Four winners, including undergraduate and graduate students, emerged from The University of Baltimore's 13th annual "Rise to the Challenge" Business Pitch Competition on May 1, each receiving their own "big check" and a portion of $30,000 in prize money. The event, supported annually by the University's Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation (CEI), provides a showcase for many of the UBalt community's most talented and driven entrepreneurs.
For the first time, three finalists were chosen for the evening's top prize, with the Most Promising Business award going in three equal portions to Dorien Murphy, founder of Cheffin, a premium private chef service delivering curated, high-end fine dining experiences; Ayanna Roberts, founder of Pretty Kitty Wax Studio LLC, which provides expert, customized care designed for melanin-rich skin; and N'Kobe Turner, founder of Grandma's Southern Pies, maker of organic, gluten-free, and vegan pies and cookies supporting autism awareness.
The $15,000 award, established in 2018 through the Jay Ripley Entrepreneurship Fund and given to the student whose business, in either category, shows the best prospects for growth, as determined by the "Rise" judges.
Shakkearra Sykes, founder of Brève, which offers a curated selection of premium, customizable home décor products and services designed to elevate living spaces with style and flexibility, took home first place in the Aspiring Business Ventures category, netting $2,000.
Each of these competitors also took home additional prizes. Roberts won the top vote for Existing Business Ventures, capturing a $5,000 prize, and walked away with the $1,000 Crowd Favorite award. Turner won the Baltimore Fund Award, a $1,000 prize awarded to the entrepreneur who best exemplifies the University's commitment to Community and Civic Engagement, Ethical Engagement, and Responsible and Resourceful Stewardship for the City of Baltimore, and the new Ajit Ahuja Memorial Most Spirited Entrepreneur award, a $1,000 prize recognizing the competitor who best embodies the passion, spirit, and tenacity of an entrepreneur.
Murphy earned the Hustle Award, provided by Jason Tagler, founder of Pitch Creator, a $1,000 prize for the finalist who shows the most improvement during the multi-week presentation coaching program. Sykes and Roberts also split the Dean's Challenge Award, a $5,000 prize given to the competitor or competitors who best demonstrate the use of advanced technology, such as AI.
As an added highlight this year, Aasha Mikha'El, a senior Ratcliffe Entrepreneurship Fellow, delivered the keynote address. Mikha'El, founder of Uniquely in Place (U.I.P), a hair salon/ barbershop servicing children and adults with autism and other behavioral challenges, and the 2024 winner of the Most Promising Business and Crowd Favorite awards, discussed how her experience as an entrepreneurship student at UBalt has fueled and shaped her success—and helped make the entire night a memorable celebration of the entrepreneurial spirit.
Other finalists in the competition included Mary-Elizabeth Baccus, founder of Digii Digital LLC, which is set to revolutionize graduation ceremonies by fusing traditional cap customization with interactive digital technology; Cai Davis, founder of Tipsy Trips, a mobile app that connects users with exclusive happy hour specials at local restaurants and bars; and Maxwell Lawson, founder of WigglyFix, a hands-free, reusable wig installation device designed to simplify and enhance the wig-wearing experience.
As part of UBalt's Centennial Celebration, CEI recruited a judges panel of all-alumni entrepreneurs, representing a wide range of backgrounds and industries:
Ateet Ahuja, MBA '09, a serial entrepreneur and founder of Indian Destination Wedding
Nicole Mighty, B.S. '22, CEO/head designer for Spiked Orchids
Naa D. Nyanin, MBA '07, founder/CEO of NDN International LLC
Michael Tager, MFA '15, founder of Mason Jar Press
"Although not everyone walked away with a monetary prize, I believe that all of the
finalists proved to be winners in one way or another that night," said Henry Mortimer, director of UBalt's Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. "The grit, determination, and purpose-driven mindset they displayed exemplify why
events like 'Rise to the Challenge' matter so deeply. The University of Baltimore
recognizes the crucial role that emerging, often minority-owned businesses play in
the economic health of the Baltimore region. By fostering an entrepreneurial spirit
in our students, while offering the means to earn a college degree, UBalt does more
than educate—we create a place where transformation happens, where ideas become ventures,
where students become leaders, and where our community becomes stronger."
Learn more about the 2025 "Rise to the Challenge" finalists.
The "Rise to the Challenge" competition, sponsored by CEI, is designed to generate
awareness of emerging and established innovative business ventures nurtured by the
UBalt community. Learn more about the competition.