Con Amor Bakery

First place winner, Aalyssa Sepulveda, is a 3rd year student majoring in Marketing. She runs a small buisness - Con Amor Bakery - where she creates custom baked goods, such as cookies, cupcakes, scones, and more! Her aim with her business is to make baked goods that are good quality and taste just right; she makes sure her desserts a best tasting but not too sweet, moist, and aesthetically appealing.

Check out Aalyssa's bakery!

MateStar

Jacob Alvarez is a Buisness Administration student who one 2nd place for his buisness pitch, "MateStar." MateStar is an app that would reward roommates for their cleanliness, which would integrate with apartment complex payments - thus, a roommate's rent payment would be based off their score of cleanliness. Alvarez's goal with MateStar is to solve the problem of dirty roomates, which is an experience that college students or those who live in a shared space are all too familiar with. MateStar creates an incentive for roomates to maintain cleanlieness in a shared space, and rewards those who puts in their work of maintaining a shared space.

Shock Straw

Ethan Lee, a Business Management student, won 3rd place for his buisness pitch "Shock Straw." Shock Straw is a straw that filters water, and also further enhances water quality with the infusion of vitamins and minerals. Lee's idea solves the problem of contaminated water, and the dangers of waterborne pathogens, which according to the CDC, has caused about 7.15 million illnesses. Lee establishes that water is a basic human necessity that everyone should have safe access to, and "Shock Straw" aims to solve this issue. 

Hot Summer Gummies

First place winner, Mo Carasco, is a 3rd year student majoring in Marketing. Her business, "Hot Summer Gummies", currently makes and sells tamarind-covered gummy candies using a unique family recipe.  Mo distributes this authentic Mexican treat to independent stores throughout Imperial County where her family is from.  The gummies come in 5 flavors and she hopes to expand the business into San Diego.  You can find out more on her Instagram page:  @hot.summer.rim.dip

Magnify

Second place winners, Roxanne Nova, Melley Keomahavong, and Shifa Kousar, created a tracking device that attaches to prescription glasses and sunglasses.  Using a subscription-based app and GPS, the user would be able locate their misplaced glasses. 

Art for Every Body

Third place winner, Isabella Bowman, is a 4th year student majoring in Digital Art Media & Design. Her business, "Art for Every Body", is a non-profit organization dedicated to creating public art opportunities for students in public school systems enriching their personal and academic lives during their developing years.  Isabella believes creating equal art opportunities in schools, especially for students experiencing low income, allows children to express them selves creatively.

Marissa Charez and the judges

Regain The Power of Self Defense

Business student Marissa Charez won 1st place with her business model, which is a subscription based program for young girls, teens, and adults to learn life saving self defense techniques. Real life scenario classes, workshops, firearm training, self defense products, and survivor resources would be provided by this program.

Read more about Charez's business model here!

Open Ear

Natalie Greenwood-Mendez is a psychological sciences student who placed 2nd for her business idea, “Open Ear,” which is a virtual company-sponsored service dedicated towards supporting white-collar workers by providing frequent sessions with licensed mental health professionals.

Vrify

Jakob Hatlestad placed 3rd for his non-profit called "Vrify," which focuses on VR in Education, bringing field trips to the classroom through VR and enhancing student engagement.

Craft Your Bra

Rachel Lafenhagen won 1st place for her business, "Craft Your Bra," which solves the issue of improperly fitting bras caused by a difference in breast size with its customizable modular bra system. The product is available via web and app and also qualifies for durable medical equipment for our breast cancer fighters and survivors. 

Check out the Craft Your Bra website!