The Center for Entrepreneurship + Innovation (E+I) at Grove City College will hold the final round of the annual Elevator Pitch Competition (EPC) at 7 p.m. Nov. 13 in Sticht Lecture Hall of the Staley Hall of Arts and Letters on campus.
Nineteen teams of students will pitch their concepts for a commercial or social enterprise to a panel of professionals in this final round for the chance to win prize money and, perhaps, turn their ideas into reality. These pitches were gleaned by a panel of reviewers who evaluated 169 student pitches in the first round of the competition.
This year saw a significant increase in the number of entries over last year and the highest total in the past five years. Thirty different majors were represented by those who entered the competition which is open to students of all majors.
“The unprecedented number of entries this year illustrates the boundless creativity and innovation of the next generation,” said Yvonne J. English ’97, professor of practice and executive director of E+I. “We invite you to the EPC Finals where you’re sure to become inspired by how our finalists aim to shape a brighter future for us all.”
The EPC finals event is free and open to the public. It will also be livestreamed at gccentrepreneurship.com.
The competition is named for the frequently used term, which means “tell me about your new venture within the time it would take to ride up an elevator.” Students have just two minutes to present their ideas, which can be at any stage of development.
The goal of the Elevator Pitch Competition is to teach students to communicate effectively and allow their charisma and positive characteristics to shine through in just a short pitch. This year’s finalists are:
Commercial Enterprise
- Chameleon Boots – Gavin Rhodes ’28 (Entrepreneurship); flexible kids' snowboard boots
- GermGone – Kaitlyn Kuscevic ’28 (Entrepreneurship); software that tracks how long fast-food/restaurant employees wash their hands
- HandSong – Lauren Deleonardis ’28 (Entrepreneurship); a visual music app for the deaf and hard of hearing
- InSight – Audrey Karwowski ’26 (Entrepreneurship); a hat that helps people with visual impairments "see" through sensors and vibration-based feedback
- Pack Llama – Charlie Cratty ’27 (Applied Science and Engineering); custom backpacks
- Parts TRKR – Owen Gasser ’26 (Entrepreneurship); an AI-based platform that helps find, track, and evaluate the price of aircraft parts
- Sweet Shape Sheet – Elena Tylka ’28 (Finance); a baking sheet made specifically for cut-out cookies
- The Ball Marker Pen – Ian Martti ’27 (Supply Chain Management); a 2-D golf ball marker
- Trail Beacon – Truman Eichler ’28 (Entrepreneurship); a network of physical trail markers that connect to users’ mobile devices and provide information about weather and trail conditions, adaptive navigation, and SOS capabilities
Social enterprise
- CanvasCare – Karis Mall ’25 (Entrepreneurship), Kaitlyn Kuscevic ’28 (Entrepreneurship) Julia Fisher ’27 (Entrepreneurship); online art therapy for children who've experienced trauma
- Crafted Connections – Mia Campagna ’25 (Marketing), Ellie Gardner ’27 (Entrepreneurship); Leyla Zwolinski ’27 (Entrepreneurship); Emily Haught ’27 (Entrepreneurship); bridging generations through meaningful crafting
- Ekklesia – Luke Huber ’28 (Entrepreneurship); an online Christian marketplace that both connects businesses with buyers and supports and promotes Christian enterprises
- First 3 – Abigail Mason ’25 (Design and Innovation); a childhood development app that equips parents to understand their child’s needs during the formative learning years
- Kickstand – Craig Nyguist ’25 (Entrepreneurship); pre-approved gifts for nurses and caretakers
- Play It Forward – Sarah Karns ‘28 (Entrepreneurship); a nonprofit organization that provides sports equipment to families who can't afford it
- Ryppl – John Bauer ’25 (Computer Science); a community-driven platform designed to instill basic habits to create lasting benefits
- SocialPal – Emily Haught ’27 (Entrepreneurship); a digital pen pal app for persons with special needs
- SproutRoute – Eleni Kasiandides ’26 (Entrepreneurship and Management); community resource management of fresh produce to benefit local needs
- Wild Game Givers—Cayden Testa ’26 (Entrepreneurship); connecting hunters with the hungry population in Mercer County
"This year, more than ever before, the best of the best teams rose to the top and made the finals," E+I Campus Director Logan Hammerschmitt ’16 said. "It's going to be a tough job for the judges to select the winner of each category. The Elevator Pitch Competition is a great opportunity for students to hone their public speaking skills and I'm excited to hear each student present the pitch that they have spent so much time preparing."
Elevator Pitch Competition Judges will award cash prizes for first ($500), second ($400), and third ($300) place and the audience will weigh in to determine the winner of a $100 Fan Favorite award. Additionally, two special prizes will also be awarded: a $500 Social Impact Prize by the Grove City Foundation; and a $1,000 prize provided by Hudson Financial Advisors, a new sponsor of the EPC. Other sponsors include NexTier Bank, and the Grove City Foundation.
For more about E+I and to watch the livestream, visit gccentrepreneurship.com.