Aspiring Entrepreneurs Win Big at FAU’s Business Pitch Competition
A device that uncovers health conditions and a sustainable bracelet company were among the winners at Florida Atlantic University’s 16th annual Business Pitch Competition.
A device that uncovers health conditions and a sustainable bracelet company were among the winners at Florida Atlantic University’s 16th annual Business Pitch Competition.
Sponsored by the College of Business and the Adams Center for Entrepreneurship, the recent contest drew students and veterans from across the university to pitch their entrepreneurial ideas in the hopes of winning seed money for their aspiring business.
NanoSense, a company founded by FAU High dual-enrollees Noor Habona and Abigail Sinu, won first place in the student track. Their device uses compounds in people’s breath to detect possible medical conditions such as lung cancer, tumors and asthma.
“We are very impressed with the turnout and innovation witnessed in the business ideas from this year,” said Kevin Cox, Ph.D., director of the Adams Center for Entrepreneurship.“The competition has really evolved beyond from just pitching their concepts to hearing from individuals who are building and working on businesses they plan to take to market.”
Seventh grader Aryana Sahai from A.D. Henderson University School won in the youth track for Ladlis, a sustainable handcrafted bracelet organization that donates proceeds to educating young girls in India. Family-owned food company Pa’ Picar & Llevar from Monica Zuluaga and Nancy Moreno won first place in the Spanish language track; and the Barracks Legend Foundation, a nonprofit organization aimed at helping veterans with PTSD and traumatic brain injuries, won first place in the veteran track.
Judges for the event included founders of local companies such as Celsius and 4EverYoung, as well as the Florida Hispanic American Chamber of Commerce. Other finalists in the competition also received seed money for their companies.
The competition ended with the FAU Innovation Awards Ceremony to honor winners in the Business Pitch Competition, along with winners from the Florida Wave competition and Tech Runway Atlantic Pitch competition.
For a complete list of runner ups in each competition, visit here.
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