
The Entrepreneurship Club is open to business and non-business students alike.
On April 18, the Entrepreneurship Club will host a business pitch contest in the Martin Center Ballroom.
This competition is modeled after the popular show “Shark Tank.” ram tankgives student entrepreneurs the chance to pitch their business ideas to a panel of judges and win five different prizes.
Chisara Ukpaka, a junior business administration major, is the director of relations and event planning for the Entrepreneurship Club. She worked with other Entrepreneurship Club officers to plan the next event.
“We wanted to participate in the pitch contest,” Ukpaka said. “That’s when we came up with the idea of hosting our own event.”
Clubs accepted one- to two-minute video pitches from aspiring competitors until the April 3 deadline. The club received over 30 applications. The top 5 out of 30 will participate in the finals. Submitted works will be judged on clarity, conciseness, engagement, persuasiveness, and professionalism.
“From all the videos we have seen, it is very difficult to determine who will be in the top five who will be on the main stage on the 18th,” Ukpaka said. “I think it will be a difficult decision for the judges.”
Thanks to an anonymous sponsor, the winner of the contest will receive a grand prize of $2,500. Prize money will also be offered to runners-up. For second place she will receive $1,500, for third place she will receive $1,000, and for fourth place and her fifth place she will receive $500.
The five teams nominated for the final competition will receive cash prizes and guidance from a panel of judges. The panel includes graduate business executives, graduate patent attorneys, and School of Business faculty.
Dr. Gökçen Ogluk Maz, associate professor of economics, serves as faculty advisor for the Entrepreneurship Club.
“This is not just a competition, it’s a networking event,” Ogluk-Maz said. “This is a great opportunity for students to receive feedback from faculty and senior staff in the School of Business Administration.”
The Rum Tank event begins at 4:30 p.m. with registration and Tex-Mex food provided by Aramark. Competitors and spectators will then have the opportunity to network with the judges and watching alumni. A pitch contest will follow, followed by an awards ceremony and closing remarks. The event is scheduled to end at 8 p.m. The Rum Tank is open to all Wesleyan students.
The Entrepreneurship Club would like to make Ram Tank an annual competition. Hans Laufer, club president and senior business administration major, expressed this desire.
“This is the first one, [Ram Tank] This event we are hosting has gone on for several more years with increased fundraising and other students seem to understand the importance of the Entrepreneurial Pitch Competition and what it can do for you. ” Laufer said. “We expect to see a significant increase in the number of students willing to participate.”