Pompea Pitch Competition and Expo Offers Students an ӰԭInteractiveӰԭ Experience
BUSA 1000 is a hands-on course offered to students in all of the UniversityӰԭs academic colleges and schools, enabling them to develop a plan for a company and to pitch their business plan to the University community, as well as to a panel of judges.
December 20, 2023
By Renee Chmiel, Office of Marketing and Communications
When Caxton Conner Ӱԭ26 spoke with her friends and family about going green, she often heard the same thing: They wanted to recycle, but doing so wasnӰԭt always easy. She had an idea Ӱԭ what if an app could make recycling more convenient Ӱԭ and, even, more fun?
This was the idea behind RecyclePro, a mobile app that Conner and her classmates developed as part of their BUSA 1000 class. During the fall semester, they created a plan for the app, which would guide users to nearby recycling and composting bins. The hope was that by making green choices easier, more people would choose to recycle and compost their waste. The app would also offer educational features such as games, enabling users to become more well-versed in environmental issues.
Conner and her teammates recently shared their idea with the University community as part of the Pompea Pitch Competition and Expo, the culminating event of the course. A celebration of innovation and creativity, the event enabled Chargers such as Conner to share their business plans with the University community.
ӰԭThis was a great way to develop our teamwork skills,Ӱԭ said Conner, a marketing major. ӰԭEveryone did their part, and it was a great experience.Ӱԭ
Team RecyclePro was one of nearly two dozen teams of students from many majors and each academic college and school that took part in the event. Held at the UniversityӰԭs Orange Campus, it gave teams the opportunity to present elevator pitches, discussing their ideas, business plans, and the problems they hoped to address.
ӰԭI really enjoyed BUSA,Ӱԭ said Mattingly Creter Ӱԭ27, ConnerӰԭs teammate and a music and sound recording major. ӰԭI liked that we worked on this all semester, and what we learned was through the context of this project. We applied what we learned in class, and that helped us to retain the information better.Ӱԭ
ӰԭThis experience was very interactiveӰԭ
Students presented their ideas, which included plans for companies focused on technology and sustainability, sharing their posters with their fellow Chargers. They answered questions from faculty, staff, and students, as well as from several judges.
BUSA taught students how to develop a comprehensive business plan. They learned to identify a problem or opportunity, as well as their competition and their target market. They also created a financial plan, identifying how much capital they would need to launch their business.
ӰԭThis experience was very interactive Ӱԭ especially when we started to work on our project and we pitched our ideas,Ӱԭ said Lauren Smith Ӱԭ27, a member of Team RecyclePro. ӰԭBeing a part of this will be so helpful for our public speaking, especially because IӰԭm going into business. ItӰԭs important to be able to talk to people and to be able to present.Ӱԭ
ӰԭSense of purposeӰԭ
RecyclePro was one of eight teams that pitched their business plans to the University community in the pitch portion of the event. Charles Pompea '71, '90 EMBA, '06 Hon., for whom the expo is named, was among those who watched the pitches. He joined the audience virtually, offering his encouragement to the students.
ӰԭI spent 43 years in the steel business, and if you enjoy what you do, itӰԭs never like going to work,Ӱԭ said Pompea, chair of the UniversityӰԭs Board of Governors. ӰԭWork hard, donӰԭt let up, and enjoy it.Ӱԭ
Students pitched a variety of creative business ideas, including CATSCAN, a scanning software focused on Cat machinery that aims to reduce injuries from heavy machinery use; Hemp Optics, a company offering environmentally friendly and durable eyewear; and Manu Curls, a product for curly hair that is free of ingredients that are harmful for environmental and human health.
Sheahon Zenger, Ph.D., interim president of the University, told students how impressed he was with their work.
ӰԭYou should be very proud of what youӰԭve accomplished,Ӱԭ he said. ӰԭThis exemplifies the sense of purpose that Chargers have. Our students come to the University with a sense of purpose like nothing IӰԭve ever seen. You should be commended for that.Ӱԭ
ӰԭHow a business should workӰԭ
As they pitched their business plans, students competed to have their name added to the coveted Pompea Cup, which is on display at the Orange Campus. The panel of judges, which included business leaders and University alumni, determined the winners of the poster and pitch competitions. They, too, were impressed by the studentsӰԭ innovation and creativity.
Poster Competition
1st Place: Elevate U
2nd Place: Green Volt
3rd Place: Fresh Sips
Pitch Competition
1st Place: CATSCAN
2nd Place: Scent Savers
3rd Place: Echo Jewels
Regardless of how they placed in the competition, students say the experience was rewarding and enabled them to build important skills that they will draw on during the rest of their time as Chargers, as well as in their careers.
Leah Rubino Ӱԭ27 says she enjoyed the experience. She and her teammates developed Brighter Horizons, a company focused on improving the quality of life for individuals with disabilities. They planned to begin by developing products to assist individuals who are visually impaired.
ӰԭWe realized how many people are legally blind, and we wanted to make daily life easier,Ӱԭ she explained.
ӰԭWe learned the basics of how a business should work,Ӱԭ added Brady Gingell Ӱԭ27, a music industry major. ӰԭIt was really cool to come up with our own business.Ӱԭ