May 3, 2022
Contact: Sarah Seagraves,
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or email [email protected]
Teams led by student innovators from Oklahoma State University, the University of Tulsa and East Central University claimed first place awards in the recent statewide Love’s Entrepreneur’s Cup business plan competition.
Team Titan Charts from Oklahoma State University won first place and a $20,000 award in the High Growth Graduate Division, while Solar Mineralis from the University of Tulsa won the $20,000 first place award in the High Growth Undergraduate Division.
A team from East Central University, Central Paw Dog Resort, won the Small Business Division and a $10,000 award.
Nearly 40 teams of college students from campuses across Oklahoma competed for $158,000 in cash prizes and scholarships.
Signature Sponsor
Love’s Travel Stops is the signature sponsor of the event, which is managed by i2E, Inc.
Led by team leader Rachel Brown and team member Patrick Bruce, OSU’s team Titan Charts pitched their vision to Love’s Cup judges of a HIPAA-secure, cloud-native workflow solution that increase specialty physician referral turnaround time by automating the entire process.
David Thomison, Associate Professor of Practice and George Kaiser Family Foundation Endowed Chair in Entrepreneurship at OSU’s Spears School of Business, was advisor for team Titan Charts.
Brown also won $1,000 in the 90-second Pitch Graduate Division, and Titan Charts was named the winner of another $1,000 for the Student Generated Interview award.
Second place and $10,000 in the Graduate Division went to team Vusea from the University of Oklahoma, while team Library C from the University of Tulsa won $5,000 as the third place winner.
Team Solar Mineralis from the University of Tulsa won first place award and $20,000 in the High Growth Undergraduate Division.
Led by team leader Suraj Vodnala and team members Bryce Goswick, Madison Perigo and Andrew Varvara, Solar Mineralis pitched technology that creates high quality and more efficient solar cells that have the potential to accelerate the adoption of solar energy solutions.
Perigo also was awarded a $5,000 Paulsen Award scholarship from the Oklahoma Business Roundtable as part of the competition.
In addition, Solar Mineralis was named winner of the Energy and Environmental Interview award and received a $1,000 award.
Mike Troilo, Chapman Chair and Professor of International Business and Finance at The University of Tulsa, was team advisor.
Team Opal from the University of Oklahoma won second place and $10,000 in the Undergraduate Division. Named third place winner with a $5,000 prize was Hail Shield from the University of Oklahoma.
In the Small Business Division, team Central Paw Dog Resort from ECU won first place and $10,000 in the Small Business Division. Team leader was Faith Andrews, and team advisor was Stacey Bolin, Ph.D.
Another ECU team, Soap N’ Stuff, was the second place winner in the Small Business Division, claiming an $8,000 prize. Third place winner of $4,000 was team Perfect Form from Oral Roberts University.
Central Paw Dog Resort provides customizable daycare and boarding services that includes mentally stimulating activities for pets with options for basic training commands, interactive dinner puzzles, basic grooming and even a “tuck in” service.
Andrews also won the Small Business division 90-second Pitch award with a $1,000 cash award.
February Start
The competition began in February with the Interview process with industry experts, followed by judging of written business plans in March and two days of oral presentations in April before panels of judges in Oklahoma City.
Oklahoma Lt. Gov. Matt Pinnell addressed the virtual Awards Presentations audience and lauded the impact the competition has had on the state’s startup economy across its history.
“Over the past 18 years, more than 2,600 college students have taken the Love’s Cup challenge and created more than 780 innovative ideas,” Pinnell said. “Being a finalist in the Love’s Cup competition is a really big deal. You should be incredibly proud of your efforts. I look forward to watching more scalable businesses coming out of the Love’s Cup competition for years and years to come.”
Overall awards presentations were made by Jenny Love Meyer, executive vice president and Chief Culture Officer of Love’s Travel Stops.
“I’m excited to be here for the sixth year partnering with i2E to host the Love’s Entrepreneur’s Cup,” Meyer said before introducing the winning teams. “What you are all doing is inspiring and aligns with Love’s core value of innovation.”
Also addressing the presentation audience was Allison Garrett, Chancellor of the Oklahoma State System of Higher Education.
The virtual awards presentation event was concluded by i2E CEO Scott Meacham, who thanked the event’s sponsors and lauded the creativity and work of participating students.
“The Love’s Cup is Oklahoma entrepreneurship at its best,” Meacham said. “I admire the passion that the students bring to the concepts for which they are writing and pitching business plans. I expect to see many of these businesses working their way through our investment pipeline in the next few years.”
2022 LOVE’S CUP WINNERS
SMALL BUSINESS DIVISION Winners
1st Place
Central Paw Dog Resort
East Central University
Advisor: Stacey Bolin
Team Leader: Faith Andrews
Central Paw Dog Resort provides customizable daycare and boarding services that includes mentally stimulating activities for pets. The boutique features quality dog food, merchandise and a playground available to pet owners to spend quality time with their dog.
2nd Place
Soap N’ Stuff
East Central University
Advisor: Stacey Bolin
Team Leader: Nathan Fountain
Soap N’ Stuff is an innovative fundraising company that offers customizable soap products for clients such as schools and other non-profits. It manufactures soap products and distributes them to clients according to their specifications.
3rd Place
Perfect Form
Oral Roberts University
Advisor: Kevin Schneider
Team Leader: Isaac Rowaiye
Team Members: Nathan Musgrove and Zechariah Tay
Perfect Form created a fitness software application that provides individualized workouts and meal plans for users. The app uses an Adaptive Technology Exercise Management System to track every rep during exercise and ensure perfect user form.
UNDERGRADUATE DIVISION Winners
1st Place
Solar Mineralis
The University of Tulsa
Advisor: Mike Troilo
Team Leader: Suraj Vodnala
Team Members: Bryce Goswick, Madison Perigo and Andrew Varvara
Solar Mineralis developed technology to create high quality solar cells that will accelerate the adoption of solar energy solutions. Customers are offered clean, abundant, low-cost, distributed and renewable energy via the solar solution.
2nd Place
Opal
University of Oklahoma
Advisor: Craig Shimasaki
Team Leader: Averie GIbbins
Team Members: Corey Borer, Samuel Moore and Riley Whitaker
Opal created a unique platform designed for wedding planners, providing greater efficiency and organization. The technology provides tools that allow planners to focus on their clients rather than tasks.
3rd Place
Hail Shield
University of Oklahoma
Advisor: Kristin Garcia
Team Leader: Mia-Lynne Smith
Team Member: Matthew Smith
Hail Shield protects automobiles with a special shield that protects from dents, shattered windows and broken side mirrors. The Hail Shield eventually will be used to protect school buses, solar panels, garbage trucks, airplanes and more.
GRADUATE DIVISION Winners
1st Place
Titan Charts
Oklahoma State University
Advisor: David Thomison
Team Leader: Rachel Brown
Team Member: Patrick Bruce
Titan Charts is a HIPAA-secure, cloud-native workflow solution that increases specialty physician referral turnaround time by automating the entire process. The technology leverages the latest advances in artificial intelligence and data extraction for a faster referral process.
2nd Place
Vusea
University of Oklahoma
Advisor: Ron Bolen
Team Leader: Ryan Tinklepaugh
Team Members: Dan Bishline, Mandy Dollar, and Greg Lewis
Vusea offers a curated, digital art NFT streaming platform that connects art lovers and businesses with high quality digital art from top artists. The venture curates the best in the digital art NFT space while providing a reputable place for artists to share their work.
3rd Place
Library C
The University of Tulsa
Advisor: Mike Troilo
Team Leader: Eric Aplis
Team Members: Elijah Lucas, Christopher Shrock and Levi Zander
Library C uses a patent-pending sulfonamide synthesis technology to manufacture novel and affordable screening compounds, creating new horizons and facilitating existing opportunities for researchers to discover safer, targeted cancer treatments.
Interview Winners
BancFirst IT/App
Perfect Form
Oral Roberts University
Team Leader: Isaac Rowaiye
Team Members: Nathan Musgrove and Zechariah Tay
BancFirst Product
Soap N’ Stuff
East Central University
Nathan Fountain
BancFirst Retail
Salvation Lumber
East Central University
Logan Cosby
BancFirst Service
MNR Medical
University of Central Oklahoma
Max McCoy
Greater Oklahoma City Chamber Healthcare
Library C
The University of Tulsa
Team Leader: Eric Aplis
Team Members: Elijah Lucas, Christopher Shrock and Levi Zander
Chickasaw Nation Student Generated
Titan Charts
Oklahoma State University
Team Leader: Rachel Brown
Team Member: Patrick Bruce
Oklahoma Business Roundtable Manufacturing Material Sciences and Transportation
Hail Shield
University of Oklahoma
Team Leader: Mia-Lynne Smith
Team Member: Matthew Smith
OCAST IT and Communications
Firebreak
University of Oklahoma
Team Leader: Jarrod Barnett
Team Members: Jeffrey Berneathy, Aaron Feazelle, Nate Hanley and Mark Popp
i2E Energy and Environmental
Solar Mineralis
The University of Tulsa
Team Leader: Suraj Vodnala
Team Member: Bryce Goswick, Madison Perigo and Andrew Varvara
Pitch Winners
Graduate
Rachel Brown
Titan Charts
Oklahoma State University
Undergraduate
Erica Miller
Gamified
University of Oklahoma
Small Business
Faith Andrews
Central Paw Dog Resort
East Central University
OBR Paulsen Award Scholarship Recipients
Small Business
Madalyn Hess, East Central University
Undergraduate
Madison Perigo, University of Tulsa
Graduate
Jaden Polston, University of Oklahoma
