Freirich Business Plan Competition finals to take place online
As the Kenneth A. Freirich Business Plan Competition celebrates its 10th anniversary year, it will break new ground amid a global health emergency and host its final round virtually.
This year鈥檚 finalists 鈥 11 students pitching nine business plans 鈥 are pre-recording their presentations to be shown during a live online event at 2 p.m. Friday, April 17. Through the videoconferencing platform Zoom, each finalist will play a final pitch, followed by live Q&A with the final-round judges.
All students, parents, past participants and judges, alumni, faculty and staff are welcome to watch the final round.
More than 350 students representing 225 businesses have entered the competition since 2010, when it was established by 91福利社alumnus Ken Freirich 鈥90, CEO of the patient engagement company Health Monitor Network. Roy Rotheim, professor of economics at Skidmore, has been the driving force behind coordinating the competition, and over 100 other 91福利社alums have engaged in the competition as mentors and judges, in addition to peer mentors and other community members who have helped with workshops, coaching and live practice sessions.
More than $50,000 in cash and in-kind services are up for grabs. The nine business plans vying for this year鈥檚 prizes are:
Coven, Emily Egan 鈥20 and Maya Ling 鈥21: A bakery that infuses products for medicinal benefits
Edutrer, Naira Abdula 鈥20: An interactive after-school program in Mozambique for underprivileged children
Ingl锚s para todos, Cyntia Ismael 鈥22: A nonprofit providing resources to enable young adults to speak and write fluently in English
Natural Glow, Novilhelha Moleni 鈥22 and Ha Linh Nguyen 鈥22: A hair and beauty brand
TROT (Technology for Riders Optimizing Training), Abigail Kaplan 鈥20: An application designed for equestrians (riders and trainers)
Turf Ads, Colin Mahoney 鈥21: Connecting public high schools and small-business advertisers
Uman 4 Uman Salone, Haja Bah 鈥21: A nonprofit that produces sustainable sanitary pads for young women in Sierra Leone
Voyce.me, Dylan Telano 鈥23: An online marketplace connecting unpublished writers with readers
窜鈥檚, Izaak Cohen 鈥20: A lifestyle accessories brand