Spring 2021 competition winners announced

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Winners of the School of Information Studies (iSchool) Raymond von Dran (RvD)iPrize for Student Entrepreneurship, the Hunter Brooks Watson Spirit of Entrepreneurship Award, and the Compete CNY regional qualifier for the New York Business Plan Competition (NYBPC) have been announced. The concurrent online competitions on March 26 were coordinated by the Blackstone LaunchPad & Techstars at Syracuse University Libraries, with 33 teams vying for prizes.

Student team winners and prize amounts are:

RvD / iPrize:

Software and services:

  • $7,500 to Bruno Gonzalez Hauger ’21, Ambassadoor Technologies, Martin J. Whitman School of Management and S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications
  • $7,500 to Sam Hollander ’22, FSCL, Martin J. Whitman School of Management and S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications

Consumer and business products:

  • $8,000 to Alexander Peter Rolinski ’24, Sice-Me, Martin J. Whitman School of Management
  • $2,000 to Joseph DeBlasio ‘2, Skipod, S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications
  • $2,000 to Jason Zhou ’21, Itemize LLC, School of Information Studies

Education and well-being:

  • $3,000 to Max Freund ’21, M. Freund Photography, S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications
  • $2,000 to Cassianne Cavallaro ’21, Mohan, College of Visual and Performing Arts

Ag tech and food:

  • $4,000 to Selim Dangoor ’23, MUNCH Jerky, Martin J. Whitman School of Management
  • $1,00 to Samuel Chazen ’21, Food-E, Martin J. Whitman School of Management

Med tech and life sciences:

  • $3,000 to Russell Fearon ’20 G’21 and Ricardo Sanchez ’21, SugEx – The Sugar Experience, College of Engineering and Computer Science, and College of Visual and Performing Arts

Hunter Brooks Watson Spirit of Entrepreneurship:

  • $2,500 to Russell Fearon ’20 G’21 and Ricardo Sanchez ’21, SugEx – The Sugar Experience, College of Engineering and Computer Science, and College of Visual and Performing Arts
  • $2,500 to Jack Adler ’23, 3 Dollar Challenge, Martin J. Whitman School of Management
  • $2,500 to Jackson Ensley ’22, ModoSuite, Martin J. Whitman School of Management
  • $2,500 to Selim Dangoor ’23, MUNCH Jerky, Martin J. Whitman School of Management

Compete CNY Regional Qualifier:

Two teams in each category will move on to the New York State Business Plan Competition. The LaunchPad coordinated the Central New York regional qualifier, which was open to any undergraduate or graduate team at a Central New York college or university.  Advancing to the state finals are:

Software and services:

  • Bruno Gonzalez Hauger ’21, Ambassadoor Technologies, Martin J. Whitman School of Management and S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications , Syracuse University
  • Sam Hollander ’22, FSCL, Martin J. Whitman School of Management and S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, Syracuse University

Consumer and business products:

  • Alexander Peter Rolinski ’24, Sice-Me, Martin J. Whitman School of Management, Syracuse University
  • Jeff Evans, Karten Products, Master of Business Administration, SUNY Oswego

Education and well-being:

  • Max Freund ’21, M. Freund Photography, S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, Syracuse University
  • Mario Garcia G’21, Pairinc, College of Engineering and Computer Science, Syracuse University

Ag tech and food:

  • Selim Dangoor ’23, MUNCH Jerky, Martin J. Whitman School of Management, Syracuse University
  • Samuel Chazen ’21, Food-E, Martin J. Whitman School of Management, Syracuse University

Med tech and life sciences:

  • Russell Fearon ’20 G’21 and Ricardo Sanchez ’21, SugEx – The Sugar Experience, College of Engineering and Computer Science, and College of Visual and Performing Arts
  • Harman Chopra, Baby Bird Pharmaceutical, M.D. program, SUNY Upstate Medical University

Emergency response and first responder:

  • Daniel Maslowski, SWTRS, SUNY Oswego
  • Skyler Hall ’21, Hive Pilot, College of Engineering and Computer Science, Syracuse University

Judges for the competitions included alumni entrepreneurs, subject matter experts, investors, and key members of the regional innovation ecosystem.