MENU Back to News Home ALUMNI, BATTERMAN SCHOOL OF BUSINESS, BETHESDA COLLEGE, CONCORDIA EXPERTS, FEATURED, NEWS CU Launch 2021: A big night for Concordia’s entrepreneurs BY: STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS November 30, 2021 Share: FACEBOOK TWITTER LINKEDIN EMAIL LOOKING FOR A DEGREE? We have dozens of flexible accelerated and graduate degrees available for adults — online, in-person or at one of our Wisconsin regional centers. Fill out this form to get more information. FIRST NAME LAST NAME EMAIL NEXT EMAIL US Do you have a story idea or media inquiry for Concordia’s Strategic Communications team? Send an email to news@cuw.edu. Students and alumni inventors and entrepreneurs from Concordia University Wisconsin and Concordia University Ann Arbor competed for cash prizes in the sixth annual CU Launch event. Student participants included a husband and wife team, a high school sophomore from West Bend East, a freshman from CUAA, and a student enrolled in the Bethesda College program on the CUW campus. The innovations were part of the University’s sixth annual CU Launch program, in which members of our CUWAA community interested in entrepreneurship have the opportunity to learn about business basics and then create and pitch their own idea to market. “We had some really incredible teams and ideas this year,” says Dr. Daniel Sem, dean of the Batterman School of Business. “There were 9 teams in total, in both undergraduate and graduate/alumni categories, with ideas ranging from custom chocolates and jewelry to software for the insurance industry. Very impressive I have to say! The creativity and talent of our students and alumni always amazes me.” Undergraduate Teams Entrepreneurs: Kamilla Mekhtieva (CUW ’23) and Ivan Gwyer (CUW ’23) Company: Saturnus Designs Business Idea: Create unique and custom wedding bands for men. Entrepreneur: Griffin McCarley (Bethesda College at CUW) Company: G & S Custom Art (Metal artwork/social cause) Business Idea: Up-cycle scrap metal and tools into art. Entrepreneur: Travis Wright (CUAA ’25) Company: Kicksandcash Business Idea: Sell exclusive sneakers directly to consumers and offer unique services. Entrepreneur: Danny Zolp (Sophomore at West Bend East High School) Company: SecuPoll Business Idea: Create a secure and centralized government ID system using Blockchain technologies. After much deliberation, the judges selected Travis Wright as the winner in the undergraduate competition, and decided to split the prize money evenly between KicksandCash and second-place finisher, Saturnus. Wright shared that he first heard about CU Launch from his accounting professor, Amber Gray. “Professor Gray handed a CU Launch flyer out to all of us in class and I decided to go to the information session. I learned there what a great opportunity this would be for me since I was able to pitch my business to a venture capitalist and a lot of other business-savvy people,” says Wright. Since participating in the business pitch event in mid-November, Wright has had an individual appointment with CUWAA’s in-house venture capitalist, Richelle Martin. He’s been invited to pitch his business to even more venture capitalists because of his impressive initiative and innovation. Wright finds ways to invest a few hours a day to his business, balancing his busy schedule as a student-athlete, a freshman in college, and continuing to make time for friends and family. Many of his profits are going toward paying his tuition. Wright says he is going to use his CU Launch winnings to invest in accounting software. According to Kamilla Mekhtieva from Saturnus Designs, “We are planning on using the money to buy tools and supplies that are integral for moving our business from selling to friends and family to selling online to a larger audience. You can currently find us on Instagram @saturnus.designs.” Graduate/Alumni Teams In the graduate/alumni competition, Nicole Tilot (AppEase) won first prize for developing software that automatically transfers electronic medical data between medical providers and insurance companies. Alexandra Gleason (Designing Delicious) was awarded second prize for using 3D printing to custom-design chocolates. Entrepreneur: Nicole Tilot (CUW ’07, ’08) Company: AppEase Business Idea: Software that automatically transfers electronic medical data between medical providers and insurance companies Entrepreneur: Alexandra Gleason (CUW Alumna) Company: Designing Delicious Business Idea: Using 3D printing to custom-design chocolates CU Launch at Concordia The CU Launch program is about more than just winning; it is about learning more about how to turn innovative ideas into a functioning business. For more information on the CU Launch program, contact Dr. Sem at daniel.sem@cuw.edu. — If this story has inspired you, why not explore how you can help further Concordia's mission through giving. Sharing the light of Christ in COVID isolation PREVIOUS STORY Teachers: 3 Tips for returning from winter break NEXT STORY APPLY GET IN TOUCH CONNECT WITH US: FACEBOOK TWITTER INSTAGRAM YOUTUBE LINKEDIN Concordia Wisconsin Campus 12800 N Lake Shore Drive Mequon, WI 53097 262-243-5700 admissions@cuw.edu Employment © 2021 Concordia University Wisconsin ADMISSIONS High School Students Graduate Students Online Students Adult Accelerated Students Veterans Financial Aid CAMPUS Coronavirus Health Update ADA Compliance Athletics Fine Arts Christian Life Diversity and Belonging Map & Directions Title IX ACADEMICS Undergraduate Degrees Graduate Degrees Adult Accelerated Degrees Online Degrees Continuing Education Transcript Request Bookstore Concordia Central TO THE TOP RELATED INFORMATIONVisit ConcordiaLife at ConcordiaUndergraduate Admissions