InstaPrintz Wins Claflin University’s Inaugural Entrepreneurship Business Competition
Feb 13, 2014
InstaPrintz, a program that would allow users to make mobile “printures,” won Claflin University’s inaugural Entrepreneurship Business Competition on Monday night.
As the winner, the four-person team – comprised of students Maame Addo, Michael Devore, Brandolyn Mack and Linh Tong – received the $5,000 grand prize, which will help the students take their business plan to the next level.
Eleven teams competed for monetary prizes totaling $10,000 in a competition that loosely resembled the popular ABC television show “Shark Tank.” Second, third, fourth and fifth-place winners received $3,000, $1,200, $500 and $300, respectively.
Judging the event was retired real estate entrepreneur and rancher Joseph Sanders, New York-based entertainment lawyer Johan S. Powell, CEO and founder of Education Through Talent Gwendolyn Chisolm, and S.C. Manufacturing Extension Partnership President and CEO John Irion.
Each team of two to four undergraduate interdisciplinary students had 15 minutes to share a detailed and well-researched business plan that they have been perfecting with help from Claflin’s School of Business faculty since the fall. Teams also presented prototypes and fielded questions from the judges before a standing-room-only crowd of onlookers. Projects ranged from high-tech products to those in the service industry.
Coming in second place was REO, or Revolution of Eco-friendly Operations, by Trang Do, Talisa Kinsale and Krystal Bowser. Third-place winner the Urban Dreams talent management firm of Ayesha Bryson and Halle Williamson. In fourth place was the Collar Cop duo of Michael Brinkley and Kalvin Smith with their shirt collar insert cleaner made from “Jute.” And rounding out the top five was Aha-Vah, a nutrition drink made with wheat grass, developed by Adam Pratt and Kaitlyn White.
Also competing in the first-ever Entrepreneurship Business Competition at Claflin were:
- Tumanisha, a new money transfer service connecting the U.S. and Kenya.
- RichIcons, a unique clothing line already in production on campus.
- Marketplace, a mobile app that would connect local businesses.
- UP, a grocery ordering service.
- D&W Better Homes, creator of luxury mobile homes for low-income families.
- Orange TAG, maker of custom-made T-shirts.
The Entrepreneurship Business Competition was just one of the events taking place on campus during the University’s third annual Business Week, themed “The Next Generation of Global Leaders.” For more information, visit www.claflin.edu.