2023 ‘BizPitch’ Student Business Contest Winners
April 25, 2023
(L-R) Dezaray Johnson, SBDC director; Dr. Andrew Tiger, NVCOB dean; Corban Hutcherson, BizPitch winner; and Jennifer Perez, SBDC graduate assistant
Angelo State University’s Small Business Development Center (SBDC) and Norris-Vincent College of Business have announced the winners of the 2023 BizPitch student entrepreneurship competition following the recent live finals event in the LeGrand Alumni and Visitors Center.
The BizPitch competition began in January when individual ASU students or teams of up to four students were invited to submit video pitches of their ideas for new business startups. A panel of ASU business faculty and SBDC specialists selected five finalists to make live pitch presentations to a panel of judges made up of local business professionals.
Winners of the 2023 BizPitch competition are:
First Place ($2,500 prize) – Hutcherson Hog Haulers
Corban Hutcherson of Round Rock, natural resource management major
Business Synopsis: “When your land is in distress, call Triple H, and we’ll handle the rest.”
Second Place ($1,500 prize) – Celestial Cowpoke
Lauren Bass of San Angelo, management major
Business Synopsis: “Out of this world silver goods”
Third Place ($1,000 prize) – Neat ‘N’ Tidy
Mia Kilman of San Saba, management major
Emily Nadeau of Tuscola, management major
Business Synopsis: “Leave your dust to us!”
Finalist ($250 prize) – Raging Rams
Samantha Turner of San Angelo, marketing major
Dawson Shockley of Midland, marketing major
Business Synopsis: “Release your rage!”
Finalist ($250 prize) – Printed-Tanium
Roberto Lopez of Del Rio, computer science major
Business Synopsis: “3D Printed Healthcare”
The finalists each made eight-minute live presentations to the judges and answered judges’ questions during the finals event. The cash prizes are for the winners to use as seed money for their new ventures.
The panel of business professionals who judged the finals included:
- Leonard “Lenny” Christo – Covenant Health Partners
- Andi Markee – Media Advantage
- Derek McIntyre – TCP Software
- Tammy Merwin – TCP Software & West Texas Funk
- Jordy Moorman – Workforce Technologies
The BizPitch competition is designed to provide ASU students with opportunities to learn through interaction with SBDC business advisors, ASU faculty mentors and ASU alumni who are successful in business, as well as to promote and foster student entrepreneurship at ASU.