UBalt's 12th Annual 'Rise to the Challenge' Business Pitch Competition Set for May 2
April 2, 2024
Contact: Office of Advancement and External Relations
Phone: 410.837.5739
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Judges representing The University of Baltimore's Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation have selected six businesses as finalists for the upcoming "Rise to the Challenge" Pitch Competition. The annual event, now in its 12th year, provides an opportunity for members of the greater UBalt community to pitch ideas and concepts for new and existing businesses before a live audience of their peers, supporters and entrepreneurial experts from the Baltimore community. The "Rise to the Challenge" event will take place on Thursday, May 2, beginning at 5:30 p.m. in the Wright Theater, located on the top floor of UBalt's Student Center, 21 W. Mt. Royal Ave. Registration is required to attend; details are listed below.
This year's panel, consisting of undergrads, graduate students and UBalt alumni, will compete in two
separate business categories, Aspiring Business Ventures and Existing Business Ventures, for
nearly $30,000 in seed money and in-kind professional services.
The finalists and their businesses in Aspiring Business Ventures are:
- Maria Del Hoyo, Blackfoot Studio, a boutique recording studio that aims to unify Baltimore's art and creative collective while unlocking opportunities for growth in the entertainment industry.
- Masie Hawkins, The Dream Bra, a comfortable push-up bra that promotes beauty using irritation-free, healthy materials without the use of metals or plastics.
- Aasha Mikha'El, founder of Uniquely in Place, a hair salon/ barbershop servicing children and adults with autism and other behavioral challenges in a sensory-friendly environment.
- Erica Odoemene, Eriodo Education, an online platform using gamification, AI, and personalized challenges to teach financial literacy in an engaging and adaptive experience.
The finalists and businesses in the Existing Business Ventures category are:
- Joyson Balisamore, Jay's Watermelonade, a delicious, natural beverage made without excessive sugars and artificial ingredients for health-conscious individuals in the Baltimore metro area.
- Crystal Wamalwa, audaCITY Tours, designed to shine a light on black artists by offering them a stage to showcase the depth and diversity of their talents in painting, music, literature, or performance.
This dynamic group will present before a live audience and a panel of expert judges, representing the local business ecosystem who will band together to select the winners.
"Once again, I was impressed by the diversity of the submissions and the breadth of this year's applicants, who hail from all corners of the UBalt community," said Henry Mortimer, director of the Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. "It's exciting to see so many unique ideas put forth by our students and alumni, and an honor to support their efforts through the CEI. I imagine the judges are going to have their work cut out for them in May. This is shaping up to be our best pitch competition yet."
The "Rise to the Challenge" competition, sponsored by UBalt's Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, is designed to generate awareness of new and emerging innovative business ventures nurtured by The University of Baltimore community. Register for this event here.
The University of Baltimore's Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, named one of the Baltimore Business Journal's "Top Incubators and Accelerators for 2019," directs support and assistance to UBalt students and alumni who are interested in building or growing an enterprise.