WKU News

From custom classroom decor subscription boxes for teachers, to an all-in-one wedding venue stocked with creative entertainment activities for guests, to an app styled to look like social media but intended to be used to discreetly notify the police in emergency situations, the students at WKU have some big ideas.

Eleven student teams presented their business ideas Friday (Nov. 1) in the annual TOP IDEAS Entrepreneurship Challenge, which included a trade show and pitch competition.

“The purpose of the TOP IDEAS Entrepreneurship Challenge is to give a public outlet to student business ideas,” said Dr. Whitney Peake, Director of the Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. “This is a wonderful opportunity for students to share their venture concepts and receive feedback.”

Teams pitched their business idea to a panel of judges while trade show attendees interacted with the student entrepreneurs at their tables, viewed prototypes, listened to elevator pitch competitions, and voted for their favorite business ideas in the “crowd favorite” portion of the competition.

Five student teams were named finalists Friday afternoon and will have the opportunity to advance in state and national competitions:

• Adams’ Mirrors - Jonathan Adams, Alyssa Adams
• Nice Food - Nate Brooks
• Custom Classroom - Haley Cooper, Maggie Chaplin, Alea Luckett, and Nicholas Brock
• Just Girly Things App - Rebecca Green
• Greek World - Natalie Stagoski, Emma Goetz, and Dakota Davis

The selected crowd favorite was competing team Bitz, which included students Oliver Talmadge, Nate Addington, Caleb Ayres, and Will Hinton.

For more information about finalists and the TOP IDEAS Entrepreneurship Challenge, visit: wku.edu/cei/top_ideas.php.

#StartSomething #TOPideas #ClimbWithUs