Nine student-run businesses who are building on campuses across the Southeast gathered last week to pitch their ideas for the Global Student Entrepreneur Awards (GSEA) in front of the Atlanta chapter of the Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO).
From dating apps to LegalTech platforms, the students energy throughout the day-long competition was palpable. Students representing Georgia Tech, Emory University, Spelman College, Georgia State, Spelman College, and UNC Chapel Hill gathered at the Hive Financial offices in Buckhead Atlanta to pitch their ideas…and compete for a chance to present their ideas at EO’s upcoming global competition in Mexico, Hawaii, and South Africa.
Meet The Atlanta GSEA Finalists:
Unlike most “Shark Tank”-style startup competitions, students pitching at GSEA have to show more than just their product and their value proposition. A student’s individual entrepreneurial story accounts for a large majority of the judge’s final scores. Student entrepreneurs were evaluated on their “tenacious spirit,” their student work-life balance, and their company’s ability to build a better tomorrow.
So after 9 student-run companies pitched their ideas to two groups of judges, four companies were selected to present at the afternoon finals.
The four teams pitching at the end of the day included:
Bubble Date
Co-founders: Georgia Tech students Michael Klikushin, Sugju (Sugi) Choi, Harsha Gaddipati
About the startup: Unlike traditional dating apps that rely on swiping, Bubble Date makes it easier to connect with groups for dates and hang outs. Its beta launch in Atlanta included 3,000 testers from 12 different colleges. Bubble Date took home the top prize at the GSEA event last week, receiving a $2,500 case prize, in-kind law support, and $5,000 of in-kind PR and branding consulting. Next, the team will also represent EO’s Atlanta Chapter at the regional competition in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.
Safe Squeeze Headgear
Founder: Emory University student Anthony Vargas
About the startup: After his personal experience with brain surgery impacting his ability to play sports, Anthony Vargas wanted to find a way to protect young athletes. With a focus on the growing flag football market, Safe Squeeze Headgear is working to make fully customizable soft shell headgear.
EQINOIA
Co-founders: Spelman College students Lauren Thompson, Mariah Ellington
About the startup: A platform designed to equip young professionals with personalized EQ resources and professional development learning experiences. The emotional intelligence training tool is looking to help students and young professionals “develop emotionally and succeed professionally.”
Allez Go
Co-founders: Georgia Tech students Adam Kulikowski and Ira Pathak
About the startup: Sports like baseball, American Football, soccer, and golf have benefited from adding new technologies to help fans better follow along. Two fencing enthusiasts from Georgia Tech want to bring new AI sports technology to the sport they love. Allez Go is an AI fencing referee that helps viewers follow along with the sport with simple and intuitive visualizations.
Congrats to all the finalists and to Bubble Date as they prepare for the next GSEA competition!
