Judson's Shark Tank Pitch competition returns

Judson University's third Shark Tank event will take place at 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 17, in the Thulin Performance Hall, 1151 N. State St. in Elgin. The event, which is free and open to the public, will feature five Judson student groups - all competing to get their business plans front and center before judges and to ultimately nab the $2,000 in prize money.

Inspired by ABC Network's business competition show, "Shark Tank," Judson's pitch competition debuted in spring 2015. A second competition followed last November, and there were a series of informative speaking and training events for the candidates.

This year's competition began with an entrepreneurial open forum in the campus commons to allow staff, students and faculty an opportunity to vote for their favorite business ideas. The five ideas that received the most votes will share their pitches during the Nov. 17 event.

The student ideas are varied and well thought out. The competing students will develop three-minute pitches to tell, and sell, their startup ideas.

The students and their ideas:

• Eddy Kalinda, an idea for an annual cultural festival of beauty, games, food and costuming;

• Diego Ramirez and Norman Trainor Valencia, an idea for the "CulTour App";

• Student group led by Judson Student Organization President Alan Osinski, Bryan Cherry, Elijah Bobell and Andrew Kennedy, an idea for a beverage market;

• Mark Winston, an idea for a cash-receiving gas pump;

• John Ashworth, an idea for "Custom Cubes."

Their projects will be carefully scrutinized by a panel of judges that include:

• Ethan Adams, a member of last year's winning Shark Tank pair and the campus event student founder;

• Valerie Pape, a Bradley University affiliate instructor who teaches management and leadership in the MBA program;

• Ray Stachowiak, a venture capitalist and founder and former CEO of Shared Imaging;

• Jeron Shelton, CEO of KAMYLIN Worldwide, a leadership consulting firm;

• Seth Temko, a business executive who has worked with businesses at all phases of growth and a returning Shark Tank judge.

The competition's grand prize is $1,000, with $500 and $250 prizes for second and third place, and a $100 prize for the fan favorite.

The first 100 audience members will receive copies of Steve Case's book, "The Third Wave: An Entrepreneur's Vision of the Future," donated by Goodcity, an organization dedicated to developing social entrepreneurs in Chicago.

Visit created2create.org for more information.