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On Oct. 24 at the DI Hub, LaunchNET hosted its annual Elevator Pitch Competition, where 25 students pitched their venture ideas within a 90-second time limit and competed to win funding from a $3,000 prize pool.

"LaunchNET was always there to assist with my business goals while navigating the ups and downs of being a college student." - Jada Hobson, Founder of Destination Dream

We began working with Bradley Smith as he was building up what is now Vinci Learning, a financial education platform for students that gamifies the learning experience. He most recently launched the Wayz to Wealth board game to support this mission — we've already snagged two copies for the office and have had a blast engaging visiting high school students with it.

As a LaunchNET client, Brad has pitched at the Entrepreneurship Education Consortium (EEC)'s ideaLabs competition, received funding via our Morgan Startup Grants, and participated in our end of semester Small Business Showcase.

Two years ago Macara Hitchcock began working with LaunchNET through the Black Women Bosses program for Aila Aura Fitness and Wellness, a transformative hybrid fitness community that combines the practice of yoga with the unique thrill of aerial yoga/hammock to provide students with a holistic journey toward physical, mental, and emotional well-being.

Since then she has continued to participate in our grant opportunities and cohorts and has even taken things a step further by getting involved with the Akron startup community at Bounce Innovation Hub through MORTAR and Life's a Pitch!

Visual Communication Design senior Julia Gray (Spring ’23) has been interested in design before she even knew what it was. “My family had an ongoing joke throughout my childhood that I ‘was born with paper in one hand and a pencil in the other,’” she says.

Audrey Ernst is an entrepreneur focused on the sweet things in life. Her passion for baking and sharing are what inspired her business, Audrey’s Baked Creations LLC, and since starting in 2019 she has grown a very authentic and successful brand.

Braedy Luxenburg is a multifaceted designer and he is making his mark on the fashion industry. From working with widely known artists to popular luxury brands to pursuing his own designs, Braedy has been involved with the industry at all levels.