Bluejay Tank Winner Cleans Up with Hot Plan

7 Elmhurst pupils demonstrated their entrepreneurial spirit at the 2nd once-a-year Bluejay Tank competitiveness on April 21, pitching organization principles ranging from a music production firm and a grill-cleaning company to an app designed to support higher education college students hold keep track of of their wallets.

Modeled loosely on the preferred Tv show Shark Tank, the competitors provides pupils the chance to pitch their business enterprise concepts to a panel of professional business owners in trade for responses and a shot at $3,000 in money prizes.

Mallory Burke ’22 of Evergreen Park, Ill., received to start with location for GrillGirlz, a barbecue grill deep-cleaning provider that she commenced final summer with a $120 mortgage from her parents. With 9 employees—all women—the enterprise is on track to make a internet income of additional than $18,000 this year.

With her $1,500 prize, Burke strategies to trademark her small business, provide security coaching to workers, establish a web page and increase to other states.

“Before the level of competition, I was at a issue where I was not guaranteed exactly where to take my company,” she explained. “Winning gave me the self confidence to drive ahead. And as a participant, I have produced connections with people who can assistance me do well.”

Matthew Gans ’21 of Batavia, Sick., won second position and $1,000 for MGProductions, a photo and video marketing and advertising company that has made ads for Aston Martin and other leading companies. 3rd spot and $500 went to Luis Chavez ’22 of Rolling Meadows, Ill., for Scanology, an on-line software that helps superior college students uncover the right higher education.

“As a to start with-technology pupil, I did not have considerably assist with my college and scholarship research, Chavez explained. “I remember remaining up all night time on the lookout for schools though I juggled graduation needs, homework assignments and other extracurricular routines. By making Scanology, not only can we aid students thrive, we can enable them through their journey.”

As component of their prize, all 3 winners will have the chance to fulfill with undertaking capitalist Larry Hayward, companion and co-founder of Independence Fairness, to get ideas on presenting their enterprise options to investors.

This year’s judges have been Daisy Betance ’11, founder of natural and organic pores and skin-care enterprise Little Buddha Michael Foytlin ’21, who gained the 2020 levels of competition and Bruce Fischer, director of the master’s program in undertaking management. Mark Heintz, a method advisor and future adjunct professor for the graduate certification software in entrepreneurship, served as the judge foreman and scoring tabulator. Entrepreneur in Home Patrick Yanahan ’94, MBA ’10, and Weigand Center Executive Director Martin Gahbauer served as facilitators.

The other finalists had been:

• Alec Goldberg ’23, founder of Oaks Productions, a tunes-output enterprise
• Alex Goodell ’23, whose nonprofit, Tech for Smiles, would supply tax generate-offs to organizations to advertise recycling of used electronics
• Jared Plotka ’21, whose small business, Reserve Lender, would merge in-individual cryptobanking with cafes
• Joshua Sawyer ’23, founder of University LT&F, which would pair GPS-enabled wallets and keychains with an app to help persons maintain monitor of their stuff

“All 7 company plans ended up effectively assumed out and pretty relevant and sound,” claimed Yanahan. “I just can’t say plenty of about how amazed we ended up with the top quality of the ahead-imagining presentations of these young people today, and the authentic vitality and generate that they exhibited.”