Two entrepreneurial companies harnessing the power of artificial intelligence win top awards at 13th annual conference Sontag Entrepreneurship Contest sponsored by business college in University of Nevada, Reno.
The winner, along with other participants in this year’s contest, will be poised to become part of a growing ecosystem of Sontag-related startups in Northern Nevada, where founders support and mentor each other.
Sigellac for Medical, a vertically integrated developer of AI-powered software for healthcare professionals, won the $50,000 competition prize. The company was founded by Robert “Sam” Hutton, who holds a PhD in mechanical engineering and a master’s degree in applied mathematics from the university.
Ghostwrite.AI. won the Dragonfly Energy Innovation Award in a competition that carries a $10,000 cash prize.
The Ghostwryte team, made up of computer science students Morgan Young, Jessica Nam, and Hunter Afric, has developed an artificial intelligence co-pilot used by social media ghostwriters and other content creators.
The Sontag Entrepreneurship Competition was funded by a generous gift to the university from alumnus Rick Sontag in 2011. The endowment established by this gift will provide an annual award of $50,000 in perpetuity.
The Dragonfly Energy Innovation Award is supported by recurring gifts from the following funds: Dragonfly Energy Co., Ltd. The Reno-based company itself was founded as a participant in the 2014 Sontag Entrepreneurship Competition. (Dragonfly came in second place that year.)
Hutton said Sigellac for Medical will use the prize money for further product development, and Young said the Ghostwryte team plans to use the prize money for research and development, marketing and sales. The companies are seeking funding from investors later this year.
But Hutton said the Sontag Entrepreneurship Competition’s biggest reward isn’t money.
“This competition served as a valuable ‘boot camp’ in entrepreneurship for me,” he said. “While I am fortunate and grateful to have won the Sontag Prize, the real award was built into the Sontag process.”
Teams participating in the competition will begin their work in the fall semester, learning how to fine-tune their business ideas and start companies. Many of them work with mentors, including successful entrepreneurs and university faculty in Northern Nevada.The 29 student teams entered this year were at least represented. 18 majors and 6 schools and collegesUniversity.
This year’s final competition was judged by four successful businessmen. Sarah LaFrance, software entrepreneur and angel investor. Miya McKenzie is a marketing executive who has worked with dozens of startups. Chris Rich is an experienced executive currently focused on artificial intelligence and renewable energy startups.
In addition to Medical and Ghostwryte’s Sigellac, this year’s finalists include:
- Next Quest is a developer of a software platform that allows musicians to build connections with their audiences. Founder Jakota Wass is pursuing a degree in finance.
- GradeStacker is a web-based learning management system. Founded by Andrew Rangel, who has a degree in Business and Finance. Tyler Richards is pursuing a master’s degree in cybersecurity. Clayton Greb is studying management and marketing.
- BX Square Solar Dehydration Systems is focused on developing solar systems that support farmers in Ghana and other developing countries. The founders also include Francis Boampong, who studies statistics and data science.
Director Dick Bartholet The Sontag Entrepreneurship Competition says that throughout the competition’s 13-year history, many of the participants continue to stay in close contact with each other as they build successful companies in Nevada.
And many continue to approach the competition itself. For example, Matt Linder and Nico Monforte, featured speakers at this year’s finals, are former participants themselves. Their concept for the 2019 contest is truck housean industry-leading manufacturer of expedition vehicles they launched in Sparks.
“The support that Rick Sontag provided through his gift in 2011 continues to benefit our students and has a growing impact throughout our community,” Bartholet said. “Sontag Entrepreneurship Competition participants play an important role in diversifying the local economy.”
The winner, along with other participants in this year’s contest, will be poised to become part of a growing ecosystem of Sontag-related startups in Northern Nevada, where founders support and mentor each other.
