“Pitch Your Idea in 90 Seconds” contestants stand together outside of Raley Hall Friday afternoon. Photo by Tommy Penick

by EDWARD SZTUKOWSKI
News Editor

Students had the opportunity to pitch their best business ideas in the “Pitch Your Idea in 90 Seconds” contest during the Eighth Annual Entrepreneurship Summit Friday.

Twenty students were picked from 185 candidates based solely on their entrepreneurship ideas.

Students had a minute and a half to sell the audience on their business ideas, which ranged from luxury laptop covers to a female owned-and-operated car service center.

Nordelo

Senior music industry studies major Christopher J. Nordelo was awarded the first place prize of $1,000 for his organic vending machine, GreenVend.

Nordelo explained as a full-time college student, sometimes it is necessary to eat on the run. Students get meals from vending machines, which are often unhealthy, he said.

“These days, you’re lucky to find even one healthy product in a vending machine,” Nordelo said. “Our vending machine would find a healthy alternative to what one normally finds in a vending machine today.”

Nordelo said it felt good to win, and he hopes to expand on his business idea in the future.

“I didn’t even expect to be doing this competition at all because I’m a music industries major,” Nordelo said. “I had lots of ideas and picked the one I felt most appropriate for the times and the town.”

Hostyk

Junior advertising major Sarah I.C. Hostyk won the second place prize of $500 as well as “Best Presentation” for her Shoe Residue Advertising Creative Company idea.

“I’d like to thank the people that listened to my speech and everyone for coming out,” Hostyk said. “It’s been an amazing day.”

The third place prize of $250 was awarded to senior management major Joshua D. LeFever for his Appal Eyes idea.

Appal Eyes is an interactive Web site, which would give a “Google street view” style picture of different areas on the Appalachian Trail. 

LeFever

“No other service, not even Google Earth, offers this type of visibility,” LeFever said.

In the past, “Pitch Your Idea” contest winners have experienced success after graduating.

Former contest winner Jon West and business partner Chad Ledford attended the contest and congratulated all the winners.

West received “Most likely to succeed online” in 2005, and went on to found 3tailer.com with Ledford. 3tailer.com works as an e-commerce site, allowing customers to shop from several places at once.

Photo by Tommy Penick  |  The Appalachian

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