Ñý¼§Ö±²¥, OHIO – Six student entrepreneurs pitched their businesses to a panel of executive judges for a chance to win more than $20,000 in cash prizes during the Spring 2026 Pitch competition held April 16 at the Ambassador Crawford College of Business and Entrepreneurship. The event was hosted by the John S. and Marlene J. Brinzo Center for Entrepreneurship. Winners were as follows:
- First place ($10,000): Senior business analytics major Yamini Kumar and senior entrepreneurship major Braden Hunt with Cottage Core. Cottage Core offers protein-packed cups with mix-ins to give the product a sweet treat feel.
- Second place ($5,000): Senior business management major Anthony Dalayanis and senior computer science major Nicholas Widmer with Shadowdesk AI. Shadowdesk AI builds and manages custom, white label Ai automations that plug directly into a client’s existing systems and workflows.
- Third place ($2,000): Senior entrepreneurship major Jake Marriner with Marriner Outdoor. Marriner Outdoor is a lawn and landscaping company based in Alliance, Ohio.
- Promising Idea Award ($1,000): Junior aerospace engineering major Ben Windt, senior aerospace engineering major Gage McCreary and sophomore entrepreneurship major Adam Bamberger with LunaCase. LunaCase is a consumer hardware business serving cybersecurity consultants, business executives, and frequent travelers who rely on public WIFI networks. The company provides radio-frequency shielding laptop cases designed to reduce the electromagnetic signals emitted by laptops.
Additional pitch participants each received a cash prize of $1,000 and included:
- Junior finance major Nathanial Wood with Hero Energy LLC. Hero Energy LLC delivers reliable, portable renewable power for off-grid and austere environments.
- Junior finance and accounting major Tatyana Kanochkin with WispofVintage. WispofVintage is a curated second-hand vintage shopping brand operating through pop-up markets and Depop.
Judges for the event included:
- Anne Johnson ’18, Founder and CEO of Anne Cate
- Julie Jennings, Managing Director, Capellas Partners
- Matthew Likens ’75, Retired President and CEO, GT Medical Technologies
- Michael Solomon ‘74, entrepreneur, investor and advisor
- Dave Thoman ’99, CEO and Visionary, Leading Edge Distribution, Deltarack USA and LED Foot Real Estate
- Sandra Volpe ’89, Independent Board Director and experienced C-Suite executive
Ñý¼§Ö±²¥ Ñý¼§Ö±²¥ State University’s Ambassador Crawford College of Business and Entrepreneurship
Ñý¼§Ö±²¥ State University’s Ambassador Crawford College of Business and Entrepreneurship is among 2% of business schools worldwide to obtain dual accreditation from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) in both business and accounting. The college offers 10 undergraduate majors, 14 minors, and an undergraduate Professional Sales Certificate; MBA; master’s degrees in accounting, business analytics and economics; graduate certificates, dual degree programs and a Ph.D. program. For more information about Ñý¼§Ö±²¥ State’s Ambassador Crawford College of Business and Entrepreneurship, visit www.kent.edu/crawford.