Thursday, Sep 19, 2024 • Brian Lopez : contact

The Maverick Entrepreneur Program awarded $117,500 to nine University of Texas at Arlington student entrepreneurs during the final round of the 2024 MavPitch competition on Aug. 15.

MavPitch is an annual entrepreneurial competition in which students craft ideas for businesses and products and pitch them to a panel of judges to receive award money for their business venture.

“This event is a great way for students to be exposed to entrepreneurship and help them foster a sense of innovation and outside-the-box thinking,” said Jeffrey McGee, a professor in the Department of Management and the program’s organizer. “The program's structure instills confidence and helps students improve their critical skills. It also gives them a chance to win up to $40,000 in prize money.”

MavPitch is a Shark Tank-style pitch competition in which students pitch realistic business ideas and products to a panel of carefully selected judges who are business owners and entrepreneurs. The event is split into two rounds, one conducted in the spring and the other culminating just before the fall semester.

Students are awarded monetary rewards based on their business’ feasibility, its potential for success and their professional pitching ability. During the first round, students can win up to $15,000; during the second, they can win up to $25,000. Four CEOs and founders of local companies made up the judging panel during the final round.

“The folks we bring as judges are truly eager to help our students because they’ve been through it,” Dr. McGee said. “Even with that, the environment is very supportive and uplifting, and our students gain valuable knowledge and feedback.”

“I learned how to pitch a business, look at financial details and, more importantly, learned how to convey the right thing to the right audience,” said Ishan Poudel, developer of RAGStream and MavPitch participant. “The competition is a great system for students. It forces you to really flesh out your business ideas, and having it judged and validated by industry leaders is great.”

MavPitch also partnered with TechFW, a Fort Worth-based nonprofit entrepreneur support organization, to help students bolster their pitches and refine their business plans. Between the first and second rounds of the competition, students attended an eight-week program with TechFW that helped them further organize their pitches and flesh out their business ideas.

“Our assumption is that these participants will be entrepreneurs. So, we equip them with the skills, knowledge and experience to help them reap benefits from whatever venture they do,” said Hayden Blackburn, TechFW’s chief operating officer. “We help them develop skillsets like figuring out market potential, who their customer base will be and how to create a roadmap to execute on. Beyond that, it’s about the personal reflection they get from their experience and the confidence they gain.”

This support, feedback from the judges, and guidance from professionals at TechFW allowed the student entrepreneurs to improve their business models, grow in confidence and prepare for their future with new skills and techniques.

The judges included:

• Molly Sandlin – Founder and CEO, CAET Project Management Consultants LLC
• James Sellers – Founder and CEO, Sellmark
• Mirna Sellers – Founder and CEO, Get Wellness
• Evelyn Torres – Founder and CEO, Solaris Technologies Services

After planning, practicing, refining and pitching their entrepreneurial ventures, nine students were awarded monetary prizes in the final round of the MavPitch competition. The winning pitches and prize amounts were:

Château D'Amour ($2,500), which provides a comprehensive wedding experience in a château-style venue, encompassing planning, partnerships and personalization for all wedding essentials.

EZBUFF ($5,000), which caters to gamers with trendy, comfortable attire featuring gamer-centric designs. The products include customizable hoodies, tees and joggers with popular gaming jargon like GGWP and AFK. Focused on Hispanic gamers, EZBUFF offers stylish expressions of gaming passion and lifestyle.

OurScene ($25,000), which addresses the music industry's need for a groundbreaking platform that enhances connectivity and empowers industry professionals with robust tools. The platform fosters deeper connections between artists and their fanbases, featuring real-time key performance indicators, an integrated booking calendar and an inclusive ticketing system for a seamless concert management experience.

NeuroLocker ($2,500), which provides comprehensive educational assistance to neurodivergent and learning-disabled students, simplifying school management inside and outside the classroom.

Picasso's Parcel ($5,000), which unlocks creative potential with curated art supplies and themed boxes. It offers artisanal materials, exclusive tutorials and access to a vibrant artist community for a personalized artistic journey.

Pluto Learning ($25,000), which is partnering with colleges to use artificial intelligence (AI) technology to enhance academic support for high DFW rate courses, primarily in STEM fields. The platform introduces AI-driven long-term study groups and provides an AI tutor for 24/7 individual support.

RAGstream ($25,000), which offers an AI platform for interactive data communication. It transforms resources like PDFs and videos into personalized AI assistants, addressing critical challenges in generative AI.

Smart Door ($25,000), which pioneers intelligent doors with built-in computerized systems. It features a 32-inch touchscreen, live outdoor camera feed and multifunctional capabilities, setting the stage for advanced smart door technology.

Star Twix Nails ($2,500), which is a one-stop destination for Harajuku and Kawaii press-on nails and supplies.

For more information about MAVPitch, visit go.uta.edu/mavpitch.

 — Written by Thomas Johns, College of Business