Imagine being in a room where $50,000 is given out to your fellow students in a single night. That's exactly what I witnessed at this year's E-Cup competition at UVA. The entrepreneurial spirit on our campus is absolutely electric.
As a Venture Analyst at The Foundry, I had a front-row seat to this inspiring showcase of student innovation. The event, partnered with the Tom Tom Festival, brought together the Charlottesville community to celebrate the culmination of three entrepreneurial tracks (Concept, Discovery, and Launch). Walking into the venue, I couldn't help but feel a surge of pride seeing what my peers have been building.
The evening kicked off with introductions to our panel of judges, whom are established entrepreneurs and business leaders who would decide which ventures would take home the prizes. Then came the main event: five impressive student teams, each with just four minutes to pitch their business ideas. Two teams were led by undergrads like me, while the other three came from Darden graduate students. After the pitches, we all held our breath for the prize announcements, followed by a networking reception where the energy was still buzzing.
First up was KSecure, pitched by two fellow undergrads, Sasha Pasmanik and Jett Rosner from McIntire '25. Their idea? A more secure system for handling college student data. With UVA currently overhauling our SIS portal, their pitch felt incredibly relevant—who among us hasn't worried about how our personal information is being protected? Though they didn't win a prize, they definitely sparked important conversations about data security that continued into the reception.
Next came TalentBeam from Danny Holloway (Darden '25), which is tackling the frustrating hiring process we'll all face soon enough. As someone who's already stressing about post-graduation job hunting, I was immediately drawn to his vision for a better way to connect employers with candidates. His data-driven approach must have impressed the judges too as TalentBeam took home third place and $10,000!
Then, Stephanie Massucco (Darden '25) introduced Mother&, a boutique hotel concept designed specifically for expectant mothers. While this may seem distant from typical student concerns, her passion was genuinely contagious. Although she didn’t win a monetary prize, she has listened to the countless mothers' stories and remains dedicated to improving the birth experience.
The fourth pitch came from Custis Coleman (Darden '25) for Land Credit, a platform that streamlines the sale of land conservation tax credits in Virginia. Maybe not the hottest topic, but the impact was obvious as he clinched first place and $20,000! It was a powerful reminder that solving real problems, even in niche areas, can lead to significant success.
Last but definitely not least was Métopi, pitched by Miles Lanham (UVA '27). He's creating a wearable, multi-pack prescription rescue inhaler that could literally save lives. As someone who's seen friends struggle to keep their inhalers accessible at all times, I could immediately understand the value. The audience clearly did too as Miles won not only the $5,000 Audience Choice award but also second place, walking away with a total of $20,000!
What struck me most throughout the evening wasn't just the innovative ideas, but how welcomed I felt among entrepreneurs and business leaders during the reception. Despite being "just" an undergrad, I found myself in fascinating conversations with people genuinely excited about supporting student innovators.
The 2024-2025 E-Cup Competition showed me that our generation isn't waiting to make an impact—we're solving problems right now, right here at UVA. And as I left that night, watching winners and non-winners alike exchanging contacts and ideas, I couldn't help but feel inspired about the future we're all building together.