Last fall, Suffolk’s Sawyer Business School introduced one of the first courses on crowdfunding in the country. The goal of the class was to help students launch campaigns to fund their own startups through Kickstarter, Indiegogo and other crowdfunding channels.
And some of these fall projects still live outside of the classroom. WarmUp Protein Coffee, for example, which we profiled in November, will be launching on Amazon in May and is competing in MassChallenge, according to Jennifer Dinger, who co-teaches the class with her colleague Chaim Letwin.
“This course is still quite young, only the second time through, so we are continuously adjusting and learning as a group,” Dinger said in a press release. “It’s very exciting to see how this group of students has built on what was accomplished last year.”
Here is a list of the ventures for the Spring 2017 cohort (descriptions provided by Suffolk University). We added how much money each venture has raised as of today. Campaigns will conclude with the end of National Small Business Week on May 6.
- Waffleholics, founded by Suffolk junior Carmen Reddick and senior Max Taylor, aims to create the most delicious sweet and savory waffles, starting with a Boston food cart business. Reddick graduated from Johnson & Wales University with an associate in science degree. Both students are from Boston. Money raised: $1,505.
- Beyond Borders is a full-length documentary film by David Apostolides and John Moran. The film seeks to incorporate the perspectives of those living outside of the U.S. in the current American political conversation. Money raised: $3,035.
- Baggabox prevents package theft by securing deliveries to your door in a cut-resistant and waterproof cinch-locking bag. Baggabox was founded by Jamie Manning, a Suffolk MBA alumnus, and is being supported by seniors Faisal Janahi and Alonso Villarreal. Janahi is from Manama, Bahrain, and Villarreal is from San Antonio, Texas. Money raised: $2,516.
- Goliath Gallon, founded by Suffolk senior Zack Smith of Methuen, Mass., makes a reusable, BPA-free and easily cleaned gallon bottle for ice, fruits, amino acids, etc. Money raised: $4,146.
- Cosmic Eye, founded by Ashton Viqueras-LaRochelle, utilizes augmented reality technology to bridge the gap between what you see through a telescope and what actually exists in the cosmos. Viqueras-LaRochelle, a Suffolk junior, is from Portsmouth, N.H. Money raised: $673.
- Kwapis Can’t Hang is a children’s book about a guppy that enters a new bowl and pretends to be someone she is not in a misguided attempt to fit in. The book is authored and edited by Dana Prandato, a Suffolk junior and Marketing major, from Sandpoint, Idaho. Money raised: $1,372.
- Claude and the Magic Garden is a children’s book that tells a magical story of two brothers living in a foreign land and trying to fit in. Their community helps uncover the magic of true friendship. The book is authored and edited by Suffolk junior Christopher Hassapis. He is from North Reading, Mass. Money raised: $1,629.
- Pup Picnic, founded by Joe Tassinari, is a 2-in-1 dog bowl with a water bottle attachment. This allows any disposable water bottle to attach to the bowl and act as a feeder. Tassinari is a Suffolk senior from East Boston, Mass. Money raised: $1,612.
Image provided.
