Student Finalists Announced for "The Hatch" 2014

With the huge success of last spring’s "Hatch" program, the excitement has been building to find out which student entrepreneurs will get their turn in 2014 to pitch their business ideas to investors. Seventy-six students submitted 100 business ideas to the Dallas-Hamilton Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership and that huge number was reduced to 12 ideas. The finalists will work with alumni mentors over the next ten weeks to develop their business presentations and pitch their possible ventures to investors on April 9 in front of a live audience.

The announcement of the student finalists came during the recent Global Entrepreneurship Week program, "Agribusiness: How Local Businesses Are Feeding the World." The following 12 students from various colleges throughout the University were selected to pitch their business ideas:

• Nicole Braxton, "Around the World in Seven Days," a restaurant featuring international cuisine and entertainment;
• Alan Eschweiler, a mobile location app using Bluetooth technology for targeted marketing opportunities in retail areas;
• Taylor Frazer, an invisible highlighter where marks fade away to reuse a textbook;
• Grant Kirkey, a disposable plate that is designed to also hold a cup, allowing a free hand during networking and tailgating;
• Angela Lucarelli, a professional clothes rental business for college students (i.e. formal attire for job fairs and other professional events);
• Sara Scacchi, a lightweight protective device used by artists to prevent smudging;
• Morgan Smith, a smartphone app to check on the availability of washers/dryers in residence halls and laundromats;
• Jerrod Witt, a Radio Frequency Identification Device for the visually-impaired;
• Stefan Grdic, interchangeable gloves that attach to winter coats, providing more insulation;
• Robert Striblen, a reusable, adjustable strap system for carrying boxes;
• Caitlin Flack, a shopping cart phone charger to charge your phone while grocery shopping; and
• Loren Branch, "Revitalize ‘The D’ One Pocket at a Time"- Detroit-inspired t-shirts, exclusive pocket t-shirts with creative and unique designs incorporating the pocket or designed around the pocket

At last year’s Hatch program, alumni investors helped two students launch their businesses. Scott Hodges had a successful start of his Bueno Vida taco truck business in the Bowling Green, Perrysburg, and Toledo areas. Krysten Jablonowski launched Cribs on Campus this summer at BGSU. Incoming college students order a package of a futon, mini-fridge, and a microwave and they are delivered to their residence hall room prior to the August move-in weekend. Krysten is expanding her business to other college campuses.

BGSU’s College of Business is the only university program in the country to fund student businesses rather than give prize money. You don’t want to miss "The Hatch," scheduled for Wednesday, April 9. See which students will launch their venture!