Three and a half weeks into college, most first-years are still figuring out where their classes are or which dining hall is the safest bet. At the Lacy School of Business, though, 44 students were already stepping into the spotlight, pitching startup ideas as if millions were on the line.
That was the scene at the first First-Year Pitch Competition, sponsored by Roll Tack Ventures, on September 19. 22 teams, two students each, three minutes on the clock, and just three slides to make their case. A panel of six judges stood in as venture capitalists, pressing them with questions about customers, markets, and why their ideas deserved to exist right now.
The case studies students worked from were inspired by real-world startups: HeartHalo, a wearable sensor that prevents heat stress in industrial workers; ReturnRaccoon, a B2B software that streamlines product returns; ShieldFox, a real-time risk monitoring tool; and TrueVibe, an employee sentiment platform mapping workplace “vibes” in real time. Each team wasn’t just pitching a product – they were stepping into the role of founder, showing why this company, why now, and why them.
And they didn’t hold back. Some dressed in coordinated outfits, others designed their own logos, and one team triggered an alarm mid-pitch to demonstrate HeartHalo in action. It was Shark Tank energy; with all the guts and creativity you’d expect from entrepreneurs – only these “founders” had been on campus less than a month.
Judges pushed hard, asking questions like: Who’s the decision-maker? Why hasn’t this problem been solved yet? What makes this the right time? But they also offered encouragement that left students buzzing. “Even if you don’t know the answers, come with confidence and give it your best shot,” Tyler Mantel, General Partner at Roll Tack Ventures, said.
At the end of the day, two teams stood out. Peri Mossman and Ava Mehling walked away with first place and a $1,000 prize for their compelling pitch of TrueVibe, showing how live “vibe maps” could transform employee engagement. Charlotte Potts and Kara Rady earned Best Presentation and a $500 prize for their polished and creative HeartHalo pitch, impressing judges with both style and substance.
But the real story wasn’t about the big checks. It was about students pushing themselves out of their comfort zones and gaining skills that will serve them well beyond this competition.
“Pitching allows students to practice nearly every skill they’ll need after graduation – working as a team, presenting ideas clearly, thinking through problems, leveraging research, balancing accuracy with creativity, and showing themselves well,” Nick Smarrelli, Lecturer in Entrepreneurship and Innovation said. “And the best part? It’s fun. Every team exceeded expectations. The students who said ‘yes’ to this competition have already set themselves apart just a few weeks into the school year.”
As Roll Tack Ventures mentors reminded students, not every business is right for venture capital funding, and part of the process is learning to spot which ideas have the potential to scale. Just as importantly, students connected with peers and industry leaders, building networks that will fuel their growth throughout their academic and professional journeys.
“To do something that doesn’t exist in the world, you have to have confidence – maybe even a little arrogance – to believe you can,” Mantel said. “Today, students showed they have a piece of that confidence. And that’s the start of something great.”