The entrepreneurial talent of student innovators from across Oklahoma shone brightly at the 20th anniversary Entrepreneur’s Cup awards dinner, presented by Love’s Travel Stops, on Tuesday, April 30. Over 50 teams from seven Oklahoma higher education institutions vied for top honors and a share of $158,000 in cash prizes and scholarships in this year’s competition.
Hosted at the Omni Oklahoma City Hotel, the awards dinner celebrated the innovative spirit and dedication of the student teams across three divisions: Small Business, High Growth Undergraduate, and High Growth Graduate.
This year’s Entrepreneur’s Cup awards dinner also celebrated a milestone 20 years of advancing innovative business ideas and building the next generation of Oklahoma entrepreneurs. The Entrepreneur’s Cup is a statewide collegiate business plan competition that simulates the real-world process of researching a market, writing a business plan, and making a presentation to potential investors. In 2024, over 50 teams participated, an Entrepreneur’s Cup record.
“This competition is about investing in the future of business, the future of our state, and the future of the incredible students that participate each year. We are proud to have had the opportunity to host this competition for 20 years and we are committed to our role in helping to develop the next generation of Oklahoma entrepreneurs,” Rex Smitherman, i2E president, said.
Jenny Love Meyer, Chief Culture Officer for presenting sponsor Love’s Travel Stops, awarded trophies to winning teams, underscoring the continued commitment of Love’s Travel Stops to fostering innovation in Oklahoma.
Small Business Division Winners: Claiming first place and a $12,000 award was Forwritten from East Central University, offering a platform for undiscovered authors to showcase their work. Safety Zone, also from East Central University, secured second place and received $8,000, while Camp:U from Oral Roberts University was awarded third place, earning $5,000.
High Growth Undergraduate Division Winners: MagnaZation from the University of Central Oklahoma won first place, earning $21,000 for their innovative solution aimed at reducing Healthcare Acquired Infections (HAI). In second place and awarded $11,000 was ValuSnap from The University of Tulsa. ThinkPot from the University of Oklahoma claimed third place, receiving $5,500.
High Growth Graduate Division Winners: Nourishing Sparks from the University of Oklahoma captured the top prize of $21,000 for their concept to enrich education with inclusive cultural materials, bridging gaps in Pre-K-12 education to foster empathy and interconnectedness in a global community. EcoNest, also from the University of Oklahoma, secured second place and received $11,000, while Burgess Aerospace Innovations from Oklahoma State University was in third place, earning $5,500.
The Paulsen Awards, $5,000 scholarships sponsored by the Oklahoma Business Roundtable, recognized outstanding students committed to economic development and entrepreneurship. This year’s recipients were Ahmad Abdullah with samtracs from Oklahoma State University, Godsgift Ezedinma with Godsgift Clothing from East Central University, and Jolee Grinstead with Clean Living LLC from East Central University.
A new award this year, the Black Oak Social Entrepreneurship Award, funded by the Moore Family, recognized teams that blended business expertise, innovation, and a strong commitment to creating a positive impact on society or the environment. The first-place team was Nourishing Sparks from the University of Oklahoma, earning $6,000. Second place was Cardian, also from the University of Oklahoma, winning $3,000.
In addition to the main awards, standout students were recognized for their 90-second pitches, each receiving a $1,000 cash prize. Pitch winners were Vivian Tapia with Two Cat’s Bakery from East Central University (Small Business), Emily Geffre with Cardian from the University of Oklahoma (High Growth Undergraduate), and Shannon Robinson with EcoNest from the University of Oklahoma (High Growth Graduate).
About the Entrepreneur’s Cup
Celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, the Entrepreneur’s Cup is a statewide collegiate business plan competition that simulates the real-world process of researching a market, writing a business plan and making a presentation to potential investors. Over its history, 2,855 students have participated, showcasing over 870 innovative ideas and receiving $2.6 million in awards. The program is sponsored by Love’s Travel Stops and administered by i2E, a private not-for-profit corporation focused on growing innovative small businesses in Oklahoma and making a positive impact on the state’s economy. More information is available at entrepreneurscup.org.
