Written by Caleb Chunn and Tiane Davis // Graphic by Ben Evans
The Waldron Center hosted the Bison Idea Pitch Competition here on campus in the Mabee Business Building where six students were given the opportunity to present their ideas to a panel of three judges.
The student body was invited to participate in this competition by brainstorming creative and innovative ideas that could transform into profitable business ideas in the future.
The judges voted on three students after their ideas had been presented and the top scorers were given a cash prize with first place earning a check of $800, and spectators were encouraged to vote to crown a “people’s choice” award winner as well.
Sophomore Gerardo Murcia took home the first place prize this year after taking home the “people’s choice” award in last year’s Bison Idea Pitch Competition. Murcia pitched his idea for a website he named “Tripful.”
“I decided to pitch an idea that I have been working on for some time; [an] innovative website that takes travel service to another level,” Murcia said. “It works by helping you plan a whole itinerary for whatever trip you’re planning.”
Students are encouraged to create a slogan for their idea as well. Murcia’s slogan was: “Who doesn’t want to live any trip to the fullest? With Tripful, you can explore the world your way.”
Junior Aiden Davenport also presented at the pitch competition. He was voted the winner of the people’s choice award.
Davenport mentioned that his personal process for thinking up his creative ideas is a bit different than other people’s. Davenport said he prefers to poll those around him about struggles they face, then spend some time alone outside on his bike in order to find a reasonable solution to a problem that was mentioned.
Davenport’s pitch was for a walk-in clinic that he named “Ziora.”
“The problem is unaffordable access to preventative screening and inaccessibility to screening for a variety of diseases,” Davenport said. “So the business pitch is for $499, you can walk into our clinic, and we’ll test you for almost every type of cancer imaginable, most heart diseases, aneurysms, kidney stones, ulcers, everything all-inclusive for $499.”
While Davenport did not place in the top three with his pitch, he intends to come back and pitch his idea for the business pitch competition that will take place later this year.
The business department hosts these competitions multiple times a year and all students are encouraged to take part and bring their ideas to the pitch floor.
