Michigan Tech College of Business Newsblog

Category: Students

Huskies Win at Michigan Collegiate Startup Challenge

Published
By
Winners of the Michigan Collegiate Startup Challenge pose with their checks
Jordan Craven (bottom, center) and Rourke (top, left)

By Jessie Stapleton, Shannon Rinkinen

On Friday, November 11, four Huskies representing three teams pitched their business ideas at Michigan State University during the Michigan Collegiate Startup Challenge (MCSC), competing for more than $12,000 in cash prizes. MCSC is Michigan’s university-level business model competition specifically designed for student entrepreneurs across the state. The second-annual MCSC, sponsored by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, fosters entrepreneurship by encouraging commercialization of ideas.

Twenty semifinalists representing nine schools pitched their ideas, including the following Michigan Tech teams:

Craven took first place, winning $5,000, for Tall and Small Designs, a retailer software service providing form-fitting mockups of online clothing products for consumers. Sylvain, of Integrated Molecular Innovations, an electrochemical biosensor for at-home detection of T4 thyroid levels, earned fourth place, netting $1,000.

Students spent the first portion of the day pitching their ideas to judges. Ten startups were selected to move to the finalist showcase round.

Hosted by Michigan State, the pitch competition was a collaboration between Central Michigan University, Eastern Michigan University, Ferris State University, Kendall College of Art and Design, Grand Valley State University, Michigan State University, Michigan Technological University, Mid-Michigan College, Northern Michigan University, and Wayne State University.

About the College of Business

The Michigan Tech College of Business offers undergraduate majors in accounting, business analytics, construction management, economics, engineering management, finance, management, management information systems, and marketing, as well as a general business option. Graduate degrees include the TechMBA®, a Master of Engineering Management, a Master of Science in Accounting, and a Master of Science in Applied Natural Resource Economics.

Continue Reading →

Faculty-Led Study Abroad Returns for 2023

Published
By
Group of students in orange vests pose during a plant tour
Beck’s Brewery tour in Bremen, Germany

A group of Michigan Tech students participated in an inaugural faculty-led study abroad trip to Germany over the summer. Ulrich Schmelzle, assistant professor of supply chain and operations management in the Michigan Tech College of Business, led a group of eight Huskies to his hometown of Hamburg. This once-in-a-lifetime tour will have a positive impact on students’ future careers, and will return as a study abroad option for summer 2023.

“One of the objectives of the Germany experience is to prepare students for careers in a globalized and interconnected business environment,” says Schmelzle, who has two decades of international industry experience in semiconductor and aerospace fields. Increasingly, recruiters emphasize the need for students to develop intercultural skills and awareness about different business etiquette when dealing with business partners across the globe. 

Continue Reading →

Business Students Earn First, Third, and Audience Favorite in Idea Pitch Competition

Published
By
Students winners of the Idea Pitch Competition pose with certificates.
Winners of the Idea Pitch Competition representing the Michigan Tech College of Business—Alex Bos (second from left); Asia Motta (third from left); and Noel Kamdem-Tegue (third from right)

Congratulations to Idea Pitch Competition winners representing the Michigan Tech College of Business (COB): In first place—Anastasia (Asia) Motta with The Droplet; in third place—Alex Bos with The SELF Couch; and the audience-favorite—Noel Kamdem-Tegue with Black Earth Rising, a food truck.

Continue Reading →

Tech Student Entrepreneur Advances in Global Pitch Competition

Published
By
MTU student Ali Dabas and Rourke Sylvain posing with a large check
Rourke Sylvain, pictured right, earlier this year with fellow Tech student, Ali Dabas.

From an applicant pool of 600 students, Rourke Sylvain, president of Michigan Tech’s chapter of the Collegiate Entrepreneurs’ Organization (CEO), is among the 100 participants selected to compete in the 39th Annual Global Pitch Competition hosted by the University of Tampa. Over the next month, Rourke, who is a graduate student pursuing biomedical engineering, will create a four-phase online investor pitch deck—the problem, the solution, a business model, and a video pitch.

Twenty semifinalists will move on to present their ideas live at the Global Conference in Chicago, Illinois, to be held October 28-30. The highly selective conference and competition promises to “Frame Your Future” with an assembly of some of the brightest minds in collegiate entrepreneurship.

Founded in 1983, CEO has a global network of more than 250 college and university chapters, and supports and inspires the growth and development of students seeking to be entrepreneurial. Michigan Tech’s chapter of CEO was established last year, and the environment in the College of Business (COB) is rich for tech-savvy innovation.

“Rourke’s opportunity is a reflection of the advancements we can make when STEM intersects with business.”

Jon Leinonen, COB faculty member who advises CEO at Tech

Rourke is advancing Integrated Molecular Innovations LLC, an enterprise centered on his research on electrochemical biosensors. His end goal is to develop a device that can remotely monitor thyroid hormones in patients. According to Rourke’s research, more than 3 million people are diagnosed with hypothyroidism every year. Many lived with symptoms for years pre-diagnosis, and most don’t find a stable medication regimen for another year or more. He says the current testing protocol requires patients to travel to a medical provider’s office or a central clinical laboratory every few months to have blood drawn and tested. Rourke’s device will allow for home testing, resulting in a richer data set for physicians and faster diagnosis and symptom relief.

MTU student Rourke standing near podium
Rourke aims to improve the wellbeing of people living with hypothyroidism.

Rourke’s pitch must include value proposition, customer discovery, product-market fit, investment requirements, and customer pain points. Much of his entrepreneurial training has come through his participation in Husky Innovate, a series of events, workshops, and resources designed to guide students through key phases of innovation and business development.

MTU student Rourke on stage pitching his enterprise
Through his involvement in Husky Innovate, Rourke has already gained pitching experience and success on campus and beyond.

Earlier this year, Rourke saw significant success when he was selected to pitch during TCNewTech’s University Showcase, part of Michigan Tech’s Grand Traverse region initiative. During Central Michigan University’s New Venture Competition, Rouke and fellow biomedical engineering student Ali Dabas earned second place in the “High-Tech, High-Growth” category, with a prize of $5,000 in seed money. 

About the College of Business

The Michigan Tech College of Business offers undergraduate majors in accounting, business analytics, construction management, economics, engineering management, finance, management, management information systems, and marketing, as well as a general business option. Graduate degrees include the TechMBA®, a Master of Engineering Management, a Master of Science in Accounting, and a Master of Science in Applied Natural Resource Economics.

Continue Reading →

Incoming Husky Wins Parade of Nations Essay Contest

Published
By
Incoming Michigan Tech College of Business student, Aidan Holley

Aidan Holley, 18, has won the Parade of Nations essay contest on multiculturalism. He will receive a $1,000 scholarship to Michigan Tech, where he will study engineering management starting this fall.

Multiculturalism is a fact of life for Holley, who lives in Baraga, Michigan. “I have lived in the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community most of my life,” Holley explains. “Half of my graduating class at Baraga High School was tribal.”

The Parade of Nations essay contest was open to high school seniors who plan to go to Michigan Tech. It asked two questions:

  • What does multiculturalism mean to you?
  • Why does it matter to you, to your community, to our country, to the world?

In his essay, Holley writes: “In my community, Baraga County, this concept is especially important to understand. The Keweenaw Bay Indian Community lies within the area, and Baraga’s culture can be divided mainly into two different groups: Yoopers with Finland in their blood and Native Americans who have been on this land for centuries. For the most part, we get along well together. But there are times that it can get problematic, because multiculturalism is a mostly unknown and foreign concept for much of our populations. If both groups put multiculturalism into effect for Baraga, it would create a more welcoming environment for either group to be more open to each other, spreading even more culture to each other without the worries of being slandered.”

As for the importance of multiculturalism to the country and the world, Holley says: “My definition of multiculturalism is to have a better understanding of the people who surround us in our world. To me, it is really important to be able to harness this major ability, as it helps connect people from multiple different regions of the globe. For example, in a workplace, having workers who are American, Italian, Kenyan, Russian, Japanese, and/or Brazilian in the same area helps create diversity, which helps each culture to understand the other. Using this example all over the world would create an alliance of hundreds of different backgrounds and traditions and unite them together into one large hub that anyone can learn from.”

Aidan goes on to say: “Our country is another good example of why multiculturalism is important to understand. It does happen in some areas of the United States, but only on certain occasions and in certain areas of the country. If it happened all over our society, it would create a much more accepting environment to be able to share whatever culture someone belongs to with a different culture.”

The valedictorian of his class at Baraga High, Holley has won more than 20 scholarships. He was inducted into the National Honor Society in 10th grade. He also served on the student council.

Both Parade of Nations contest winners this year were from Baraga. Chiara Rapacci, an exchange student from Italy, won the logo design contest. Holley is not surprised. “It reflects on the teachers at Baraga High School,” he says. “I can’t say enough good about the teachers there.”

Continue Reading →