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Mark Ain Business Model Competition

The Mark Ain Business Model Competition (Fall Semester)

The Mark Ain Business Model Competition, established in 2007, provides aspiring student entrepreneurs at the University of Rochester an opportunity to present their business idea (in any industry) and compete for $13,500 in cash prizes. Students who wish to enter the competition must be enrolled in the Ain Foundry Program.

The competition is open to current 做厙勛圖 students at any level of study, and泭is made possible by support from Simon alumnus and entrepreneur Mark S. Ain 67S (MBA), founder of Kronos Incorporated, the Chelmsford, Massachusetts-based market leader in the workforce management industry.

  • Applications must be submitted online.
    Submission Deadline is November 1st at 11:59pm.泭

The Mark Ain Business Model Competition

Eligibility, Rules & Prizes

Eligibility

  • Applications must be submitted online.
    Submission Deadline is November 1st at 11:59pm.泭
  • All competition participants must currently be enrolled at the University of Rochester. Only active UR students in good standing are eligible to present in the business model competition and receive prize money. However, companies may include non-UR students on their team. Prize money cannot be given to non-UR students.
  • Students from both undergraduate and graduate programs are encouraged to participate.
  • Student startups submitting should not have generated any revenue.
  • Students who wish to enter the competition must be enrolled in the Ain Foundry Program.

Rules

  • Teams may consist of no more than five individuals and it is recommended to have at least two members on each team.
  • Submission Deadline for the for the current academic year are listed below:

      • Submission Deadline: Submission Deadline is November 1st at 11:59pm.泭
        An Executive Summary
        Business Model Canvas
        Video pitch (8 Minutes in Length) with Slide Deck
        Customer Discovery Evidence – Short Summary of Interviews & Surveys

    • Finalists are selected prior to the competition. Finalist will be notified November 5th.泭

    • Finalist will pitch in person on November 8th at 2pm at Hoyt Auditorium.泭

  • The business model must be in the idea, development, or start-up stage.
  • Teams that have previously won first prize in a previous year Ain Business Model Competition may not enter the same competition with the same venture a second time.

Awards

Cash prizes have been made possible by the generous donation of Simon alumnus Mark S. Ain 67S (MBA), founder of Kronos Incorporated.

  • 1st Place: $10,000
  • 2nd Place: $2,500
  • 3rd Place: $1,000

Only students listed in the Team Member section of the Competition Application will be eligible for any prize money awarded. Prize money will be split evenly among all team members listed in the application. No exceptions.

If a competition entry is based on work completed for a class AND if any student(s) who contributed to said work but are not taking part in the competition, they must provide written consent to the Ain Center stating that they consent to use of their work and forfeit any claims to any prize money won.

Cash prizes are泭not泭tax-exempt. International students may have additional holds; please contact泭泭with any questions.

Guidelines

Guidelines for Submissions

  • Submission Deadline for the for the current academic year are listed below:

      • Submission Deadline: Submission Deadline is November 1st at 11:59pm.泭
        An Executive Summary
        Business Model Canvas
        Video pitch (8 Minutes in Length) with Slide Deck
        Customer Discovery Evidence – Short Summary of Interviews & Surveys

    • Finalists are selected prior to the competition. Finalist will be notified November 5th.泭

    • Finalist will pitch in person on November 8th at 2pm at Hoyt Auditorium.泭

Judging

  • All participating teams must submit an executive summary, a business model canvas, customer discovery evidence – short summary of interviews & surveys, and a video pitch no longer than 8 minutes as part of their application. Based on these submissions, up to five (5) finalist teams will be selected.

    Finalist teams will have the opportunity to practice their presentations with coaches prior to the competition. On November 8th at 2:00 PM in Hoyt Auditorium, the five (5) finalist teams will present their business models to a judging panel for prize consideration. Winners will be announced at the conclusion of the competition.

Past Winners

2025 Winners

  • 1st Place:泭 釦釵聆紳喧梗域泭 Karthik Ramakrishnan
  • 2nd Place:泭 VivoFlux Kaihua (Chloe) Chen, Isabelle Linares, Azmeer Sharipol
  • 3rd Place:泭 唬棗紳措棗娶喧泭 Hashem Alomari

2024 Winners

  • 1st Place:泭 博插捩勞喝硃娶餃泭 Aditya Gunturi, Sudarshan Ramanan, Aashay Mardikar, Mathew Stephen
  • 2nd Place:泭 SentienIO, Inc.泭 Masum Hasan
  • 3rd Place:泭 W.E.L.D. Judy Monickaraj, Jazmin Phommavanh, Ignacio Rodiguez, Aveisha Maharaj

2023 Winners

  • 1st Place:泭Penpal泭 Tamuda Chimhanda 26 (Computer Science), Samuel Henderson 25 (Computer Science), Alessio Simoya 22 (Computer Science)
  • 2nd Place:Instaboard泭 Andy Zhou 23 (Applied Mathematics, Finance), Lauren Yu 23 (Information Systems, Data Science)
  • 3rd Place:Piyata泭 Paterne Iradukunda 23 (Electrical and Computer Engineering), Isaac Ayeyi Turkson 23 (Electrical and Computer Engineering)
  • Finalist:Rempay Solomon Afotey (MBA, Business Administration), Olayemi Ajibade 22 (MBA, Business Administration)
  • Finalist:Alpha Collaboration泭 Vincent Chen 27 (Applied Mathematics), Haotian Gao (Business Analytics), Hao Chen

2022 Winners

  • 1st Place:泭RHM Innovations Inc.泭 Brandon Davis 23 (PhD, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology), Courtney Burris 23 (PhD, Industrial and Systems Engineering)
  • 2nd Place:Photonect泭 Juniyali Nauriyal 23 (PhD, ECE),
    Sushant Kumar 24 (PhD, Optics)
  • 3rd Place:Bio-Spire泭 Amanda Adams 22 (BS, Biomedical Engineering), Maria Schapfel 23 (BS, Molecular Genetics), Tiana Saloman 22 (BS, Biomedical Engineering), Tracey Moyston 22 (BS, Biomedical Engineering), Anca Frasineau 22 (BS/BA, Molecular Genetics and Chemistry)
  • Finalist:Bubble Trouble Michael Lee 22 (MS, Biomedical Engineering), Warish Orko 22 (MS, Biomedical Engineering), Samuel C. Marquet 22 (MS, Biomedical Engineering), Mark Truskinovsky 22 (MS, Biomedical Engineering)
  • Finalist:ScrewIT Kit泭 Abbi Miller 22 (MS, Biomedical Engineering), Allison Coon 22 (MS, Biomedical Engineering), Sylvia Zhong 22 (MS, Biomedical Engineering), Haotian Li 22 (MS, TEAM)

2021 Winners

  • 1st Place:泭Advanced Growing Resources泭 Francis Pellegrino 22 (BS, Optical Engineering); Heriniaina Rajaoberison 22 (BS, Optical Engineering); Andrew Thankson 22 (BS, Computer Science)
  • 2nd Place:Neuro 2.0 Technologies泭 Matthew Izard 20 (BS, Biomedical Engineering), 21 (MS, Biomedical Engineering); Julia Schroth 21 (MS, Biomedical Engineering); Huaze Xie 22 (MS, Optics)
  • 3rd Place:Guild Me泭 Stephanie Marvin 22 (MBA)
  • Finalist:RHM Innovations Brandon Davis 20 (MS, Biochemistry), 23 (PhD, Biochemistry)
  • Finalist:Modern Spine泭 Jared Ocasio 21 (MS, Biomedical Engineering); Charles Patterson 20 (BS, Biomedical Engineering), 21 (MS, Biomedical Engineering); Nina Stash 20 (BS, Biomedical Engineering), 21 (MS, Biomedical Engineering)

2019 Winners

  • 1st Place:泭Successful Heart Solutions泭 Vinny Costantino 19 (MBA); Joe Geiger 19 (MBA); Yangyang Shao 19 (MS, Technical Entrepreneurship and Management); Jonathan Yakubov 19 (MS, Technical Entrepreneurship and Management)
  • 2nd Place:StrongBrain泭 Max Sims 16 (BA and BS, Business and Neuroscience), 19 (MBA)
  • 3rd Place:MyStohos泭 Arjun Arora 19 (MBA); Steven Chew 19 (MBA)
  • Finalist:EZ Water Afnan Ahmed 21 (BS, Chemical Engineering); Syed Muhammad Miqdad 19 (BS, Chemical Engineering); Claude Mulindi 22 (BS, Chemical Engineering); Derrick Murekezi 19 (BS, Geological Sciences)
  • Finalist:WetWare Systems泭 Nicholas Drogo 19 (BS, Biomedical Engineering); Andrew Kaseman 21 (BS, Biology); Scott McKinney 21 (BS, Computer Science); Oliver Ostriker 19 (BA, Financial Economics); Bradley Smith 20 (BS, Neuroscience)

2018 Winners

  • 1st Place:泭CompreSure Medical泭 Alyssa Lopez 18 (MS, Biomedical Engineering); Gregory Dadourian 18 (MS, Biomedical Engineering); Meghann Meyer 18 (MS, Biomedical Engineering); Rachel Zimmer 18 (MBA, Business Administration)
  • 2nd Place:ADASI泭 Rebecca Amorese 18 (MS, Biomedical Engineering); Amanda Smith 18 (MS, Biomedical Engineering); Evan Sosnow 18 (MS, Biomedical Engineering)
  • 3rd Place:Prosthesis for a New Syria泭 Ibrahim Mohammad 23 (PhD, Mechanical Engineering); Omar Soufan 18 (MS, Technical Entrepreneurship and Management)
  • Finalist:GOAT Industries泭 Chibueze Onwunaka 20 (EdD, K-12 Education Leadership)
  • Finalist:UR Connected泭 Allen Chen 19 (BS, Neuroscience); Krista Pipho 18 (BS, Biochemistry); Brandon Smart 19 (BS, Computer Science and Finance); Hetince Zhao 18 (BS, Biomedical Engineering)

2017 Winners

  • 1st Place (TIE):Meliora Homes (Team Meliora)泭 Edgar Alaniz 17 (BA in Biology and Clinical Psychology); Carlos Yuki Gonzalez 17 (BA in Financial Economics); Ibrahim Mohammad 17 (BS in Mechanical Engineering and BA in Mathematics); Omar Soufan 17 (BS in Biomedical Engineering)
  • 1st Place (TIE):Proteus Medical泭 Connor J. McBride 17 (BS in Biomedical Engineering); Edward F. Ruppel 17 (BS in Biomedical Engineering); Chandler W. Woo 17 (BS in Biomedical Engineering)
  • 3rd Place:Chalaza Technologies泭 Sean Humesky 17 (MS in TEAM); Lei Liao 17 (MS in TEAM); Kristopher Page 17 (MS in TEAM); Brianna Rockwell 17 (MS in TEAM)
  • Finalist:Blush Bokonzi泭 Mahodo Marthe Avissoudo 17 (BS in Mechanical Engineering); Gaella Kabeya 18 (BS in Brain and Cognitive Sciences)
  • Finalist:Nutrascientia泭 Florencia Spinella 17 (MS in TEAM); Steven Teng 17S (MS in Finance); Xiaoyu Xu 17S (MS in Finance)

2016 Winners

  • 1st Place:0Limits泭 Facundo Ciancio 16 (MS in TEAM); Ian Lin 16 (MS in TEAM); Alvise Pallaro 16 (MS in TEAM); David Thomas 16 (MS in TEAM)
  • 2nd Place:StimSense泭 Martin Gitomer 16 (MS in Biomedical Engineering); Alin Ponici 14 (BS in Biomedical Engineering), 16 (MS in TEAM); Shwe Pyie 16 (MS in Biomedical Engineering); Jia Shi 16 (MS in TEAM)
  • 3rd Place:Endogenesis泭 Aaron Allen 16 (MS in TEAM); Ryan Dawes (PhD Candidate in Neuroscience); Benjamin Feifke 15 (BS in Optics), 16 (MS in Data Science); Anchal Sharma 15 (MS in Optics)
  • Finalist:InstaCharge泭泭Ninoshka Fernandes 14 (MS in Biomedical Engineering), 16 (MS in TEAM), (PhD Candidate in Biomedical Engineering); Qi Tang 16 (MS in TEAM); Isaac Tung 16S (MBA); Shujing (Juno) Yu 16 (MS in TEAM)
  • Finalist:Stoma, LLC泭 Madhu Ashok 14 (BS in Optics), 16 (MS in TEAM); Christi Fox 17 (MS in TEAM); Shubham Jain 16 (MS in TEAM); Adalberto Perez 15 (BS in Mechanical Engineering), 16 (MS in TEAM)

2015 Winners

  • 1st Place:Motion Correct泭 Junning Chai 15 (MS), Sairam Ramasubramaniam 15S (MBA), Nishant Saboo 15S (MBA), Wenli Wang 11 (MS) and PhD Candidate
  • 2nd Place:Null Space泭 Lucian Copeland 15, Alexander Matthers 15
  • 3rd Place:Fuse-UR泭 Elie Farah 15S (MBA), Kierstan Ryan 15 (MS), Brian Shen 15 (MS) and PhD Candidate, Megan Stockdill 15 (MS)
  • Finalist:泭C弇泭 Seth Reining 15 (MS), Anthony Yee 15 (MS) and PhD Candidate, Xiangzhi Yu, PhD Candidate, Yang Zhao, PhD Candidate
  • Finalist:Loopality泭 Travis Church 15S (MBA), Helen Wang 15S (MBA)

2014 Winners

  • 1st Place:SmartDialysis泭泭Li Adam Deng 14 (MS),泭Steven Gillmer (PhD Candidate),泭Kenneth Goodfellow 14 (MS), (PhD Candidate),泭Aizhong Zhang 14泭14 (MS), (PhD Candidate),泭Bowei Zhang 14 (MS)
  • 2nd Place:Ovlay泭泭Joungyoon Felix Kim 14
  • 3rd Place:ClarElast泭泭Yonghao Max Deng 14 (MS),泭Jennifer Fadimba 14 (MS),泭Ken Oyeka 14 (MS),泭Alexander Partin 14泭(MS), (PhD Candidate)
  • Finalist:MelioraTx泭泭Christopher Henry 14S (MBA), Laura Jo Marino 15S (MBA), Audrey McNamara 14S (MBA), Raul Salinas 14S (MBA)
  • Finalist:PROTEA Medical泭泭Ryan DeAngelis 14 (MS), Christine Donivan 14S (MS), Jess Indyk 14 (MS), Stephen Zhang 14 (MS)

2013 Winners

  • 1st Place:Health Care Originals泭泭Sharon Samjitsingh 13 (MS),泭Prinson Dsouza 13 (MS),泭Ran Gao 13 (MS),泭ChenChen Qu 13 (MS)
  • 2nd Place:SMP MicroStamps泭泭Megan DeWitt 13 (MS),泭Andrew Durney 16 (PhD),泭William Finnie 13 (MS),泭Kwaku Owusu 14S (MBA)
  • 3rd Place:Ovitz泭泭Joungyoon Felix Kim 14,泭Gyeonghun Lee 13S (MS),泭Hyieop Lim 13S (MS)
  • Finalist:SixFold Equity泭泭Alicia Henn 13S (EMBA),泭Martin Birmingham 13S (EMBA),泭Anthony Froix 13S (EMBA),泭Nancy Sutton 13S (EMBA),泭Michael Van Meter 13S (EMBA),泭Marcos Rodriguez 13S (EMBA)
  • Finalist:Formation 3D泭泭Steven Trambert 13,泭Alex Feiszli 14,泭Eric Frank 13

2012 Winners

  • 1st Place:LighTip泭 Cristina Canavesi (PhD), Nebiat Kidane 12 (MBA), Cheng Shu 12 (MS), Luis Soto 12 (MS)
  • 2nd Place:Mono-Mano泭 Travis Block 12 (BS), Sara Hutchinson 12 (BS), Dominic Marino 12 (BS), David Narrow 12 (BS), Martin Szeto 12 (BS)
  • 3rd Place:泭TrueSeal泭 Shaojie Liu 12 (MS), Rachel Rakvica 12 (MS), Sijia Sun 12 (MS), Ethan Williams 12 (MBA)
  • Finalist:Kukla Tea Company泭 Clarissa Perkins 12 (BA)
  • Finalist:Poseidon泭 Nicole Varble 12 (MS), Christopher McLane 12 (MBA), Laurana Ryback 12 (MS)

2011 Winners

  • 1st Place:Maravilla泭 Henry Eshenour 11 (MBA), Tim DeGrave 11 (MBA), Christopher Larsen 11 (MBA)
  • 2nd Place:TaaDoo泭 Kevin Beavers 11 (EMBA), Chad Carta 11 (MBA), Brennan Mulcahey 11 (MBA), David Reiner 11 (MBA)
  • 3rd Place:OmNeo, LLC泭 Benjamin Freedman 11 (BS), Johanna Kelly 11 (BS)
  • Finalist:MRSA泭 Boris Alvarez 11 (MS), Daniela Santibanez 11 (MS), Sergio Toloza 11 (MS)
  • Finalist:VendiCab泭 Seth Hauben 11 (MBA), Alex Sylvester 11 (MBA), Maya Boyd 11 (MBA), Deirdre Corbi 11 (MBA), Stanley Cheung 11 (MBA)

2010 Winners

  • 1st Place:MediTel Health Solutions泭 Benjamin George 13 (MD) and Jason Reminick 13 (MD and MBA)
  • 2nd Place:QMD Biosystems泭 Christophe Dorrer11 (MBA), Soumya Mitra 10 (MBA), and Jie Qiao 11 (MBA)
  • 3rd Place:I-Squared Materials泭 Sriram Atchutuni 10 (EMBA), Pankaj Gupta 13 (PhD), Nitin Tyagi 11 (MS), and Weston Wicks 11 (MBA)
  • Finalist:Oregano.com泭 Byron Barnes 10 (MBA), James Hart 10 (MD and PhD), Brian Jenssen 10 (MD), Jason Morrow 10 (MBA), and Alexander Pearson 10 (MD and PhD)
  • Finalist:Arm EmBrace泭 Sara Ripp 10 (BS) and Kerry Wang 10 (BS)

2009 Winners

  • 1st Place:CustomEyes泭 Melissa Chow, Ying Geng, Rodrigo Mancilla, Abbie Tippie
  • 2nd Place:MCH Management泭 Christopher Czarnecki, Jeffrey Haniff, Brian Mirochnik
  • 3rd Place:Polynet Technology泭 Cheryl Blechman, Woojin Han, Alvin Lomibao, Charity Wallace
  • Finalist:Brightwave Solar, Inc.泭 Eric Christensen, Xinye Lou, Jonathan Sherwood, Raisa Velthuis
  • Finalist:Target Waveform, Inc.泭 Prashant Baveja, Shih-Shuan (Sean) Hsu, Matt Piede, Christy Sheehy

2008 Winners

  • 1st Place:Thermal Ventures泭 Carlin Gettliffe,泭James Cassuto
  • 2nd Place:Handheld Optical Technologies泭 Nathan Alves,泭Mitchele Au,泭Justin Goldstein,泭Jonathan Weber
  • 3rd Place:TriAD, LLC泭 Amanda Kingston,泭Divya Raman,泭Andrew McGloin

2007 Winners

  • 1st Place:Hope Learning Center泭 Eric Allen, Howard Reid, Scott Sweeney, Lee Jokl
Resources
Submit Application Here: Submission Deadline is November 1st at 11:59pm.泭