From idea spotting to the business plan and marketing strategy to the pitch, students in Beaver’s entrepreneurship elective have spent the term learning the different facets of what being an entrepreneur means. They have also had the opportunity to hear from an impressive group of guest speakers from the entrepreneur and venture capitalist world. In the midst of it all, students developed their own ideas for a new and innovative company, one that will make a positive impact on an industry or on society and also be driven by profit, and developed pitches delivered to the class.
The following five ideas, each led by a student CEO, will be pitched to a panel of venture capitalists and entrepreneurs at the end of the term.
Henry Hirshland ’15
My product is the Hypnos Sleep Mask; a sleep aid device designed to increase deep sleep and enhance memory. This product will increase productivity of sleep. This is beneficial to people with sleeping disorders, like insomnia and sleep apnea, who struggle to transition through the sleep cycles into the deep sleep phase. It also appeals to a wider range of people, like students and professionals, who are often sleep deprived due to busy schedules, and heavy workloads. The mask allows them to recharge their brain and feel sufficiently rested, while spending just four hours sleeping a night, instead of the traditional 6-8. This leaves more time in the day to get work done and enjoy life. All my life I have had a passion for entrepreneurship. I am confident that this mentality, along with the connections I have established within this industry, will enable me to execute and turn this idea into a successful business.
Mackenzie Donohue ’15
My group wanted to solve the problem of what to wear. I will buy a specific article of clothing and never know what to wear with it–with this application, I can easily solve this problem. We came up with the idea of an app where users can post pictures of their outfits and tag specific articles of clothing. Then users can search articles of clothing, and pictures other users have uploaded and tagged will come up. This is an easy way for boys and girls of all ages to get inspiration of what to wear.
Nadia Bednarczuk ’15
pure inc. is a handmade and all organic skincare line. Made with only fruits, vegetables, essential oils, and beeswax pure Inc.’s goal is to educate our customers on what they put on their skin before they do so. This skincare line is something consumers having been looking for, for years. An honest, genuine company that wants to make an impact and purify your life. As a team we are driven, well rounded, and passionate about making this company succeed because we strongly believe in the potential and the problem that it solves!
Jordan Gomolin ’15
The name of my teams product is Beauty & The Beast. Beauty & The Beast is a service that gives citizens in and around Boston the luxury of choosing from the top in-home grooming services, and having the stylists come directly to them. Beauty & The Beast eliminates the stress and hassle of booking appointments, and the time en route to the salon. Our company is of demand because there is simply nothing like it in Boston. There are two companies in New York and Los Angeles that offer a similar service, but they only offer the basic grooming services for women. Beauty & The Beast would offer more popular women’s styles, and will also offer a mens section. I believe my team and I have the dedication, and also the courage to put our plan into action. We will push for what we want, and we will make sure we have a passionate group of stylists behind us.
Catherine Wei ’15
Introducing Ebelskivers! The new take on pancakes! Essentially, they’re pancake balls with a variety of flavors from chocolate chip to pumpkin and fillings like nutella, jam, and peanut butter. We are centered around convenience and delivering the food to you instead of you wasting your time cooking, and our unique spherical shape makes it quick and easy to eat! We’re bringing back breakfast comfort food but better! We’re are going to make this product succeed because we’re passionate and full of creativity!