Duquesne University's New Venture Challenge names 17 entrants as semifinalists

Duquesne University has announced 17 semifinalists in its 2021-2022 Duquesne New Venture Challenge, a competition from Duquesne's Palumbo-Donahue School of Business that offers cash and service prizes valued at more than $100,000 to aspiring entrepreneurs.

Now in its third year, the competition accepts all business ideas from those in the Pittsburgh region and beyond. Four of this year's semifinalists include Duquesne alumni or current students.

As part of the first stage in the three-stage competition, entrants had to submit written summaries of their ideas alongside a 60-second elevator pitch-like video. The top three entrants who submitted a video as part of this first stage — DisSolves, Advanced Optronics and Cerebral Aneurysm Test — respectively won $2,500, $1,500 and $1,000.

“We’re very impressed by the quality and diversity of this year’s semifinalists,” Duquesne's school of business dean, Dr. Dean McFarlin, said in a statement. “Collectively, they are difference-making ventures pursuing ambitious goals, and we look forward to seeing them compete for a spot in the final round of the competition.”

A panel of judges made up of entrepreneurs, executives and investors selected the 17 entrants who made it on to the semifinal round, which brought with it the opportunity to earn $1,000 so long as necessary materials are submitted on time.

These are the 17 that will now move on to the next stage of the competition:

Duquesne said it will pick up to five finalists to move onto the last stage of the competition, where all entrants will receive a collective $50,000 to further build out their ideas. The university said it plans to announces finalists in March.