The Idaho State University College of Business’s Center for Entrepreneurship and Economic Development (CEED) and U.S. Bank hosted the U.S. Bank Pitch-Off event on Dec. 7 in preparation for the Idaho Entrepreneurship Challenge.

The IEC is a competition hosted in Boise each spring where students from schools throughout the state come together to present their business idea for an innovative product or service. 

As part of this initial competition, students were given the opportunity to present their product and service ideas for the IEC to a panel of judges to help prepare for the competition. Students competed for a chance to win cash prizes donated by U.S. Bank.

“The first annual Pitch-Off was a smashing success,” said Jeff Street, director of CEED. “The consensus of the judges was that the students were an amazing and inspiring group of young people.”

The winning student teams were as follows (Thanks to the generosity of U.S. Bank, the judges were able to award multiple winners because of the closeness of final scores):

• 1st Place $2,250: Total Rehab; student: Britt Dickman; campus unit: College of Education
• 1st Place $2,250: Guardian Light; student: Jason Davis; campus unit: College of Technology
• 2nd Place $1,000: Toast Dance; students: Jonny Henderson and Dez Ruiz; campus units: College of Business and College of Science and Engineering
• 2nd Place $1,000: Grace N Play; students: Ashlie Wolf and Alicia McKerigan; campus unit: College of Business
• 3rd Place $500: Buzz Band; students: Monica Seedall, Lisa Cecil, Katie Jane Robinson; campus unit: College of Business
• 3rd Place $500: Bike Kiosk; students: Todd Gordon, Blake Kleffner, Sterling Duggan; campus units: College of Science and Engineering and College of Business
• 3rd Place $500: OneApp Living; students: Brett McPhail, Antony Ricks, Matthew LaChappelle; campus unit: College of Business

“The students’ success was an encouragement to all of us about the future of business and entrepreneurship in Idaho,” Street said. “Thanks to all of those who helped with judging, mentoring students and supporting CEED in the effort to put this event on.”

As the next step in the Idaho Entrepreneurship Challenge, student groups will submit their business plans, formal applications and a 60-second video elevator pitch to the contest’s judges in Boise. Those selected based off of these materials will be asked to compete this spring.