Spiro Institute for Entrepreneurial Leadership
The Walter Hunter Business Plan Competition and Lecture Series Pitch Smackdown
- Open to all full and part-time Clemson University students.
- Everyone is encouraged to come and cheer on our best and most diverse set of teams!
- Present your team's idea for up to six minutes.
- Answer up to four minutes of questions from the judges who are members of the Spiro Institute for Entrepreneurship Leadership Board (highly accomplished serial entrepreneurs and investors).
- Awards ceremony. Up to $10,000 in total prize money, courtesy of Spiro Institute.
- Startup Tree, clemsonstartuptee.co, Application deadline: Exact Date TBD, but it will open up in the middle of March and close a week before the competition in April.
- Competition date: Exact Date and time TBD, but it will be the second or third Friday in April 2024.
- The Wilbur O. and Ann Powers College of Business in Phyfer Auditorium.
- Sharpen your skills, gain experience, and advance your venture pursuits.
- Forge valuable relationships and compete for terrific prize money.
- Please reach out to John Hannon, Ph.D.
The Spiro Institute Funded Competition Procedures:
- If you haven't already (which we recommended you do before you enter), decide how the funds will be divided amongst your team members.
- The Spiro office manager notifies Financial Aid of prize allocations.
- Financial Aid decides how prizes can be delivered to your team members (direct payment or loan balance reduction).
- If Financial Aid determines payment cannot be processed due to scholarship restrictions, The Spiro Institute will discuss with the student other payment options (educational conference, self-improvement, etc.).
- Clemson University sends your team members a 1099 in January of the following year that reflects your prize earnings.
Results of the 2023 Event
Congratulations to Spiro's 2023 campuswide Walter Hunter Business Competition winners!
1st Place: Better Board
The Better Board addresses problems with the existing backboards used for prehospital transport of patients with suspected spinal injuries, which are inadequate and unsafe for larger patients. Current EMS backboards do not work for the 42% of people that are obese and the 16% of people that are over 6 feet tall. The Better Board is an emergency transport board that expands to accommodate taller patients. The Better Board maximizes space in the ambulance by only expanding when needed. It maximizes functionality by allowing for different configurations of restraints, displaying durability to carry weights up to 650 lbs, and ensuring safety for patients of all sizes.
2nd Place: SeaTree
SeaTree solves the annoyance of sand getting in your bags and belongings at the beach. Currently, beachgoers typically put their bags on the sand and have no place to store personal belongings such as wet towels or clothing. SeaTree is an organization device that is easily inserted into the ground and can hold your belongings elevated over the sand.
3rd Place: Simplify
Simplify helps students with issues taking quality notes and retaining class material adequately. It is a SaaS product that allows users to record lectures, get summaries and access study tools based on the material. Simplify is better than other platforms like Chegg because the information can be tailored to the classes and specific material being learned.
Allen Martin Prize: Girlslovelace
Girlslovelace offers hair loss solutions for those suffering from hair loss. These unique solutions feature glueless capabilities that allow wigs to be worn without glue and fit the specific customer.
Spiro Board Members from left to right: John Hannon, Stan Clifford, Edward Giard, Frank Blake, Allison Conrad, Keith Hudgins. Not pictured: Peter Markham, Woody Bryan, Matt Given, Andy Monin, Greg Smith, Mark Weidick
