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Aaron Jasper, a graduate student pursuing an MBA and the creator of Elevation Zero Tackle, a business that is creating an innovative new fishing lure product, won the $3,000 first prize in William Paterson University’s seventh annual Pitch Tank Competition in the Cotsakos College of Business.
“We are grateful to the faculty, staff and judges who continuously promote a spirit of entrepreneurship among our students,” says Siamack Shojai, dean of the Cotsakos College of Business. “I congratulate the William Paterson students who participated in the competition for making us proud.”
Jasper, a resident of Paterson, says his vision is to become a leader in the fishing tackle industry by revolutionizing and making a new standard of fishing lure, an artificial fishing bait in the shape of a fish.
In second place, Kacper Boguszewski of West Milford, a freshman, won $2,000 for developing WheelHub, an intuitive app that solves the problem of locating and buying the right wheels. The wheels are guaranteed to fit, and save the customers time and effort in the buying process. Boguszewski also received the “student choice award” by the student audience.
Isabel Gutjahr of Clifton, a junior, won the third place award of $1,000 for her business, Celebrity Secrets, a monthly makeup subscription and app to be used on Android or Apple phones. Her concept is the development of an innovative makeup product in the form of a face mask, designed to save time and consistency when applying makeup.
In fourth place, Mojahed Hamdeh of Wayne and Michaela Campo of Nutlley, both juniors, won $500 for EmployMe, a revolutionary networking platform that connects entry-level job seekers to employers, serving an overlooked job market and candidate pool.
Jasper, the top winner, will go on to compete at U-Pitch NJ (New Jersey’s Collegiate Business Model Competition), representing William Paterson, in April 2018 at Montclair State University.
The Pitch Tank Competition is open to all undergraduate and graduate students in any major at William Paterson, and was held in the University’s 1600 Valley Road Auditorium, where finalists presented an outline of their business plan. Presentations were judged on their innovation, need and market, revenue and sustainability, investment requirements, marketing and launch, perseverance and competence. Bahar Ashnai, assistant professor, Cotsakos College of Business, and Kate Muldoon, regional director of the William Paterson University Small Business Development Center, served as coordinators of the event.
Finalist round judges for the event included:
Paula Lombard, president, WEXCO Industries, a global supplier of windshield wiper blades and wiper system components and president and CEO of AutoTex, heavy duty wiper systems;
Janet Indelli, ‘79, Co-owner, Amazing Lash Studio and European Wax Center Franchise, and former vice president of marketing, promotion and talent of HBO Sports for more than 30 years;
Audrey Bonaparte-Watts ’95, senior sales director, Mary Kay Cosmetics with a national team; formerly assistant director, William Paterson’s Office of Alumni Relations for 20 years; and a member of Centenary University’s Board of Trustees;
Maria Rollins ’91, CPA, founding and managing partner, KRS CPAs, LLC; Serving her third year as a Pitch Tank finalist judge; and
Elizabeth “Liz” Weinmann, managing partner, BEAM-Impact Group and Cotsakos College of Business Advisory and Advancement Board Member, serving her second year as a finalist judge.
William Paterson University’s 2018 Pitch Tank Competition (formerly known as the Business Concept Competition) is sponsored by the University’s Cotsakos College of Business MBA Program in Entrepreneurship.
