Oxford, MS: Student Entrepreneurs Triumph at Gillespie Competition
Oxford, MS – In a fiercely competitive event that attracted over fifty teams, a trio of student entrepreneurs from the University of Mississippi celebrated a decisive victory at the recent Gillespie Business Plan Competition, securing a $20,000 prize as well as office space at Insight Park.
Victory for SellVNTG
Owen Ridgeway, Preston Rollins, and David Markham, founders of SellVNTG, an online marketplace for vintage clothes enthusiasts, turned their concept into reality, convincingly winning the competition. The company provides a platform for sellers to enhance their brands by accessing a shared customer base.
After 18 months of hard work, consistency, and mentorship, the trio, whose majors range from entrepreneurship to accounting and business management, improved on their 2022 business model presentation, which did not perform as expected. Their digital marketplace concept foremanages to clinch the top spot in the competition this year.
Fierce Competition and Impressive Ideas
The Gillespie Business Plan Competition, hosted by the University’s Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE), saw fifty-four ambitious student-led teams present their innovative business strategies in hopes of triumph.
This year’s competition was no small feat, the school allocated a whopping $80,000 for various cash prizes and awards, making it the largest contest ever. While the top spot was taken by *SellVNTG*, there were several other notable contestants who also fared remarkably well in front of the expert judges.
Runners-Up: Collegemate App
The second place went to Madison Hanna and Maryn Sifrit, co-founders of the Collegemate App. The created an online platform that links incoming college freshmen to potential roommates. The competition judges awarded Hanna and Sifrit the desirable Charles R. Doty Entrepreneur Award.
Other Exceptional Contenders
Other finalists include YaXin Huang with Sing Sauce, a personalised sauce company. Julien Bourgeois unveiled Automatic AI LLC, an automated artificial intelligence tool designed for businesses. *Needle*, led by Claire Watkiss, connects local needle trades practitioners to their communities.
Stephanie Handford and Evan Lampsa introduced Ketchup Please – an intuitive, all-in-one condiment packaging solution. Lastly, Will McEwan, Alex Bailey, Eric Russ, and Carson May pitched Sticky Boobs, a customizable adhesive bralette solution.
Celebrating Innovation and Entrepreneurship
Clay Dibrell, co-director of CIE, celebrated all the contestant’s immeasurable growth and dedication to their ventures, from initial concept to final pitches. Engendering immense pride, the university’s competition proved once again that entrepreneurship is thriving at the University of Mississippi. Stereospectively, the university bestowed the Edward G. Francis Sr. Entrepreneur Award to the victors of *SellVNTG* for their unwavering dedication and growth.
The recently concluded Gillespie Business Plan Competition illuminates the promising future of entrepreneurship in the state. It’s truly a testament that hard work and innovative ideas can lead to impressive achievements, no matter how young the minds that generate them are.
