Winners Announced for Business Entrepreneurial Pitch Competitions

The top six pitches in each competition advanced to the finals that took place on campus, Nov. 17. Finalists pitched their concept or idea for a product or service to a panel of live judges for the chance to win a portion of the $7,000 in financial awards that were available. Pitches were limited to two minutes with a question-and-answer session of four minutes.

Bulldog B.I.T.E. was open to students from Truman and Moberly Area Community College. Out of 44 students that provided 31 pitches, six individuals/teams advanced to the finals.

Truman students Grace Johler and Esther Lee won first place in the Bulldog B.I.T.E. competition. As the winners they received the Amanda Gioia Excellence in Entrepreneurship Award and earned an award prize of $3,000 for their pitch of a non-profit to support local immigrant-owned businesses.

Kaleb Fothergill and Lola Ellison from MACC placed second and received an award of $2,000 for their pot and pan safety device to help prevent kitchen fires. Truman students, Jillian Pry and Justina Wimer, placed third and received an award of $1,000 for their idea of supplement vending machines for gyms.

Bulldog Pitch Day had six finalist positions that was made up of 14 students from Kirksville High school. Ally Easdale, Camryn Martin and Veil Tipton won first place for their sleep assistance product and received a $500 award. Ellen McNeely, Pari Patel and Brianna Yowell placed second for their accessible and friendly local gym idea and received a $300 award. Angely Pacheco-Gomez placed third for her sign language to text app and received a $200 award.

These competitions were made possible through the generosity of Doug (’94) and Diane (’95) Villhard, Amanda Gioia (’93) and the School of Business.

For more information about this year’s competition visit bulldogbite.truman.edu/winners.