Issue link: https://nebusinessmedia.uberflip.com/i/1518908
8 Worcester Business Journal | April 15, 2024 | wbjournal.com BY ERIC CASEY WBJ Staff Writer J ust as the NCAA March Madness basketball tournaments were near- ing their conclusion, an intercol- legiate competition of a different kind took place on April 2, as e Venture Forum held its first-ever Woo- Tank Intercollegiate Showdown at the JMAC BrickBox eater in downtown Worcester. Inspired by the hit ABC television show "Shark Tank", the competition had collegiate entrepreneurs make a pitch for their businesses in front of a live studio audience, with the hope of convincing three experienced business leaders to supply them with funds to help take their ideas to the next level. e three shark investors who participated in the event were Mark Wingertzahn, a drug development executive with more than 25 years of experience in the pharma and biotech industries, Mar- garet McEvoy-Ball, a Worcester native and retired technology executive, and Brian Geisel, the CEO and founder of Worcester-based Geisel Soware. e event was hosted by Dave Peterson, the general manager of the Worcester Bravehearts Futures Col- legiate Baseball League team. e pitch competition resulted in a total of $14,500 in funding for eight student-found- ed businesses, representing four Central Massachu- setts universities: • Pablo Arnau Beltrán (Nichols College in Dudley): e founder of MyBarks, a shoe company using rubber infused with scents meant to remind consumers of the smells of the Mediterranean. Beltrán received $3,000. • TJ Haigh (The College of the Holy Cross in Worcester): e CEO and co-founder of Trivflic, an app which sends users three daily trivia questions with an aim of creating a gamified social media experience for users. Haigh re- ceived $2,000 and an offer of mentorship from the sharks. • Sophie Lee (Clark University in Worcester): e founder of Sophprem- acy, a jewelry company specializing in handmade and custom gothic-inspired pieces. Lee received $3,500. • Kemal Rifky (Worcester Polytech- nic Institute): e executive director and founder of 360energy, a company seeking to help Indonesian fish farmers utilize small-scale hydropower to help maximize their yields and minimize environmental impacts. Riy did not Worcester's intercollegiate Shark Tank PHOTO | ERIC CASEY Dave Peterson, WooTank host Brian Geisel, one of the three WooTank sharks First WooTank pitch competition leads to $14.5K in funding for student-founded startups The WooTank Intercollegiate pitch competition was hosted by Worcester-based not-for-profit The Venture Forum and held at the JMAC BrickBox Theater in downtown Worcester. PHOTO | COURTESY OF 360ENERGY WPI startup 360energy works with Indonesian fish farmers to use hydro power.