entrepreneurship  | Young entrepreneurs are getting substantial support from two UVM initiatives, including the largest undergraduate prize for a business pitch competition in the nation.

UVM Innovations hosted the final presentations of the second annual Joy and Jerry Meyers Cup in March at the Alumni House’s Silver Maple Pavilion. Chip Meyers and his wife, Louise, fund this effort, representing the Meyers Family Trust, in honor of his parents, Joy and Jerry Meyers, who met as undergraduate students at UVM. Out of the three UVM undergraduate teams that presented their business ideas to a panel of judges, Campus Storage Solutions won the grand prize of $225,000 in cash.

“Winning feels amazing. We prepared so long for this and to have everything come to fruition is just incredible,” Ethan Israel ’26, Campus Storage Solutions’ founder, said. “My team and and the advisors we’ve had made this possible and made it a wonderful experience.”

Israel, who served as the company’s CEO, was inspired to start Campus Storage Solutions with Logan Vaughan ’27 after facing their own personal challenges with storing and moving belongings over the summer while away from college. Campus Storage Solutions, team includes Israel, Vaughan, the CFO, and Ally Updegrove ’25, who serves as the company’s CMO.

Also in March, Matthew McPherson, a high school entrepreneur from Flemington, N.J., was named the winner of the 2025 Vermont Pitch Challenge, a Shark Tank-like competition for teens. McPherson was awarded the competition’s top prize—a full-tuition scholarship to UVM—for his business venture, Boxer Breeze, after presenting his innovative plan to a panel of judges at UVM. McPherson, a high school senior, will be attending UVM this fall.

Boxer Breeze is an eco-friendly underwear brand that combats textile waste by using sustainable materials like bamboo fiber and organic cotton. The business plan also implements a closed-loop recycling system, where customers can return used pairs for discounts on future purchases, promoting sustainability in the fashion industry.

“This opportunity has been one of the most life-changing things to ever happen to me,” said McPherson. “Any of the finalists could have won today, and to have this feeling of being in first place and being a winner in this amazing competition is something I’ll hold near me forever.”