Each year, the Center for Entrepreneurship + Innovation at Grove City College holds a venture competition in which students compete in a quest for the best new original startup ideas.  In this episode, students from a variety of teams tell their story of creating and pitching ideas before a panel of successful entrepreneurs. And, Yvonne English and Logan Hammerschmitt of the Center for E+I weigh in on the day’s events as students vie for $30,000.

Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Ay2T9Qyh1Y8

Watch a replay of the 2024 Wolverine Venture Battle Competition

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Professor Tim Sweet, Department Chair and Professor of Entrepreneurship, Host of the Innovation Generation Podcast

Yvonne English, Executive Director + Entrepreneur in Residence of the Center for Entrepreneurship + Innovation and Professor of Practice for the Department of Entrepreneurship

Logan Hammerchmitt, Campus Director of the Center for Entrepreneurship + Innovation

Learn more about the Grove City College Entrepreneurship Program

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2024 VENTURE BATTLE FINALISTS:

Fortifly: $6,350.00

Fortifly partners with healthcare providers specializing in eating disorder treatment by gamifying healthy habit building within a supportive community.

• Audrey Karwowski ’26
• Eleni Kasianides ’26
• Emma Fiscus ’25
• Natalie Gilkinson ’27
• Owen Gasser ’26
• Joel Riehl ’26

Tooli: $6,050.00

A peer to peer tooling, equipment, and service rental application to help users monetize their clutter while reducing tool waste.

• Elliot Eyre ’24

IDwear: $4,650.00 + $500 Fan Favorite

Wearable RFID solutions to improve safety and bring convenience to college campuses across the US.

• Caroline Dawson ’25
• Quincy Chapman ’25

Sleek Real-Estate Photography: $3,300.00

Sleek Realestate Photography delivers friendly service, breathtaking media, and 12-hour turnaround times.

• Gus Minotto ’24

Striker Socks: $2,500.00

An athletic sock that relieves calf pressure and reduces ligament injuries through grips on the bottom and breathable fabric in the back.

• Aly Mapes ’24
• Katie Blendermann ’24
• Nate Hamel ’24

Carpenter: $2,450.00 + $1000 Fan Favorite

Mentorship through woodworking projects to restore father-figure relationships in the lives of boys and young men.

• Ethan David ’24
• Luke Mantzell ’24
• Michael Crowley ’25

Meet Cute: $700.00 + $1500 Fan Favorite

An innovative dating platform that connects compatible singles with local businesses to go on discounted first dates, with the goal of fostering real connections and reimagining online dating to benefit both the user and the local venue.

• Katelyn Rose Emmons ’24
• Elliott Stratton ’24
• Joey Guida ’24

SaaSquatch: $650.00

A SaaS marketing consulting platform for the middle market powered by AI.

• Luke Owen ’24
• David Lugo ’24
• Caleb Warrick ’24

Dave Starcher ’88 and his daughter, Taylor Starcher ’19 share their stories about 3 generations of family business entrepreneurs, including Keystone Ridge Designs, a manufacturer of high end site furniture, and tstarch, an innovative photography business specializing in social media brand building and product photography with dogs.

Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/e0aHzBywkH8

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Professor Tim Sweet, Department Chair and Professor of Entrepreneurship, Host of the Innovation Generation Podcast

Grove City College Entrepreneurship Program

As teenagers, Caleb Warrick ’24 and his brother, Zachary ’26, along with their oldest brother, Nathan Warrick ’22, started CNZ Audio, an online musical instrument and equipment business. Caleb and Zach talk about their startup journey and their connection to the entrepreneurship program at Grove City College.

Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/AEC0m4_uOvE

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CNZ Audio: https://cnzaudio.com

Connect on Linkedin: Caleb Warrick, Zachary Warrick, Nathan Warrick

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Professor Tim Sweet, Department Chair and Professor of Entrepreneurship, Host of the Innovation Generation Podcast

Grove City College Entrepreneurship Program

Justin DeMild and Max Muncy, both seniors at Grove City College, talk about their journeys from the football field to becoming an entrepreneurial team. Their business, Athletes After, aims to create self-service tools and best practice advice for high school football players navigating the world of college recruiting.

Watch the video version of this episode: https://gccentrepreneurship.com/innovation-generation

Justin DeMild https://www.linkedin.com/in/justin-demild-183554205

Max Muncy https://www.linkedin.com/in/max-muncy-054038223

Guest: Alumnus Blake Imeson ’10 talks about his journey from college entrepreneur to the founding of LimeCuda, a highly respected web development firm working with big brands.

Blake Imeson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/blakeimeson

LimeCuda: https://limecuda.com

Evan Addams ’10 talks about his journey with the startup, Nowait, and his perspectives on sales and entrepreneurship.

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Guest: Alumnus Evan Addams ’10, Senior VP Commercial Sales & Revenue at Olive AI

Professor Tim Sweet, Department Chair and Professor of Entrepreneurship, Host of the Innovation Generation Podcast

Grove City College Entrepreneurship Program

Amy Mucha ’09 tells the story of her startup, Daisy Pops and her journey from math teacher to entrepreneur.

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Guest: Alumna Amy Mucha ’09, Owner & Chief Pop Artist at Daisy Pops

Professor Tim Sweet, Department Chair and Professor of Entrepreneurship, Host of the Innovation Generation Podcast

Grove City College Entrepreneurship Program

Entrepreneurship majors Lindsey Cummings ’22 and Ethan Raynaud ’22 share their story of love and entrepreneurship.

Lindsey Cummings and Ethan Raynaud

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Professor Tim Sweet, Department Chair and Professor of Entrepreneurship, Host of the Innovation Generation Podcast

Grove City College Entrepreneurship Program

Libby Stewart ’22, a mechanical engineering major with an entrepreneurship minor, and Amanda Mayer ‘22, an entrepreneurship major, talk about their experiences with an original venture idea at Grove City College.

Libby Stewart and Amanda Mayer

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Professor Tim Sweet, Department Chair and Professor of Entrepreneurship, Host of the Innovation Generation Podcast

Grove City College Entrepreneurship Program

Resense founders Luke Gilligan ’24 and Ethan David ’24 talk about how the Grove City Entrepreneurship program has helped them bring to life their social enterprise designed to help Alzheimer’s patients keep their minds active.

Luke Gilligan and Ethan David, co-founders of Resense

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Professor Tim Sweet, Department Chair and Professor of Entrepreneurship, Host of the Innovation Generation Podcast

Grove City College Entrepreneurship Program