April 25, 2023
Oakland University's School of Business Administration recently announced the winners of the 2023 Idea Pitch Competition organized by a team of faculty, staff, and students from the Management & Marketing Department. The competition, which took place on March 29, showcased the innovative ideas of student entrepreneurs from various academic backgrounds.
After a rigorous selection process, the top six finalists were chosen to present their ideas to a panel of judges comprised of industry experts, business founders, and venture capital representatives. The judges evaluated each pitch based on the uniqueness of the idea, its potential for commercial success, and the quality of the presentation.
The winners of the 2023 Idea Pitch Competition are:
• First Place - Emily Lingerfelt, Light-Wait: Light-Wait is a simple light system that will be used to attract a waiter's attention and notify them when customers need assistance. It will stop long and unnecessary waits, and avoid return trips from your waiter before you need them.
• Second Place - Izabelle Pennell, BHB Farm & Event Center: BHB Farm & Event Center is a multi-use facility open year-round to accommodate guests for events, dining, and U-Pick Crops. The farm also holds limited livestock and seasonal produce – both grown on-site or sourced locally.
• Third Place - Samuel Palmeter and Matthew Moretuzzo, Detroit Wallet Company: Detroit Wallet Company produces wallet holders that provide easy contact information sharing. By prompting new contacts to scan their personalized QR code with their phone camera, users of this product can easily keep their phone contact lists up to date.
“Getting to compete in the 2023 Business Pitch Competition was a wonderful, fun, and exciting opportunity to practice my business skills in a professional environment,” said Lingerfelt. “To get to present my idea to such a distinguished panel of judges and to compete alongside such talented students was an even bigger honor.”
The winners of the 2023 Idea Pitch Competition received cash prizes in the amounts of $1,000, $500 and $250, respectively.
"We are incredibly impressed by the caliber of ideas presented by our students in this year's competition," said Dr. Janell Townsend, chair, Department of Management and Marketing. “The entrepreneurial spirit and creativity demonstrated by our students highlight the strength of our program and the potential impact our graduates can have on the business world.”
The event wouldn’t have been possible without the support of the volunteer judges, including: Jay Song, director of commercial and international finance at Mullen Automotive; Chris Powers, co-founder of Reciprocity Apps; Allison Murdock, associate at ID Ventures; Paula Tutman, multi-Emmy-winning journalist at WDIV Channel 4; and Marianne Fey, president and CEO at Banker & Brisebois.
“I was impressed by the student founders and I had fun connecting with folks the day of the event” said Powers, an OU alum.
“It was a great event and opportunity for students to learn. Listening to other presentations and hearing the judges’ feedback gave students the opportunity to build skills that will serve them well in future endeavors,” Tutman said.
About Oakland University School of Business
Oakland University's School of Business provides students with a comprehensive business education that emphasizes experiential learning and practical application, preparing students to succeed in a rapidly evolving business landscape. For more information, visit www.oakland.edu/business.