Merced, CA-- April 30th. UC Merced students competed in the 5th Annual Entrepreneurial Seminar and Pitchfest on April 30th in the Kolligian Library. The seminar and competition offered students workshops on entrepreneurship, a panel discussion, and two pitch competitions for original business concepts.
This year’s competition featured a new team challenge, sponsored by the UC Merced Venture Lab. Student teams were challenged to pitch business concepts on a designated area of opportunity: Virtual Reality. Seven teams competed for the $500 prize, and Joseph Awwad and Jose Arrieta won for Vert, a virtual reality commercial training platform for companies with dangerous work conditions.
The Ruiz Prize in Entrepreneurial Communication, sponsored by the Ruiz Family Chair in Entrepreneurship, was awarded to Logan White for his concept of Selfless Health, a charitable foundation dedicated to providing medical supplies to specific clinics in distressed communities in Guatemala, Botswana, and the Central Valley.
Pitchfest is organized by a partnership between The Entrepreneurial Society of UCM (TESUM), The Merritt Writing Program, The Ruiz Chair in Entrepreneurship, with support from the Center for Career and Professional Advancement, ASUCM, and the UC Merced Venture Lab.
The next Pitchfest will be held in the fall of 2016 and will be open to all UC Merced students.
