Elevator Pitch Competition breaks records

Grove City College students took home more than $7,600 in prize money in the recent Elevator Pitch Competition (EPC) hosted by the Center for Entrepreneurship + Innovation (E+I).

“Thanks to our extremely generous title sponsors, Hudson Financial Advisors Inc., NexTier Bank, and the Grove City Foundation, as well as our surprise donor, the Thompson Family Fund, the finalists walked away with more money than we’ve ever awarded in this competition,” Yvonne English, ‘97, E+I Executive Director, said. “Our students inspired and convinced over 300 people that they are going to do great things in the world.”

The annual event challenges students to quickly and effectively make the case for an innovative idea for a business to potential investors. The ideas for commercial or social enterprises can be at any stage of development.

Student competitors had just two minutes to make their cases and convince the judges their ideas had both merit and the potential to turn a profit. That tight timeclock and the annual competition’s name come from the idea that an effective entrepreneur can pitch an idea in the time it would take to ride in an elevator with a potential investor.

Freshmen Entrepreneurship majors took home the top prize in both divisions of the competition. Lauren Deleonardis ’28 took first place for the Commercial Enterprise category. Her pitch for Handsong, a visual music app for the deaf and hard of hearing, won her a $500 cash prize.

Sarah Karns ’28 secured the top spot for the Social Enterprise category, along with the $500 prize, with her presentation for Play It Forward, a nonprofit organization that provides sports equipment to families who can't afford it.

In the Commercial Enterprise division, Audrey Karwowski ’26 took second place and a $400 prize for InSight, a hat that helps people with visual impairments "see" by using sensors and vibration-based feedback. Third place resulted in a tie between Gavin Rhodes ’28, who pitched Chameleon Boots (flexible kids’ snowboard boots) and Ian Martti ’27 with The Ball Marker Pen (a 2-D golf ball marker). Both claimed a $300 prize.

Second and third place prizes in the Social Enterprise division were shared as well. A team consisting of Karis Mall ’25, Kaitlyn Kuscevic ’28, and Julia Fisher ’27 pitching CanvasCare (online art therapy for children who have experienced trauma) tied with Eleni Kasiandides ’26 and SproutRoute (a community resource management tool for fresh produce to benefit local needs) for second place. Each of these teams won $400. Third place – and a $300 prize – went to Abigail Mason ’25 and her pitch for First 3 (a childhood development app) and Emily Haught ’27 and SocialPal (a pen pal app for people with special needs).

Other prizes were awarded during the Elevator Pitch Competition as well:

• Fan Favorite ($125) – Chameleon Boots. This award is determined by an audience vote.
• Social Impact Prize ($500) – Play It Forward. Dorene Powell, president of the Grove City Foundation, an affiliate of the Community Foundation of Western Pa. and Eastern Ohio, selected the winner, which was deemed to have the greatest potential for impact in the local community. 
• Commercial Innovation Prize ($500)– Chameleon Boots. This award was presented by the Thompson Family Fund to the team determined to have the greatest commercial viability.
• Hudson Financial Advisors Prize ($1,000) – InSight. This award was presented by EPC sponsor Hudson Financial Advisors Inc.

In addition, the Thompson Family Fund, represented by Daniel Thompson ’12, awarded cash prizes as a surprise bonus to all the student finalist teams, with $250 going to first place winners, $150 for second place, $100 for third place, $25 for the Fan Favorite, and $75 to all remaining finalist teams.

“Watching these students get up in front of the largest crowd we’ve ever had for this event and pitch their hearts out was an honor,” E+I Campus Director Logan Hammerschmitt ’16 said. “Honestly, it’s easy to get emotional when a student nails a pitch they have worked so hard to develop, and this was true of this year’s competition more than ever before. I’m proud of every student who got on that stage; it takes a lot of courage to do so!”

Karwowski was the top money winner, with her pitch for InSight netting a total of $1,550.

The competition’s judges were: Don Tharp, Hudson Financial Advisors Inc.; Chris Camp, Fun Fore All; Lori Brinker ‘96, Merrill Lynch; Mitch McFeely, NexTier Bank; and Dan Sumner, Westinghouse.

Volunteer reviewers in the first round of the competition were:  Kayla Armstrong, Frances Baldwin, Chris Borders ‘07, Mark Brody ‘83, Jeff Bucklew, Chadwyck Cobb ‘14, Brian Coy, Craig Creaturo ‘92, Dan Creston ‘81, Brad Dearborn ‘78, Steve DeCaspers ‘98, Benjamin Demers ‘19, Heather Dickison, Brian Dutton, Ruth Entwistle ‘07, Dean Faklis, Sondra Fisher ‘82, Collin Foster ‘12, Sandra Frederick, Kristy Gales, Michelle Gerwick, Curt Given ‘84, Glenn Grossman, Steven Guo, Michael Hemmerlin ‘97, Darcie Herron ‘93, Eric Herstine ‘75, Lindy Hitzel ‘19, Melissa Jacobs ‘92, Ashley Johns, Haley Kahle ‘16, Bob Keller ‘73, Matthew Lee ‘98, Sharon LeJeune ‘89, Beth Lepore ‘96, Marjorie Loresch ‘10, Lauren Marts ‘10, Drew McCandless ‘84, Heidi McDowell, Mitchell McFeely, Alan Mesches ‘71, Brian Mezey ‘03, Liam Morris ‘08, Elisabeth O'Brien ‘16, Lou Palumbo, Robin Parsons, Autumn Patterson, Michael Pentz ‘06, Max Polec, Patricia Premick ‘84, Keith Reagan ‘06, Tiffany Rice ‘18, Steven Roman ‘96, Bob Scott ‘72, Alissa Sgro ‘96, Barbara Shultz ‘95, Stephanie Slezak, Michael Smelko, Thomas Smith ‘62, Steve Solman ‘96, Cameron Suorsa ‘21, Allyson Sveda ‘88, Ann Thomas ‘93, Jack Thomas ‘89, Daniel Thompson ‘12, Christopher Tobias, Sheila Weatherly ‘03, Carlee Webb ‘99, Steve Wickman, James Will ‘98, Lesley Winfield ‘92, James Woehlke ‘76, Stephen Wong ‘10, Lara Wozniak, and Brett Yusiewicz.

For more about The Center for Entrepreneurship + Innovation, visit gccentrepreneurship.com.

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