Waynesboro native Nicholas Cornilou is a finalist in the State System Startup Challenge, a competition for student entrepreneurs at state universities. The event, sponsored by the Pennsylvania System of Higher Education, will be held on April 3 and will be broadcast live by Pennsylvania Cable Network (PCN) at 7 p.m.
Cornelow, a third-year student at Shippensburg University studying biology with a concentration in health professions and a minor in business, will introduce BioBlooms Naturals. The business aims to revolutionize oral hygiene with natural, sustainable and eco-friendly products, including a range of oral hygiene products, biodegradable tools, natural dental floss and smart brush plans.
Another Shippensburg University contestant, Drew Daly, a graduate student from Phoenix, Maryland, will pitch Deal Seal. The platform is designed to help you buy, sell, and trade sports cards and merchandise securely on social media and offers protection from fraud.
Diaa Meqdadi of East Stroudsburg University is studying computer science and computer security with a minor in mathematics. She will be speaking about Mercial LLC. Mercial LLC aims to power your business in the digital realm with a focus on simplifying data management and digital marketing with customizable database API software.
The contest offers a first prize of $10,000, with second and third place receiving $5,000 and $3,000, respectively. More than 50 students and teams from across Pennsylvania’s public universities participated.
State system officials, including Governor Cynthia Shapira and Chancellor Dan Greenstein, praised the event for showcasing student entrepreneurship across bioscience, information technology and finance fields. They highlighted the competition’s role in fostering real-world business experience that has led past winners to successfully launch their businesses. The panel of judges includes a variety of industry experts, including Passenger Coffee and Tea, Hershey Entertainment & Resorts, Deloitte, OnSite ICF, and PSECU.
