Press "Enter" to skip to content

Brave Pitch spurs competition

On Oct. 22, the Turner Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation hosted the Brave Pitch competition.
Students had three minutes to present an innovative idea to a panel of judges and a student audience. The top three competitors received cash prizes of $125, $75 and $50, respectively.

First place went to senior business management major Vicki Von Bergen. Her pitch was for a social media app she calls “SecondLook.” The program would analyze social media accounts for any material that might be objectionable to a future employer, giving the option to keep or delete posts.

“As a senior in the process of job searching, I’ve heard a lot of advice surrounding social media profiles,” Von Bergen said. “Most people tell me to change my name, or completely hide my profiles. But what if my profiles were fine, and could possibly even be helpful to an employer in making their decision? That’s when the idea of SecondLook was formed.”

Second place was awarded to entrepreneurship major Ethan Gipp. His invention was aimed at people with visual impairments, utilizing face and voice identification technology to help them recognize the person with whom they are speaking.

Freshman marketing major Natalie Cabell took third. Her device, called the “Dove Glove,” is a glove worn while sleeping. It electronically stimulates the muscles of those suffering from rheumatoid arthritis, helping them to avoid extreme pain in the morning.

Cabell was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis a year and a half ago. The disease, which affects about 1 in 500 women in their twenties, causes the body’s immune system to attack the joints.

Cabell said when the tendons in her hand are inflamed, she experiences something called “trigger finger.”

“It’s extremely painful and it’s happened about ten times since I have been here,” she said. “It kind of scares people because I could be doing anything and my finger will lock in place. I will flinch in pain and have to physically bend it back with my other hand.”

Business leaders in the Peoria community judged the competition. The panel consisted of Brian Facet, the CEO of Facet Technologies, Inc., Brian Johnson, a business attorney with Johnson, Bunce & Noble, and Amy Lambert, the vice president of Startup Peoria.

Ken Klotz, the managing director for the Turner School of Entrepreneurship and Innovation, coordinated the competition.

“Great ideas for Brave Pitch can come from anywhere, any field of study and any industry,” Klotz said. “Since every industry or market changes constantly, new problems and opportunities will always be there for those with the creativity to find them.”

Copyright © 2023, The Scout, Bradley University. All rights reserved.
The Scout is published by members of the student body of Bradley University. Opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the University.