The University of Maryland's Dingman Center for Entrepreneurship announced the selection of 12 startups of nearly 200 worldwide entries to advance to the semifinal round of the 10th Annual Cupid's Cup Business Competition. Representing 11 universities across a broad range of industries, these young ventures will present on March 10 at Under Armour's Baltimore headquarters in hopes of moving on to become one of five businesses to compete for $115,000 in total cash prizes.
In order to be eligible for the competition, the startups chosen for the semifinalist round had to be managed by undergraduate/graduate students enrolled at accredited colleges and universities or recent alums who are maintaining a business that has generated at least $5,000 in revenue or has provided demonstrated proof of traction.
The 12 Cupid's Cup semifinalists selected now must pitch their businesses and interview with judges, including top Under Armour executives, investors and entrepreneurship experts. Under Armour Founder and CEO Kevin Plank will team up with the judges to determine which five startups will move on to the final round at UMd on April 22.
There's $115,000 on the line and a chance to tap into Plank's professional network, making this business competition one well worth winning. Take a look at the 12 semifinalists below and decide for yourself: Are these some of the world's most promising student-grown businesses?
East Coast Lifestyle Clothing Inc. – Acadia University
This Canadian company began as a school project created by a passionate 21-year-old student. Now, it has turned into a movement, a brand that allows people to wear and represent the east coast. In East Coast Lifestyle's first year of operations, more than 60 NHL players, major actors and celebrities supported and proudly wore the clothing line that sells online and in 60 malls across Canada.
Grip Boost, LLC – University of Maryland
Grip Boost's football gel falls right into Under Armour's wheelhouse. The product that restores football gloves to their near brand new tackiness without leaving residue on the ball was developed by engineers from UMd's Chemical Engineering Department. They worked with the university's football team to create a patent-pending gel formula made of crab shells that can be placed on gloves as a lubricant to form a tacky thin-film polymer coating in less than 15 seconds. Football gloves wear down after just a few days of use, but this product could help restore them.
Gym Supreme – University of Maryland
This fitness startup designs patented workout products, including the Mega Bar. The Mega Bar is pitched as "the most versatile and affordable workout product" on the market, and it's compact and sleek in design, too. From pull ups to TRX and everything in between, Mega Bar offers all types of athletes the functions they want in an all-in-one fitness device.
Identified Technologies – University of Pennsylvania
Identified Technologies provides aerial data collected by its proprietary unmanned aerial vehicle and dock station to be accessed through its private cloud anywhere. The company offers frequent data collection deployable whenever needed. The drone's capabilities efficiently enhance job site operations and safety for energy and construction companies.
Let's Be Well Red – Duke University, School of Medicine
A social enterprise, Let's Be Well Red is tackling one of the biggest health public crisis in India: Iron-deficiency anemia. Let's Be Well Red is fighting anemia with its GudNeSs bar, which provides the World health Organization's recommended daily dose of Iron, and by increasing awareness through education and empowerment.
OnYou – George Mason University
Two George Mason students created the world's first magnetic smartphone case. OnYou is fitted with a compression sleeve that provides for a more secure and comfortable experience than any existing armbands with a pull-through strap. The cases are great for athletes of all kinds with 48 pounds of magnetic pull to ensure a phone never falls off, but can still be removed to check the time or change a song on Spotify.
Riide – Georgetown University
A light, fast and electric bike simply designed through clever engineering, Riide allows you to pedal, twist the throttle or do both at once with a 25-mile range that can get you pretty much anywhere you want to go. Like Tesla, Riide uses the energy from braking to power the battery in order to extend your range, and even if you're going more than 25 miles, Riide's a bike, so you can pedal, too. The company out of Georgetown designs, builds and sells these electric bikes.
Scholly – Drexel University
Scholly makes finding scholarships for college easy with one simple app. The company's adaptive matching engine locates scholarships current high school students or college students qualify for in seconds without having you fill out long forms requiring all your personal information.
SnappyScreen, Inc. – Cornell University
Dubbed "the world's first touchless sunscreen application system," SnappyScreen works just like a spray tan machine. Users swipe their SnappyScreen card, room key or credit card, select their desired SPF and height and then receive an even application of sunscreen in seconds.
Testing Timers – University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
These patented watches for ACT and SAT takers help with time management, reducing anxiety and aid in achieving better results. The watch breaks down each section of the tests into preset timing units, providing a quick visual of current progress at any given moment throughout the exams.
VirtualU, Inc. – Virginia Tech
A startup out of Virginia Tech that effectively integrates 3D human modeling technology into the fitness space to enable users to monitor their body's transformation as they workout, VirtualU's VFit body scanner allows people to accurately track how their body changes as they lose weight. In a matter of 20 seconds the scan is complete, offering detailed stats about users weight, height, lean muscle mass, body fat percentage and circumference of your waist, neck, thighs, calves, chest and biceps.
ZOOS Greek Iced Teas – Stetson University
This all natural, low calories, caffeine-free Greek Mountain Tea is brewed in its purist form. It's a staple in healthy Mediterranean diets that's believed to aid in health and wellness.
