MSOE among winners in Business Plan Competition
| Published: 04/28/2011 |
|
Students from Carthage College, Milwaukee School of Engineering, UW-Milwaukee, UW-Parkside and UW-Whitewater were winners in the BizStarts Mason Wells Collegiate Business Plan Competition held April 27 at MSOE.
The BizStarts Mason Wells Collegiate Business Plan Competition originated in 2009 by members of the BizStarts Milwaukee College Consortium, a collaboration of post-secondary institutions in the Milwaukee 7 Region. The contest helps student entrepreneurs realize their goals while helping the M7 region grow and prosper economically. It is a "contest of winners" as entrants in this contest are selected by their institutions as their best plans for each academic year.
First Place and $5,000 were awarded to Renwig Custom. Renwig is a net-age builder of enhanced analog tube guitar amplifiers. The student team from UW-Whitewater included Brennon Garthwait, David Hartwig and Evan Preston. Their advisor is William Dougan.
Second/Third Place were tied, and the $3,500 award was split between 72 Web Design and Kallows Inc. 72 Web Design provides a low-cost local, professional online solution for candidates running for public office. The website, named after the number of counties in Wisconsin, aims to make available the benefits of a strong internet presence to all candidates in local races. The student team from MSOE included Garrick Jannene and Ashley Dzick. Dr. Jeffrey Blessing is their advisor.
Kallows Inc. makes medical and fitness monitors based on high-tech smart phones and tablets for a quickly growing mobile health market, also known as the mHealth market. Kallows' mission is to design, develop, patent and market new technologies in the mobile medical and fitness market. The student team from UW-Milwaukee included Kevin Kreger and Gajanan Nagarsekar. Their advisor is Kanti Prasad.
Fourth Place and $2,000 were awarded to OilSTAT. OilSTAT is a sensor for oil quality analysis in heavy equipment and other motor vehicle applications. OilSTAT was created by Kyle Jaeger, a student from Carthage College. His advisor is Doug Arion.
Fifth Place and $1,000 were awarded to Hesed Design. Hesed Design recycles high-fashion jewelry that has been previously worn or discarded. The idea behind this venture is to take something outdated and re-make it into something new and hip. Hesed Design was created by Margaret McCormick, a student from UW-Parkside. She was advised by Matt Wagner.
Zach Brandon, director of the Wisconsin Angel Network, announced that Kallows Inc. was chosen as a finalist for the Wisconsin Governor's Business Plan contest. Fred Brooks, BizStarts Milwaukee; Susan Crane, WE Energies; Nicholas Kees, Godfrey & Kahn; David Kircher, Wisconsin Business Development Finance Corp.; and Tom Shannon, Shamrock Partners, served as final round judges.
MSOE is an independent university with 2,600 students. MSOE offers 18 bachelor's degrees and 10 master's degrees in the engineering, engineering technology, building and infrastructure engineering, health-related engineering, computer, business and nursing fields. The university has a national academic reputation; longstanding ties to business and industry; dedicated professors with real-world experience; and extremely high placement rates and starting salaries. MSOE graduates are well-rounded, technologically experienced and highly productive professionals and leaders.