Two biochemistry students at Queens University of Charlotte won the school's annual pitch competition on March 23 with their idea to make biodiesel more environmentally friendly.
Juniors Kyle McGuff and Christian Ramos pitched a novel alkaline catalyst solution that can be used to produce biodiesel fuel using ethanol, rather than the more toxic methanol. Their idea won the top prize of $2,500 and a seat at Tabbris Coworking in South End, where they can network with other entrepreneurs. McGuff and Ramos have been making biodiesel fuel on their own and showed judges how their fuel solution is cleaner.
“We will be able to make cheaper biodiesel,” McGuff says.
The 2022 event, held at the Gambrell Center on campus, was the first in-person pitch competition since the event debuted in 2019. The event —similar to the ABC television series, "Shark Tank" — gives undergraduate students a chance to pitch their business ideas to seasoned local investors and entrepreneurs.
The pitch competition is presented by the McColl School of Business and its Entrepreneurial Leadership Circle. Local sponsors put up a total of $5,000 in prize money for the innovative ideas.
Queens University President Daniel Lugo welcomed students, entrepreneurs and sponsors to the event and encouraged undergraduates to pursue their business ideas.
“Queens’ entrepreneur community is growing,” Lugo says.
In February, 28 students from any major started the competition, working with experts to develop their product or service, create a financial plan, develop a marketing strategy and learn how to make a pitch. Students recorded videos about their business, and judges narrowed the competition to three finalists.
Judges at the live event were: Adrian Marable, founder of Groopwork, which develops educational content; Ashley Everett, program director for RevTech Labs; Ashley Gautreaux, an investor in early-growth software companies with CreativeCo Capital; and Barrett Pack, vice president of client development at Dualboot Partners.
For now, McGuff and Ramos say they are busy with classes and probably won’t immediately pursue launching the business. McGuff hopes to use his biochemistry degree to do research on fitness and nutrition. Ramos wants to go to pharmacy school.
Junior Jack O’Grady pitched his idea for a business that would use augmented and virtual reality to improve customer service. The technologies could provide customers with something beyond a phone conversation to guide them as they repair appliances. O’Grady’s pitch placed second, winning him $1,500. His idea also won the Audience Choice Award, adding another $500.
Queens marketing major Mickey Evans received $500 and a third-place finish for her idea for Campus Shares, a nonprofit for donors to provide new and gently used dorm necessities to alleviate the cost of moving on campus. Students' freshman year is the most expensive, when they must purchase bedding and other dorm essentials to use during their time on campus. Campus Shares would provide the items students need most for free.
“About 900,000 students in the U.S. are financially vulnerable and about 280 among Queens students,” Evans says.
