NEW YORK – On Tuesday, Feb. 22, the BIG EAST Conference will host the 2022 BIG EAST Startup Challenge, a competition featuring innovations and products from teams of student entrepreneurs representing all 11 Conference institutions. The competition returns virtually on zoom and will take place from 6 – 8:30 p.m. ET.
Each Startup Challenge team is comprised of currently enrolled undergraduate students at one of the 11 BIG EAST institutions. Teams will present their pitches to judges, who will rank them on a variety of factors including: idea/concept; market need; value proposition; feasibility; and passion and presentation.
The top three teams will receive an honorarium to be used to help grow their startup business.
The judges are seasoned entrepreneurs, innovators, venture capitalists and business leaders, A few have ties to BIG EAST institutions. Judges include:
- Brandon Andrews, Entrepreneur and Co-Founder of Gauge
- Dawn Crouch, Managing Director at Deloitte Global
- Wes Day, Partner and Deal Management, TEALL Capital
- Chad Stender, Managing Director, SeventySix Capital
- Kristy Wallace, Chief Executive Officer, Elevate Network
The event will be MC’d by Meghan Caffrey of the BIG EAST Digital Network. The event is open to all who are interested and registration is online at
www.BIGEAST.com/startupchallenge. Judges' bios and short descriptions are also available.
Team entries are below:
| School |
Project Name |
Entrepreneurs |
| Butler |
DeafLids |
Ellie Howe |
| Connecticut |
Reach Bar |
Eva Quigley, Natalie Lacroix, Sofia Saul |
| Creighton |
Project Outwrite |
Tran Nguyen, Jackson Zuerlein |
| DePaul |
RecycleU |
Asia Harrington |
| Georgetown |
Compost'd LLC |
Gracey Owen |
| Marquette |
Electi |
Brady Walczak, Ronnie Ortiz |
| Providence |
CoNEXTion |
Christos Brooks, Taylor Brysgel, Grace Keeney,
Kiley Sheehan |
| St. John’s |
Bringing Me Sunshine Inc. |
Brielle Simmons |
| Seton Hall |
CareCall |
Wendy Gonzalez, Theresa Wang, Katie Mazzarelli, Madison Loustan |
| Villanova |
Tonight's Dress |
Alina Rubin |
| Xavier |
Knock-tail |
Olivia Pletcher |
The BIG EAST hosted the inaugural Startup Challenge in 2019. Xavier’s Casey Smith won for his venture transFarm. The event was held in conjunction with the BIG EAST Men’s Basketball Tournament. The 2020 Startup Challenge was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021, the winners of the challenge were Owen Delaney, Jacquelyn Ryan and Faith Linscott from Providence College with their innovation: "Umeal."
To join the conversation on social media follow
#BIGEASTstartupchallenge.