College entrepreneurs compete for $215,000 in prizes as the Schulze School of Entrepreneurship seeks the next big idea

MINNEAPOLIS, April 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- After a year's hiatus, college students are back for a national entrepreneurship competition that seeks to find the next big idea. And with a national economy recovering from COVID-19, those big ideas are more needed than ever.

Twenty-five teams will compete virtually later this week in the University of St. Thomas-hosted e-Fest competition. The event will award more than $215,000 in prizes to jumpstart their business ideas, ranging from energy-harvesting vehicle shock absorbers to a hyperpigmentation-relieving deodorant designed for women of color.

Sponsored by the Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation, the Schulze School of Entrepreneurship at the University of St. Thomas, and EIX.org (a non-profit online platform for entrepreneurship education), e-Fest celebrates student teams who submitted the top business pitches in a preliminary online competition. At e-Fest, student teams compete in a Pitch Slam, an Innovation Challenge and the featured event, the Schulze Entrepreneurship Challenge.  

Last year's event was cancelled due to the pandemic, although the Schulze Family Foundation still awarded $75,000 to finalist teams. With this year's award, the competition will have awarded more than $1 million since it started in 2017.

With their ability to drive innovation, social change and create new jobs, the roles of these entrepreneurs are critically important as a devastated global economy fights its way back from the coronavirus pandemic.

"Entrepreneurs will be more important than ever as we build back our economy," said Laura Dunham, Associate Dean of Schulze School of Entrepreneurship. "It will be the work of entrepreneurs and innovators to reimagine a society and economy that works for all its citizens, that creates opportunity for all, that fosters equity, fairness and justice. It will be the work of entrepreneurs to create the businesses and generate the jobs that will restore and revitalize our economy." 

Here are the 25 finalists: 
AeroPest, Drexel University  
Base2Base, US Airforce Academy  
Boosted Chews, University of Wisconsin-Madison  
Brave Virtual Worlds, University of Virginia  
Cress Health, Hofstra University  
EthioPay, Georgia State University  
Finalysis, George Washington University  
Hydrova, Georgetown University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology  
Keyrift, Florida Gulf Coast University  
KicksTrader, University of Virginia 
Magna-Shox, Colorado State University  
MassApply, Virginia Tech  
MELA, George Washington University  
Mo.Na Gems, Johns Hopkins University  
Nutrivide, Rutgers University   
Pill Skills, University of Wisconsin-Madison   
Renter Chat, Northeastern University   
Safet E Sense, Seton Hill University  
SCOUTS, California State University-Monterey Bay   
sidekickk, Grove City College  
SPAITR, University of New Hampshire  
Stormie Seas, Florida Gulf Coast University   
Telo, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities   
Virgo, University of Northern Iowa  
VisUplan, University of St. Thomas   

Schulze School of Entrepreneurship 
The Schulze School at the University of St. Thomas cultivates the next generation of entrepreneurial problem solvers and innovators. The school offers undergraduate and graduate programs in entrepreneurship and corporate innovation, as well as community resources to support new ventures, family businesses and corporate entrepreneurs. 

Media Contact: Vineeta Sawkar 
[email protected] 
651-962-6404 

SOURCE Schulze School of Entrepreneurship