Last week, three University of Wisconsin Oshkosh student teams earned a trip to Florida and a chance to win funding in the Alta Resources Center of Entrepreneurship and Innovation (CEI)’s annual Business Model Contest.
Nine teams competed in the ‘Shark Tank’-style event by presenting a 30-second pitch of their business to five judges, including Mickey Noone, president of First Business Bank; Kathi Seifert, founder/president of Katapult Consulting; Dave Gerzak, founder/president of Watchco.com; Lorrie Heinemann, vice president of BrightStar WI; and David Volz, program manager of Wisconsin Economic Development Corp.
After the short 30-second introduction, each team presented their ideas for five minutes, followed by a three-minute Q&A session. Every team delivered their presentation with passion and expertise, making it very difficult for the judges to choose the top three.
The finalists, announced by the UW Oshkosh Chancellor Andrew Leavitt, were Sizzle, Health Connection and InstaInsure.
Sizzle, started by Dan Brosman, is a night-life app that uses the location and updates from its users to help them determine the busiest bars, what’s happening on the inside, and the best deals that night out.
Health Connection, founded by Jordan Mather, Max Zirbel and Sean Baumgarner, focuses on the relationship between a physical therapist and their patients. Instead of giving patients exercise packets, Health Connection created an app that allows patients to view exercises, track their progress, and more.
InstaInsure, created by Alia Carroll, allows retail shoppers to ensure their new product directly at the point of purchase through video chatting with an insurance agent.
The three teams move on to the final round of the competition, which will be held in Orlando, Fla., March 22.
In addition to the finalists, six other teams gave excellent presentations, CEI officials said. Spring Waters Online Sanctuary, started by Michael Raymond, helps people take a moment from their busy lives through counseling, meditation, and healing services offered online. ReSkinz, created by Lukas Marsh, recreates popular gaming apps by changing the graphics, sounds, and themes. Metis Web Consulting, founded by Molly Kaprelian and Nicole Brey, provides affordable online development to small businesses using web templates, social media management, Google Analytics testing and marketing consulting. KTB Disc Jockey Services, owned by Vershae Ward and her friend, is a mobile DJ service that promotes non-violence throughout the venue. The Mobile Detailers, established by Taylor Schultz and Thomas Martinez, travels to customer’s home or workplace to detail their vehicle on-site. Last to present was Johnson Aerial Photography, created by Kyle Johnson, which takes aerial photographs with drones for the marketing purposes of a business.
Since the competition, most teams have started the 10-week accelerator program, which also is sponsored by the CEI. This fast-paced program provides student teams with mentors, weekly goals to meet, and up to $5,000 worth of funding upon graduation from the program.
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