Whereas philosophers say, “I think therefore I am”, entrepreneurs say, “I pitch therefore I am.” Invoking and channeling this spirit, ten teams of University of Vermont students recently participated in the 2019 UVM Business Pitch Competition and put their faith in their business ideas on display.

Teams from four schools from across campus were represented including Rubenstein School of Environment & Natural Resources, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences / Community Development & Applied Economics Department, Grossman School of Business (GSB), and the College of Engineering and Mathematical Sciences / Mechanical Engineering Department. The business ideas ranged from an innovative hospital robe, to a sustainable wood shop, a family-run brewpub, and a renewable plastic bottle solution, to name a few.

A panel of judges, made up of experienced entrepreneurs, investors, and entrepreneurial advisors – four of whom are UVM alumni - evaluated each team’s presentations and business plans and provided feedback.  The teams were:

·      Blueband: Ryan Smith                               

·      Major League Investments: Jatinder Gill                        

·      Animazement Marketing, LLC: Andrew Louria & Nathan Miles                      

·      Visonary Heights Media: Matt Carney                             

·      Recovery Robe: Max Muller & Grayson Glosser                       

·      RenewaBottle: Earl Humes                                   

·      Millbrook Brewing, LLC: Tanner Schanzlin                                

·      LocalGrab: Jon Trembley                          

·      CurrentZ: Jake Dwinell, Collins Farr, Drew Herbert, & Qihao Lan

·      Wood: Full Circle, LLC: Lance Van Vogelpoel                           

The judges awarded the Grand Prize to CurrentZ, a team of GSB seniors who pitched a portable river-powered electric generator for kayakers. Second prizes were awarded to Recovery Robe for most innovative product, to Millbrook Brewing, LLC for best pitch, and to Wood: Full Circle, LLC, for best business model. In addition, Millbrook Brewing, LLC, also won the people’s choice award, selected by a live electronic vote of the attending public.

Lead faculty coordinator Erik Monsen, Associate Professor and Steven Grossman Endowed Chair in Entrepreneurship, said "Entrepreneurship is getting out of the classroom and sharing your innovative ideas as broadly as possible, in order to find out if there is a market for your idea. Pitch competitions like this one are a key opportunity for students to practice sharing their ideas, and learning how to receive feedback, in order to further improve their ideas and increase their chances of changing the world."

Very special thanks to the judges:

·      Sarah Kearns (Advisor, Vermont Small Business Development Center)

·      Eli Moulton (Founder/Managing Member, The Moulton Law Group)

·      Sam Cutting ‘80 (President/Owner, Dakin Farm)

·      Paul Goodman '76 (President, Silver Sun Foundation)

·      Tripp Blair ‘76 (President, RM Blair & Associates LLC)

·      Glenn Gottfried ‘77 (Principal/Co-Founder, South Branch Capital Partners, LLC)

and to the school faculty coordinators Erik Monsen (GSB), Dave Kaufman (Rubenstein), Trisha Shrum (CALS), and Dustin Rand (CEMS), plus student representative Ben Collins of the UVM Entrepreneurship Club.

An extra special thanks also go out to our local community sponsors, who all play a very important role in supporting start-ups and the entrepreneurial ecosystem here in Burlington and across Vermont.

 The UVM Business Pitch Competition is supported by a generous gift from David Aronoff ’86.