LaunchPad Announces 2024 Freelance, Small Business, Creatives Pitch Competition Winners
Syracuse University Libraries’ Blackstone LaunchPad (LaunchPad) hosted its 2024 Freelance, Small Business, Creatives Pitch competition on Friday, October 18, 2024 in Bird Library. The panel of judges from across campus, the Syracuse community, and SU LaunchPad alumni selected a first place and two runners-up as the winners, with three other business ventures chosen as ‘fan favorites’ by their peers. In total, $5,000 in prizes were awarded to:
- 1st place ($2,000) was awarded to Armani Isonguyo ’25 (College of Engineering and Computer Science) of UYAI Watches.
- Runner-up ($1,000) was awarded to Lars Jendruschewitz ’27 (Martin J. Whitman School of Management and S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications) of Photos by Lars.
- Runner-up ($1,000) was awarded to Chimdi Onyeama ’25 (S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications) of Muze Magazine.
- Fan Favorite Winners ($250 each) were awarded to Aidan Turner ’25 (School of Architecture) of Grater Things Threads; Jack Venerus ’27 (School of Information Studies) of WingShares; and Antonio Goncalves ’27 (College of Engineering and Computer Science) of GymIn.
About Syracuse University Libraries’ Blackstone:
The Blackstone LaunchPad is Syracuse University’s innovation hub, connecting the campus resource-rich ecosystem with a global network that provides support for aspiring entrepreneurs, inventors and creators. The program serves faculty, staff, students and recent alumni across all disciplines who are interested in entrepreneurship, venture creation and innovation careers. The program supports a key pillar of Syracuse University’s academic strategic plan to give students experiential opportunities that help prepare them to be trailblazers in an entrepreneurial world.