The annual Franz Center $100K Venture Competition took place on Saturday, April 23, with a record number of 34 teams participating, according to Peter Rachor, Franz Center.
The winner in the Social Enterprise category was Pro Social, a web platform to help people find a volunteer organization that fits with their passions and interests, by Spencer Fovell and Ashley Lund.
Winners in the For-Profit category:
- First Place: Sentri Performance, which developed an outdoor “hoodie” for snowboarding and outdoor pursuits, by Michael Williamson
- Second Place: Doda Aroma Miracle Patches, aromatherapy patches for homeopathic healing, by David Govshtein
- Third Place: Benefit Biscuits, handcrafted dog biscuits containing natural ingredients, by Chris Jordan.
The competition provides students with the opportunity to receive feedback from experts in the entrepreneurial community, win cash prizes, and acquire legal and other services that will help advance an idea to the next stage in the entrepreneurial process. Prizes included $1,250 for first place (for-profit and non-profit); $750 for second place (for-profit) and $250 for third place (for-profit). Sponsors included D&B, LivePlan, Schwabe, Williamson and Wyatt, Domain.com, AARP, Portland Business Journal, and the Oregon Entrepreneurs Network (OEN).
For more information contact Peter Rachor, Franz Center, at rachor@up.edu.