

Readers who pick up a copy of the book will be greeted by a colorful, pop art, blue-haired likeness of Emma taking a selfie at a bathroom sink, with the heart transplant scar on her right breast front and center. Generally, the first impression a reader will get from a book is based upon its cover, which is why it’s important for an author to think about a design that best represents their book’s contents. That’s why I wanted to ask Emma—who had legitimately rocked a full head of blue hair at one point in life—what her inspiration for the cover of the book was. The answer that she gave me was incredibly insightful. “The subject matter of the book is pretty deep,” she said. “So, I wanted to have something that could easily reflect that. The cover art is actually based off a random mirror selfie I found in my camera roll that I had forgotten about. But when I discovered that picture again, I liked the premise my book cover being like that mirror selfie because you can’t really hide anything in the mirror; what you see is what you get. I also wanted my scar to be front and center to show that I’ve reclaimed it for myself, because it was something I tried to hide for so long. And then the pop art? That’s just I style I enjoy. The contrast is intense, and I like how it jumps out at you.”

I had the opportunity to read about halfway through Emma’s book before my conversation with her, and I must say, the cover is surely an accurate representation of what’s written on the pages. Emma’s written voice is emotionally raw, courageously unfiltered, and invitingly conversational as she leads you through the personal accounts, experiences, and thoughts that have impacted her life post-transplant. I don’t want to spoil too much—because there is some genuinely good stuff to be spoiled, and I’d highly recommend that you pick up a copy and read for yourself—but something that resonated with me as a reader was the feeling of resentment that she associated with having a traumatic, life-altering event thrust upon her involuntarily. As a transplant recipient, Emma was unable to preserve the same privacy and normalcy that was afforded to other kids her age, and she involuntarily became the poster child of Hearts for Emma, a 501(c) 3 organization spearheaded by her own family and her local community to aid families of children with heart disease and support educational initiatives relating to heart transplantation and organ/tissue donation.

While Emma remains incredibly proud of the effort put forth by her family and community towards the cause, a great deal of her past resentment stemmed from the fact that she was hardly given any agency as to who she wanted to share this vulnerable piece of her life with, not to mention when she wanted to do it and how much she wanted to share. But now that Emma’s had the opportunity to reclaim that power and agency for herself through her own penmanship, she’s feeling a bit differently about it: “There was a lot I had to share with my family and let stew in my own head for so long, and it was getting to be suffocating towards the end. It felt like I was in this cage that’s starting to corrode with rust, and I needed to free myself before it could collapse on my head. But once I hit submit and I saw my book go out in the world, I felt like I shed ten pounds of emotional weight and trauma right then and there.”

Emma continued: “The hard part with authoring about personal experiences is that you’re not just thinking about yourself anymore.  You’re also thinking about different audiences and what they can get out of your story too. I had early drafts written where I was trying too hard to write objectively and hold back my emotions, and the result was a manuscript that read too flatly. So, I made a promise to myself on later drafts to tell the truth and nothing but the truth. When something started to feel icky while writing, my first instinct was to run from it, but because I was also on a deadline and people were holding me accountable, I just needed to keep pushing forward. There are so many things I shared on those pages that I didn’t think I ever would, but the reward that’s coming from that has been hard to fully explain. My truth set me free, and I think it’s doing the same for others.”

Through her book, Emma’s hopes to provide insight into the experience of what it’s like to lead a life as a heart transplant patient, as well as offer her perspective as a child who spent a great deal of her life in and out of the pediatric healthcare system. “When we picture heart transplant patients, we often picture older people who are at the end of their old life,” she said. “But that isn’t always the case, and these people—me included—aren’t as physically incapable as we’re assumed to be. Part of the reason why I chose a conversational style of writing is because I wanted to put some humanity back into the perception of hospital patients.”

Yet, even if you aren’t someone who has experienced a life-altering procedure or is closely related to someone who has, Emma’s candid struggle with her own identity and emotional state is sure to resonate with you in one way or another, because there remains underlying theme to Emma’s message that she wanted to make sure readers understood as we wrapped up our conversation: “When you are talking to people who are transplant recipients, or anybody who has gone through something difficult in general, always let them come to you first. Some might not be as comfortable or willing to talk about their trauma as others, and those individuals can sometimes receive questions that come across as intrusive or hurtful. I know that isn’t always the intention behind it, but what it does show me is that there’s a lot of room for education. People usually come from a place of wanting to know more about what an individual has gone through so that they can orient themselves to better help that individual, but it isn’t always the traumatized person’s job to teach you. Sometimes what that person needs are the time and space to process it for themselves before they open it up to the people who care. I’m hoping readers can take that away from the conversation.”

“Things My Therapist Doesn’t Want Me to Say: Ten Years Post Heart Transplant” is now available on Amazon in both Kindle and paperback formats. If you do choose to purchase and read a copy of the book, please remember to leave a review if you enjoyed it, as it helps independent authors like Emma reach even more readers who could benefit from her story. You can also get in touch with Emma on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok

Story by Jack Rose ’24, Global Media Fellow

Come to a Grater Things pop-up November 17

man with a hat
Aidan Turner ’25, founder of Grater Things

Grater Things is taking over the Blackstone Launchpad in Bird Library this Thursday, November 17 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. for its debut solo pop-up shop in Syracuse. The first 100 paying customers will find a FREE Glazed and Confused donut waiting for them.

The brand has also put together countless experiences such as a tote bag painting station run by members of the charity organization Ottothon, an exclusive t-shirt release of a collaboration between players on the Syracuse Football team and Out2Win Sports, the Camp Kesem charity selling their newest corduroy hats, a limited edition bucket hat collaboration with the Syracuse School of Architecture, student artists displaying their sculptural art, and to top it off a photo booth to show off your new purchases! 

Commonly found in J Michael shoes and a proud participator in the Popcycle pop-up shops, Grater Things was founded by Aidan Turner ‘25 (School of Architecture) in 2020. Grater Things is a premium loungewear supply brand dedicated to following your dreams and achieving success while also enjoying the journey you take to reach that point. The motto of making the most of life experiences is expressed through the brand’s logo–a cartoon cheese grater–which emphasizes having fun with your journey to success since that is what you will remember the most out of life. 

Syracuse University longs for a student-run, hometown clothing brand–and here it is. Come down this Thursday to shop Grater Thing’s newest styles and support this year’s largest student-run brand pop up.

Grater Things pop-up this summer in Rhode Island

AlterNative Project and Scale Sense win student startup Syracuse University Impact Prize

three students with prize checks
Ethan Tyo, Oliver Raycroft and Adya Parida

Ethan Tyo ’17 G’22, founder of The AlterNative Project, captured the $10,000 grand prize and Adya Parida and Oliver Raycroft, co-founders of Scale Sense, earned the $5,000 second place award at the recent Impact Prize competition, hosted by the LaunchPad at SU Libraries. One of the largest cohorts ever, 33 student teams competed in the event that is designed to catalyze social impact entrepreneurship. It was open to all Syracuse students presenting business models for products, projects, services, or technologies that are practical, innovative, and sustainable solutions to societal problems.

The AlterNative Project’s goal is to change the way people think about Indigenous foods and Tribal food systems across North America. By combining experiential education sites, community-supported agriculture programming, and food business development, it helps empower Tribal communities to restore cultural foods and food sovereignty.

One of four people live with food security in Tribal Nations throughout the United States. Decades of land degradation and environmental damage by external polluters have left land infertile. Along with that, cultural erasure has affected the ability to pass down traditions and many Indigenous people feel a sense of both cultural and community loss. Ethan’s solution is based around food sovereignty, land remediation, cultural restoration, and nation-building.

He plans to work with Tribal Nation communities – there are 574 federally recognized Tribes with 6.8 million Indigenous Americans. His other focus is academic institutions and museums with Indigenous American collections. He will use his winnings to create a project with the Adirondack Experience Museum in Blue Mountain Lake and to build an educational website.

Scale Sense is a product that helps firefighters more easily orient themselves when they perform large area search and rescue operations. The project is easily attached to a firefighter’s rope and can show direction in a tactile way. It was developed by Adya Parida and Oliver Raycroft as part of Invent@SU. The team intends to file for patent and license it to a strategic partner in the fire apparatus safety sector who can bring it to market.

Of the 33 teams that pitched in the event, judges selected the “elite eight” teams were selected to go on to the final round. They were:

  • Continual
  • Happy Loose Leaf Tea
  • Moody Mag
  • Papex
  • Polititag
  • Scale Sense
  • The AlterNative Project
  • Vanir Meads

Competing in the event were the following idea champions and teams:

  • Adya Parida and Oliver Raycroft, Scale Sense
  • Alan Jos, Citron Solutions
  • Anand Benegal, Spatika: 4D News
  • Ben Ford, Fundwurx
  • Bowen MacLennan, UVT
  • Brandon Henry, Beyond the Box
  • Cem Taviloglu, Vanir Meads
  • Cherry Kim, Conformabelt
  • Claire Chevalier, CMC
  • Drew Bartelstein, Purescan
  • Emma Lueders, Moody Mag
  • Eric Hong, Scout
  • Ethan Tyo, The AlterNative Project
    Frank Marin, Marhold Space Systems
  • Frederick Pollard, Oasis
  • Ian Storrs, ConCurrent
  • James Barbato, Eudaimona
  • Jan Tomasz Szuminski, Szuminski Solo Sound
  • Jared Anderson, The Emergency Preparedness Project
  • Jeremy Shinder, Jere Bear Films
  • Katy Arons, Continual
  • Lexi Cianfarani, ClubMATCH
  • Manya Gadhok, Period.
  • Mauricio Luna, Luna College Consulting
  • Motolani Oladitan, E-Vend
  • Nicolas Courbage, Paypex
  • Noah Mechnig-Giordano, Happy Loose Leaf Tea
  • Payton Dunn, Absurdist
  • Ryan Peters, Polititag
  • Sai Krishna Bolla, TelMeNot
  • Siraj Dahal, Private Route Aggregator
  • Ud Joseph, Mentorship for Young Immigrants
  • Zirui Wang, Public Opinion

Judges were:

Examples of impact ventures included business models or projects around:

  • Agriculture
  • Arts and culture
  • Community revitalization
  • Disability and accessibility
  • Diversity, equity, and inclusion
  • Employment and training
  • Energy and climate change
  • Environmental sustainability
  • Food access and nutrition
  • Health and mental health
  • Historic preservation
  • Literacy and education
  • Poverty
  • Sustainability
  • Transportation and mobility
  • Underserved populations
  • Youth leadership and empowerment
  • Other public policy challenges

This year’s competition was supported through a $15,000 gift from SU Libraries Advisory Board Member Carl Armani and his wife Marcy, in honor of Linda Dickerson-Hartsock, retiring LaunchPad executive director, who created the Impact Prize. This is the sixth annual competition, designed to help see the greater good and make a difference in the lives of people around them. Social impact is a mission that Linda personally and professionally championed through her career and at the LaunchPad.

The Impact Prize is also a gateway to spring competitions like the ACC InVenture Prize, RvD iPrize, Hunter Brooks Watson Spirit of Entrepreneurship Award and the Panasci Business Plan Competition.

Honoring veteran entrepreneurs

In honor of Veteran’s Day last week, enjoy this SU News story about how Syracuse’s Blackstone LaunchPad supports student veterans with their business ventures, including partnering with the D’Aniello Institute for Veterans and Military Families and the Defense Comptrollership Program on specialized training for veterans. The story also profiles two Syracuse University alumni U.S. Army Capt. Amanda Rylee ’19 and Brian Kam ’16 who served from 2003 to 2007 as a lance corporal with the U.S. Marine Corps. both started ventures as students, working with the LaunchPad. Read the story here.

SyracuseCoE Hosts DOE’s EnergyTech University Prize: Students Encouraged to Submit

decorative graphic

Applications are still open for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Technology Transitions American-Made EnergyTech University Prize (EnergyTech UP). The SyracuseCoE is pleased to host this year’s regional EnergyTech UP, a collegiate competition challenging multidisciplinary student teams to develop and present a business plan that leverages high-potential energy technologies, including those developed at national laboratories and universities. This innovative prize asks student teams to identify an energy technology, assess its market potential, and develop a strategy for commercialization. Applications are open through Jaunaury 26, 2023, and there are still opportunities to learm more through upcoming information sessions. Learn more and see the competition timeline here.

Student teams will have the opportunity to compete for a total of $370,000 in cash prizes as they present their plans to a panel of industry judges.

Teams will first compete at the regional level, and the top teams will move on to compete with other regional winners from across the nation. Technology Bonus Prizes are also offered by eight DOE technology offices for the best proposals in their respective fields. In addition to the cash prizes, teams invited to the regional events will receive free access to the Office of Technology Transition’s Energy I-Corps curriculum, and regional winners will be provided with exclusive mentorship before competing in the final round of the competition at the Zpryme Energy Thought Summit.   

The SyracuseCoE was selected as one of 15 EnergyTech UP Regional Convening Partners, hosting the Regional Explore Event in collaboration with NYSERDA and CenterState CEO’s Clean Tech Center after a successful virtual event last year. In 2022, the regional winning team from the University of Connecticut went on to compete in the final phase of the competition with their “Smart i-Floor” proposal, which consisted of integrated, durable floor tiles with the ability to sense information and harvest energy from footsteps. Additionally, a student team from SUNY Binghamton was awarded the Technology Bonus Prize from the Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management for their carbon negative cement replacement, Pantheon. This team has since seen great success in commercializing their technology as Klaw Industries. Klaw Industries has recently joined SyracuseCoE’s Partner Program and continues to develop sustainable materials solutions for the concrete and recycling industries.   

The EnergyTech UP competition offers students the opportunity to build their leadership and entrepreneurial skills, while providing exposure to all of the innovative energy technologies waiting to be commercialized. Prize administrators held an informational webinar on October 26 to share details about the $370,000 available to students, inspire ideas around energy technologies, and answer questions from potential participants.

Any interested students or faculty are encouraged to start following EnergyTech UP to stay up to date on submission deadlines, requirements, prize rules, and more.

Celebrating Indigenous innovators and entrepreneurs

Ethan Tyo with some samples of his harvest from The AlterNative Project

Located near the heart of Haudenosaunee territory, Syracuse University is committed to empowering and supporting Indigenous students of any tribe or nation. From academic programs and resources to welcoming and supportive communities, as well as supporting entrepreneurial ventures, Syracuse University is invested in helping Indigenous students succeed. Read some of their innovation stories here in this SU News feature article. One of the students featured is our very own Ethan Tyo, recent winner of the Impact Prize, and the LaunchPad’s Todd B. Rubin Diversity and Inclusion Scholar.

CNYBAC offers 2023 Medical Device Innovation Challenge

Picture of Quinn King and Alec Gillinder
Quinn King and Alec Gillinder, co-founders of MedUX, participating in the CNYBAC Medical Device Innovation Challenge

The Central New York Biotech Accelerator (CNYBAC) is now accepting applications starting January 1, 2023 for its 2023 Medical Device Innovation ChallengeThe deadline to apply is March 31, 2023.

Syracuse University faculty, staff and students are invited to apply if they are working on a product, service or technology related to medical devices. LaunchPad students have participated in the past, and have even won the challenge.  We encourage you to learn more.

The CNYBAC Medical Device Innovation Challenge is a six-month mentorship / network expansion / resource rich program for early stage innovators.  MDIC accepts 5 teams to participate in the annual program.  To date, 33 teams have graduated from the program and have amassed milestone achievements during and following their participation. The MDIC serves as a complement from and a pipeline to other incubation/acceleration programs: 

Applications are accepted January 1 through March 31 each year and are reviewed through a due diligence process performed by The Innovation Law Center, Syracuse University with teams selected by the MDIC Review Committee.  The program starts August 1 (some teams receive early commercialization research in advance of program start by The Innovation Law Center).  

Teams may participate virtually or on-site. If on-site, teams can elect to work at no cost in during the six-month program in the CNYBAC Creation Garage, 841 E. Fayette St., Syracuse, NY.  All selected teams can utilize this facility at any point during the program.  

CNYBAC Medical Device Innovation Challenge (MDIC) Two-step Application Process

Step 1:  Confirm Eligibility

To be eligible to apply you must meet all of the following:

  • Are a US-based innovation team/startup company.
  • Are in early stage development of a medical device per FDA medical device definition.     
  • Have a team.
  • Your innovation is reduced to practice and you are able to apply for a patent, have a provisional patent filed, or patent approved.
  • Agree to meet the requirements of the program:  attend all monthly mentor meetings, actively participate in progressing through your Project Plan goals, attend CNYBAC virtual education events (most are recorded/you can access at your convenience).  

Step 2:  Complete Application/Submit by March 31:  MDIC Application

Program details:

  • Selected teams receive an MDIC Agreement for execution.  Program start date:  August 1.
  • We cover the costs of student-based legal and commercialization research for each selected team through the Innovation Law Center, NYS Science and Technology Law Center, Syracuse University College of Law.
  • Mentorship:  mentors are assigned to each team based on specific goals to be accomplished during the program (legal, regulatory, commercialization, CEO, product development experts, etc.).  Hour-long virtual mentor meetings are held monthly, scheduled Mon-Fri, 8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. EST.
  • Selected teams gain coordinated access to SUNY Upstate Medical University research partners and Core Facilities.
  • 3D printer/wash station, additional on-site equipment available.
  • Extensive Ecosystem:  We will provide targeted resource assistance and networking opportunities throughout the program.  

CNYBAC, Upstate Medical University’s Concept to Commercialization Virtual Series also provides information-rich workshops through July, 2023 (free/virtual/some provide Certificates of Attendance for recertification programs). These programs are open to all innovators and researchers, not just members of the Medical Innovation Device Challenge.

Concept to Commercialization spring dates are here:

 Medical Device Risk and Regulations December 8, 2022, 3:00 – 4:00 p.m. Raymond Dromms, President, Raymond P. Solutions, Inc. and Kathi Durdon, CCRP, Executive Director, CNY Biotech Accelerator, Upstate Medical University This presentation will include an overview of how risk plays a prominent role in product development, research and regulatory submission and will include an overview of device classification, FDA submissions and the risk assessment. Register: https://upstate.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJcvc–trD8iEtBWSH0s-c0w4t_fzaaFl4sn  
FuzeHub Funding and Solutions Program January 12, 2023, 3:00 – 4:00 p.m. EST Patty Rechberger, Innovation Fund Manager and Eric Fasser, Solutions Program Manager, FuzeHub Register: https://upstate.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJEpcO6oqD4jHtzdyNfBKAKq4SAufVNIyL4O  
Navigating Government Grant Compliance January 31, 2023, 3:00 – 4:00 p.m. EST Andrew Newman, CPA, ScienceDocs, Inc. When you accept a government grant, you are expected to understand and follow all the compliance requirements of the grant. This presentation is an introduction into the understanding of these crucial requirements and is the first in a series of presentations from ScienceDocs. Register: https://upstate.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJYvdeGqpjMiGtcBFgCFM3rmIX4PZ-SpcPSM  
Startup Funding February 16, 2023, 3:00 – 4:00 p.m. EST Jeff Knox, Associate, Innospark Register: https://upstate.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJIvc-6oqzIsHdQd0pMMQwYPXtqR4qSXgm5-  
NY Ventures – New Funding Programs March 2, 2023, 3:00 – 4:00 p.m. EST Silvia Codony, Senior Director, NY Ventures, Empire State Development Register: https://upstate.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJwudOuppj0rHdQtcgnzSZwU-DMisD9faOAQ  
It’s an AI Product Manager’s Job to help an Organization Succeed with Predictive Machine Learning March 16, 2023, 3:00 – 4:00 p.m. EST Paul Ortchanian, Founder, CEO, Head of Product, Data and Strategy, Bain Public, Inc. In short, AI is a lifecycle that requires the integration of data, machine learning models, and the software around it. It covers everything from scoping and designing to building and testing all the way through to deployment — and eventually requires frequent monitoring. Product leaders need to ensure that data scientists are delivering results in efficient ways so business counterparts can understand, interpret, and use it to learn from. This includes everything from the definition of the problem, the coverage and quality of the data set and its analysis, to the presentation of results and the follow-up. Register: https://upstate.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJEsce2spzIiGdIfDfcKAvqJpJVBD4W3R2Dx  
Cybersecurity April 12, 2023, 3:00 – 4:00 p.m. EST Reg Harnish, CEO, OrbitalFire Register: https://upstate.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJAodO6hpzsqE9DhQQuyumzHmsGKGR2X49a8  

Upcoming Biotech Innovation Ecosystem Events:

Launch NY Founders Go Big in CNY November 15, Oncenter, Syracuse, NY
Upstate Capital Association 7th Annual Awards Celebration December 7, Rochester, NY
16th Annual SOCRA Medical Device Conference – Scottsdale, AZ, April 27-28 with a basic pre-conference workshop on April 26 (additional registration). 

See additional events at: https://cnybac.com/education/

Celebrating National Entrepreneurship Month

group of students in front of the LaunchPad in Bird Library

November is National Entrepreneurship Month, celebrating “the doers, dreamers, and job creators whose vision and grit fuel our economy and capture the essence of America.” A record 5.4 million new businesses were started in 2021, which is more than 20 percent higher than any year on record. It’s also been a great year for entrepreneurship at Syracuse University. Here are highlights from the last year.

October 2021 to October 2022:

  • 1,121 new LaunchPad participants
  • $61 million new equity investments raised by LaunchPad ventures
  • 65 new LaunchPad businesses incorporated
  • $350,000 new student winnings in competitions

We celebrate the spirit of entrepreneurship each month at the LaunchPad, but this is a great time to salute our student entrepreneurs, using words from the national proclamation below:

“Starting and owning a business has always been a key path to the American Dream — a way to build wealth, serve your neighbors, and leave a mark in a community and on the world. Requiring risk-taking and daring, entrepreneurs faced additional challenges during the pandemic and the economic crisis that it created. America can be defined in one word:  possibilities. Entrepreneurs’ willingness to take risks, work hard, and never quit make those possibilities come alive. They turn vision into reality and ideas into products, profits, and national prosperity. This month, we celebrate their contributions as a point of national pride and recommit to giving them the space and support to make sure America wins the 21st century.”

Whitman’s Panasci Business Plan Competition offers a chance at more than $40,000 in prizes

2022 Panasci Business Plan Competition winners Justin Monaco and Bruno Gonzalez-Hauger

The Whitman School of Management has announced details for its Panasci Business Plan Competition, a campus-wide student business plan competition open to Syracuse University students. Applicants are invited to write and submit a business plan for the chance to advance to the finals and a chance at more than $40,000 in prizes on April 14, 2023.

Key dates:

  • Dec. 2, 2022, 7-8 p.m.: First info session, Q&A to learn about the competition and hear from past winning teams: Zoom link here.
  • Jan. 30, 2023, 7-8 p.m.: Second info session, Q&A to learn about the competition and hear from past winning teams: Zoom link here.
  • Jan. 31, 2023, midnight, submit your expression of interest (not compulsory to compete but useful to stay up to date). Link here.
  • Feb. 18/19, EEE458 weekend course to learn how to write a business plan (1 credit). Not a pre-requirement to compete, but useful to write a better business plan. For information about the course email Ken Walsleben at kpwalsle@syr.edu.
  • March 26, 2023, deadline to submit your business plan to compete.
  • April 14, 2023, Panasci Business Plan Competition

Learn more about eligibility, as well as rules and regulations on the Panasci website, here.

Bookmark the dates for spring 2023 campus competitions that feature more than $125,000 in prizes

students at a pitch competition

To celebrate National Entrepreneur’s Week, we are gearing up for competition season at the Blackstone LaunchPad at SU Libraries.   Bookmark key dates for spring competitions.

Syracuse University Spring Competition Schedule:

  • November 14, 2022, Applications open for many spring competitions
  • December 2, 2022, First Panasci Business Plan Competition info session
  • January 30, 2023, Second Panasci Business Plan Competition info session
  • January 31, 2023, Panasci Business Plan Competition expression of interest due
  • February 1, 2023, Applications due for the ACC InVenture Prize campus competition. Apply here
  • February 1, 2023, Applications due for the Hult Prize campus competition. Apply here
  • February 10, 2023, ACC InVenture Prize campus competition
  • February 17, 2023, Hult Prize, Syracuse University campus competition
  • February 18-19, Panasci Business Plan competition weekend course
  • March 15, 2023, Applications due for Raymond von Dran (RvD) iPrize; teams are automatically entered into the Hunter Brooks Watson Spirit of Entrepreneurship Awards.  Apply here
  • March 24, 2023, RvD iPrize and Hunter Brooks Watson Spirit of Entrepreneurship Awards
  • March 26, 2023, Applications due for the Panasci Business Plan Competition Apply here
  • March 31, 2023, New York State Business Plan CNY regional qualifier Apply here
  • April 5, 2023, Applications due for Intelligence ++ Competition. 
  • April 14, 2023, Panasci Business Plan Competition, Whitman School of Management
  • April 21, 2023, Intelligence ++ Competition
  • April 27, 2023, New York Business Plan Competition – Venture NY, statewide event held in downtown Syracuse

Keep checking the LaunchPad website for information about all of these events.

About the competitions:

  • ACC In Venture Prize:  Sponsored by the LaunchPad on behalf of Syracuse University and open to all undergraduate students or recent graduates within one year of graduation from their undergraduate program.  The prize competition pits top inventors and innovators of the ACC network against each other at a PBS-televised event.  It features a $30,000 prize package for the top ACC Conference winners at the finals at FSU. Click here to apply
  • Raymond von Dran (RvD) iPrize:  Open to all graduate and undergraduate students working on venture ideas for products, services, technologies, and social impact ventures.  Sponsored by the iSchool, the competition typically features a prize package of more than $40,000.  Click here to apply
  • Hunter Brooks Watson Spirit of Entrepreneurship Awards:  Open to undergraduate and graduate students at Syracuse competing in the iPrize, the competition features a prize package of $10,000 from the Hunter Brooks Watson Memorial Fund (Hunter’s Fund) in memory of Hunter Brooks Watson, a Syracuse University iSchool student who passed away in a 2016 distracted driving accident. This competition is concurrent with the RvD iPrize.
  • Compete CNY and New York Business Plan Competition:  Open to all undergraduate and graduate students at New York State Universities.  Click here to apply
  • Panasci Business Plan Competition:  Sponsored by the Martin J. Whitman School of Management and open to all graduate and undergraduate students, typically with a prize package of more than $40,000.  Click here to apply
  • Intelligence ++ Competition: Supported by a generous gift to SU Libraries by Gianfranco Zaccai ’70 H’09 and the Zaccai Foundation for Augmented Intelligence (Intelligence++), this challenge is focused on inclusive entrepreneurship and design. It is open to all undergraduate and graduate students from all disciplines, working on proposals for products, services or technologies that address problems or create new opportunities for individuals with intellectual disabilities and their families. It is offered through a partnership between the LaunchPad, the Taishoff Center for Inclusive Higher Education (InclusiveU) and the  College of Visual and Performing Arts (VPA). The LaunchPad team at SU Libraries is available to assist teams interested in competing.  To schedule a meeting to discuss your idea, get matched with a peer mentor, or participate in pitch workshops, please e-mail LaunchPad@syr.edu