Emboldened by a campus culture of exploring 鈥渨hat if?鈥� and the university鈥檚 support system of expertise and resources to back them, five Knights who started their companies while they were still students are making undeniable noise in their respective industries 鈥� so much so that Forbes just honored them on its annual 30 Under 30 list.

The 麻豆原创 engineering grads are recognized among peers from the likes of Stanford, UC Berkeley, MIT, Yale, Princeton and Columbia.

Joe Sleppy 鈥�18 serves as CEO of Capacitech Energy, which is making supercapacitor technology practical by delivering plug-and-play, modular systems that eliminate power quality issues in data centers and microgrids responsible for downtime and equipment damage.

鈥溌槎乖� encouraged me to think outside of the box,鈥� he says. 鈥溌槎乖� is an innovative university because they鈥檒l ask, 鈥榃hy not?鈥� I think I share the same philosophy with running Capacitech. Let鈥檚 try it. The world is watching. Let鈥檚 use innovation and entrepreneurship to make it better.鈥�

Mason Mincey 鈥�23, Derek Saltzman 鈥�23, Matthew Jaeger 鈥�22 and Patrick Michel are co-founders of Soarce, which takes underutilized plant resources like hemp, seaweed and grass and transforms them into nanomaterials eight times stronger than steel.鈥淲e鈥檙e on pace to build what we feel is going to be the largest global nanocellulose production facility in the world,鈥� Saltzman says. 鈥淎nd we are not afraid to say that and stand behind it. That鈥檚 a big dream, but that鈥檚 kind of what we鈥檙e here to do 鈥� make big changes.鈥�

These grads all credit their rise in large part to the immense support and knowledge they gained from 麻豆原创鈥檚 and . 麻豆原创 invested $10-20,000 of alumni-funded awards from the annual competition and UpStarts program to support their venture development.

鈥淐apacitech and Soarce illustrate how investments in technology development and entrepreneurship education can work together to increase innovation diffusion and societal impact,鈥� says Cameron Ford, William and Susan Crouse Endowed Professor of Entrepreneurship and Director of the Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership and Blackstone LaunchPad at 麻豆原创. 鈥淭hey also illustrate the arduous, fraught, years-long paths that entrepreneurs commonly travel when no one is watching to achieve 鈥榦vernight鈥� success. We are immensely proud of the example they are setting for current and future Knights by combining their disciplinary expertise with entrepreneurial knowhow to positively impact others.鈥�

To learn more about how these Knights are putting in the work today that is shaping the future around us, check out their stories (with video) on 麻豆原创 Today:

• Forbes 2026 30 Under 30 Winner: Capacitech
• Forbes 2026 30 Under 30 Winner: Soarce

They had been tasked in a semester-long class assignment to build a carbon fiber rocket that would successfully carry the professor鈥檚 payload. While their design may have failed epically 鈥� while being broadcast live on the internet 鈥� they noticed one very important element that turned out to be the spark for their future company.

鈥淲hen we walked up to the rocket, we saw that the motor had gone through a 2-inch-thick steel plate, but the carbon fiber that we had made was intact and still super strong and actually protected the professor鈥檚 payload after exploding and crashing,鈥� Saltzman says. 鈥淲e said, 鈥楬ey, we鈥檙e pretty good at manufacturing this [carbon fiber] stuff.鈥� 鈥�

They took it as a sign to change their majors from aerospace engineering to materials science and engineering, and the earliest roots of Soarce were planted.

Sustainably Strengthening Industries

Soarce is at the forefront of bio-based nanomaterials and seeks to solve society鈥檚 greatest climate challenges by leveraging natural materials to create products that can outperform those made synthetically.

Drawn from seaweed, hemp and elephant grass, their nanocellulose coating can be applied to and fortify carbon fiber structures 鈥� everything from hockey sticks to electric vehicles to rocket ships.

鈥淭hat allows engineers to design parts that are lighter, stronger and more efficient,鈥� Saltzman says. 鈥淔or electric vehicles, they can now go farther. In the world of aerospace, we鈥檙e making those materials stronger so now you have more payload mass that you can put into space.鈥�

Their innovation has so much promise it has already secured $3.2 million in funding.

鈥溌槎乖� is about dreaming big, going as big as you can. And that鈥檚 how we feel.鈥� 鈥� Derek Saltzman

鈥溌槎乖� is about dreaming big, going as big as you can. And that鈥檚 how we feel,鈥� Saltzman says. 鈥淲e鈥檙e on pace to what we feel is going to be the largest global nanocellulose producer in the world. And we are not afraid to say that and stand behind it. That鈥檚 a big dream, but that鈥檚 kind of what we鈥檙e here to do 鈥� make big changes.鈥�

麻豆原创-Backed Entrepreneurship

Their entrepreneurial journey has gone through several iterations since Saltzman and Mincey were randomly assigned as roommates in during their freshman year. The pair dabbled in enterprises involved with agriculture and drone racing, cutting their teeth on the business side of running a company through resources 麻豆原创 offers including the 鈥檚 .

To this day, they鈥檙e still partnering with the 麻豆原创 ecosystem, utilizing the 麻豆原创 Business Incubation Program鈥檚 Life Sciences Incubator in Lake Nona, which gives Soarce access to a fully equipped, Biosafety Level II wet lab to foster their work in advanced materials.

鈥溌槎乖� has really strong partnerships and connections to industry that allow you to funnel your idea from a lab-benchtop scale all the way to integrating into a Fortune 500 company to get that product off the ground,鈥� Saltzman says.

Now, along with fellow 麻豆原创 alums and Soarce co-founders Matthew Jaeger 鈥�22, an actuarial science alum, and Patrick Michel, a former management student, they鈥檙e looking forward to expanding their operations into an 8,000-square-foot facility in partnership with Tavistock and heading into pilot trials with Fortune 500 companies.

鈥淚t鈥檚 really cool to see how far we鈥檝e come, from an idea in a notebook that we started eight years ago to now within the next three to five years, we鈥檒l have that material not only created, but actually being flown into space and amongst the stars,鈥� Saltzman says.

The Soarce co-founders were recognized on Forbes’ 30 Under 30 Manufacturing & Industry list in 2026.

The Joust is 麻豆原创’s annual premier startup showcase event, hosted by the听College of Business鈥� Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership and open to students听of all majors. Competitors present their models for a viable business venture and compete to win money and other resources. This event celebrates student entrepreneurs, introduces them to community leaders and provides key resources to help launch their ventures.

Glidden and three other student teams made their pitches on stage at the Student Union to a panel of top-notch business leaders and entrepreneurs that included Jacques Fu ’08, co-founder of Stax and founder of PETE Learning;听 Kevin Miller, president and CEO of Addition Financial;听 Michael O’Donnell ’09, founder and CEO of MOD Ventures LLC;听 Michael Shannon ’76, managing principle of Liquid Strategies; and Justin Wetherill ’07, co-founder of UBreakiFix and president of Jeff’s Bagel Run.

鈥淭he best feedback that I heard today was just how good and clear the presentation was,” says Glidden, who earned a bachelor鈥檚 degree in accounting from 麻豆原创 and knows firsthand how challenging accounting classes can be and how desperately the industry needs young talent to combat a looming shortage. “I was able to make sure that my points were clear and [hear] how much the judges liked the product and how much they would have used it if they were 20 years younger or in college [now]. That was really great to hear.鈥�

Accuity provides videos, exam reviews and one-on-one tutoring with a goal of improving pass rates and achieving 75% adoption among students.

The other winners of this year’s Joust competition are:

GISDATA.io, led by environmental studies major Parker Dinkins finished second, transforms how enterprises access and use geospatial data for energy, urban development, and environmental conservation. By consolidating over 2,000 data sources and 1 million datasets into one platform, it reduces search time and boosts efficiency, helping users make better decisions faster.

PURED, led by chemistry 补濒耻尘听Andrea Bardales ’23MS ’24PhD, finished third and is a rapid, portable device for detecting multiple waterborne pathogens, ensuring safe water and public health. Designed for various users, from agencies to researchers and homeowners, it makes water quality monitoring seamless and accessible.

REEM, led by finance major Gad Lisker, finished fourth and uses artificial intelligence and Internet of Things technology to optimize rare Earth element recovery from e-waste, improving efficiency and reducing costs. With 95% detection accuracy and up to 10x higher recovery rates, the company aims to reclaim more than $1 billion in rare Earth metals, or REMS, 听annually by 2030, advancing sustainability and the circular economy.

For more information about the Joust New Venture Competition, a list of past winners and more, visit .

The Joust New Venture Competition is 麻豆原创鈥檚 premier startup showcase event hosted by the Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership in 麻豆原创’s College of Business and the Blackstone Launchpad. The event celebrates student entrepreneurs from various majors and all types of venture proposals, introducing them to community leaders and providing key resources to help launch their ventures. Competitors present their models for a viable business and compete to win money and other vital resources to pursue their venture. Previous competitors have gone on to appear on ABC鈥檚 Shark Tank and have launched successful businesses.

A panel of expert professionals representing corporate partners, area businesses and alumni will assess the students鈥� business plans. This year鈥檚 final judges will be Jacques Fu 鈥�08, founder of PETE Learning; Kevin Miller, president and CEO of Addition Financial; Mark Norato 鈥�91, vice president of North American Partners in Anesthesia; Michael O鈥橠onnell 鈥�09, founder and CEO of MOD Ventures LLC; John Paccione 鈥�95, president of Red Horse Ventures; and Edward Schons, former president of the Florida High Tech Corridor and assistant vice president for University Relations at 麻豆原创.

Advancing beyond a roster of 16 semifinalists, here are the four teams competing in the Joust finals:

CyberColosseum Solutions

Team members: Harrison Keating, Noah Magill and Joshua Walsworth

CyberColosseum is a dynamic training platform that immerses information security teams in realistic cyber warfare scenarios. Facing simulations of real-world threat actors like those behind major breaches, a team can hone their skills in a custom environment that mirrors their company’s infrastructure. Unlike static content that quickly becomes outdated, this platform delivers up-to-date threats in a high-stakes practice setting. The mission: equip teams to defend against cyber threats and safeguard companies from becoming the next victim.

Emergency Insights

Team members: Aref Abdala, Sonia Alvarez, Javier Arocha and Julio Wall Chirinos

Emergency Insights revolutionizes hazard risk mitigation by providing precise assessments for both individuals and counties. For users, it offers insights into property risks, aiding in informed decisions about purchases and disaster preparedness. The annual hazard reports assist counties in strategic planning and resource allocation. Unlike existing solutions, Emergency Insights will provide up-to-date data, comprehensive coverage and user-friendly accessibility at an affordable price.

Unbound Disability Claims

Team members: Samson Lachman, Amanda McDonald and Alyssa Wilbanks

Imagine facing a shocking cancer diagnosis after seeking treatment for stomach pain, leading to job loss and financial strain. Applying for Social Security Disability (SSD) becomes a daunting task, taking hours to complete online only to be denied after months of waiting. Appeals bring no relief as savings dwindle, debts mount and health deteriorates. This struggle is all too common for 62% of SSD applicants. The solution: the Disability Claim Builder, which streamlines the process to secure faster approvals and much-needed benefits, much like what TurboTax does for people filing their taxes.

ZuLeris Interactive

Team members: Liam Etan, Jacob Noel and Zackary Zuniga

ZuLeris creates interactive electromagnetic warfare virtual training environments (VTE) to supplement live learning systems. In this constructive VTE, users can educate, train, and rehearse scenarios to accelerate learning and achieve superiority in their field.

The collaboration involves , a direct support organization at 麻豆原创, 麻豆原创鈥檚 (MVS2) and 麻豆原创鈥檚 (CEL). Together, they will focus on increasing access to internship opportunities located at 麻豆原创鈥檚 main campus, providing better access to training opportunities for advanced manufacturing equipment, and augmenting support for the entrepreneurial aspirations for students with a veteran status.

At 麻豆原创, the student-veteran and military-affiliated student population is estimated to be 1,900 strong on campus. Additionally, 麻豆原创 received a military friendly silver award for the 2022-23 school year, recognizing the university’s ability to help veterans succeed in the classroom and the real world.

“Advanced manufacturing continues to grow at a rapid pace throughout Central Florida,鈥� says MVS2 Director Michael Kepner 鈥�19MA. 鈥淭his collaboration is the perfect next step in developing a talent-pipeline of student veterans to meet the workforce needs of our partners. This partnership with Limbitless provides our student veterans with the technical skills they need to unleash their potential and fill this critical requirement.鈥�

Kepner is an U.S. Army retiree and joined 麻豆原创 in July 2022.

Limbitless Solutions has partnerships with key industry partners for advanced manufacturing 鈥� including Autodesk (design software) and Stratasys (3D printer manufacturing) and Tormach (CNC machinery manufacturer).

Last year, Limbitless Solutions opened a new research facility dedicated to bionics research, advanced manufacturing and undergraduate student research development in Research Park. The facility has more than 5,000-square-feet of space near 麻豆原创鈥檚 main campus, making it accessible for students by the Pegasus Express campus shuttle.

The machinery at the advanced manufacturing facilities includes computer numerical control (CNC) milling and lathe machines, large 3D printers, laser cutters, vacuum thermoforming, and a full range of automotive painting equipment.

鈥淟imbitless Solutions is excited to announce this new collaborative effort with MVS2 and CEL to provide opportunities for advanced manufacturing and entrepreneurship for student veterans,鈥� says Limbitless Solutions Executive Director Albert Manero 鈥�12 鈥�14MS 鈥�16PhD. 鈥淣ot only will this support advancing our work for pediatric and adult focused bionic arms, but it will also provide opportunities that can unleash the potential of our students.鈥�

麻豆原创鈥檚 Blackstone LaunchPad program, an initiative offered by 麻豆原创鈥檚 Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership, is transforming students from all backgrounds and majors into entrepreneurial leaders who understand how to create and deliver new solutions to important problems.

Students who are interested in pursuing any venture 鈥� social or otherwise 鈥� are encouraged to visit the Blackstone LaunchPad on the first floor of the Student Union to get free, confidential, one-on-one coaching from an expert startup mentor.

“We support students from all majors who are freelancers, side-hustlers, innovators or future founders, and we are excited about supporting student veterans who are interested in creating their own economic opportunities,鈥� says Cameron Ford, founding director of 麻豆原创鈥檚 Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership.

An estimated 500 to 600 students have met with startup mentors in the Blackstone LaunchPad annually since it opened in 2013. Volunteers from the business community help students learn how to create opportunities, design solutions, develop business models, and launch startup ventures.

For more information on how to access these resources, visit and .

Senior photonic science and engineering major Rafaela Frota beat out six other finalist companies with her concept for Wawwe (We Are What We Eat.) The mobile app uses data and algorithms to help people decide whether they should eat something based on their personal dietary needs.

The competition rewards students who develop solutions intended to impact society鈥檚 biggest problems.

In under seven minutes, finalists had to present the problem they intended to solve, the solution they planned to offer, and a sustainable and scalable business model that could deliver the solution. Then they had up to three minutes to answer questions from a panel of three judges, who selected winners based on criterion such as concept, social impact, context, performance measures and presentation.

鈥淭he inspiration for Wawwe came from my desire to help give confidence and support to people diagnosed with a diet restrictive illness and were feeling lost and overwhelmed,鈥� says Frota, who came up with the idea at 14 after watching food documentaries such as Food Inc. 鈥淢y dream is to work with hospitals across the nation to bring Wawwe to as many patients as possible and increase their health through easy access, easy to understand personalized nutrition.鈥�

Frota was awarded a $2,500 scholarship from State Farm Insurance, which sponsors the contest. Second-place finishers took home $1,250 and third-placed earned $500 in scholarship funding.

About the Competition

麻豆原创鈥檚 Social Venture Competition differs from other business contests because at the core of each business is a greater purpose to serve individuals or a community. Cameron Ford, director of 麻豆原创鈥檚 Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership and Blackstone LaunchPad, created the competition in 2015 to provide a platform for students to learn how to utilize entrepreneurship to address complex, social problems.

鈥淥ne of the challenges with social ventures or enterprises is evaluating their success,” Ford says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a little bit different from a standard corporate [measurement,] like sales, revenue, number of customers and stuff like that. Here you鈥檙e looking at things a little more broadly, like impact, which can be pretty difficult to measure.鈥�

鈥溌槎乖� has really paved the way for us to have access to so many more opportunities … and we鈥檙e incredibly grateful for that.鈥� 鈥撎�David Thomas Moran 鈥�14MFA

Last year, texts and technology doctoral student听David Thomas Moran 鈥�14MFA听and听art major听Nathan Selikoff 鈥�04,听a Burnett Honors Scholar,听were able to overcome this challenge. They won the competition with their transportation tech startup Omnimodal. The platform merges real-time public transportation information with already existing navigation apps so users can use their phones to get around easier. Their win at 麻豆原创 led them to even greater success in the local community as they went on to win Central Florida鈥檚 Rally Social Enterprise Accelerator.

鈥淭he [Social Venture Competition] reminded Nathan and I that it鈥檚 so important to break out of our innovation silos and actively engage with all the incredible opportunity spaces across the Central Florida startup community here at 麻豆原创 and beyond,鈥� says Moran.听鈥溌槎乖� has really paved the way for us to have access to so many more opportunities since we won last year and we鈥檙e incredibly grateful for that.鈥�

This Year鈥檚 Winners

About thirty minutes before this year鈥檚 competition, two finalists realized they had similar ideas for their long-distance ride sharing app 鈥� down to the same statistics used in their presentation.听 Rather than compete against each other, senior information technology major Eliecer Vera and junior computer science major Breezy Baldwin recognized an opportunity to be more successful through partnership

鈥淚t was really bizarre how identical they were. We both realized that neither of us would be likely to win the competition if we had the exact same pitch, but that it applied to our companies as well. We both can鈥檛 go head-to-head in the exact same market,鈥� says Baldwin.

鈥淲e both realized that neither of us would be likely to win the competition if we had the exact same pitch.鈥� 鈥撎鼴reezy Baldwin, 麻豆原创 student

Within minutes Baldwin, who has been working on her idea for 18 months and Vera, who developed his four months ago, managed to successful merge their presentations and companies under the name Hchhkr (pronounced 鈥渉itchhiker鈥�.) So much so that they earned second place. They plan to continue working together.

Third place was awarded to Connected Wise, a smart onboard device that aims to improve safety in rural areas by allowing drivers to communicate with one another about road conditions. The company鈥檚 founders, Enes Karaaslan and Burak Sen, developed the idea from the areas of focus in their civil engineering doctoral studies.

The Food Exchange, developed by junior finance major Aurora Pavlish-Carpenter and first-year environmental engineering major Talia Gratz, earned an honorable mention and received $250. The app focuses on reducing food waste by allowing users to trade their unwanted food with other users nearby.

Other Finalists

Three more companies qualified to present at the competition:

Students who are interested in pursuing any venture, social or otherwise, are encouraged to visit the Blackstone LaunchPad on the first floor of the Student Union to get one-on-one coaching from someone with experience or expertise.

The four teams remaining from the original 16 semi-finalists are:

Miracle Care Responders, LLC (Jean Saint Jean, Ladeen Taylor): Miracle Care Responders trains people for the Certified Nursing Assistant state exam, helps them get licensed and assists with staffing them where they want to work.

SOAR Aerospace, LLC (Mason Mincey, Derek Saltzman, Gerardo Diaz-Silva, Garrett Hausman, Matthew Jaeger): SOAR Aerospace LLC produces sleek, stylish and quality high-speed drone frames in a variety of colors, enhancing the drone racing experience.

S Star Technologies (Shane Singh, Shi Hao Zhang, Akash Gajjar, Shivkumar Kaushik Murthy): S Star Technologies designed a state-of-the-art respirator to better shield people against airborne pathogens.

Thor ORE (Dylan Weitzman, Glenn Wagner, Brandon Carpenter): Thor ORE has developed a process that allows them to recover and remediate metals from ore bodies and contaminated land. Thor ORE is able to mine several elements and separate them at once.

鈥淭his year’s semifinals competitors were some of the best we’ve ever had, primarily because the overall quality of entries was about as good as we’ve ever seen,鈥� said Dr. Cameron Ford, director of the 麻豆原创 Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership. 鈥淭he judges commented on how close the decisions were and the top competitors are going to make our finals one to watch.鈥�

The Joust is 麻豆原创鈥檚 premier startup showcase event, hosted by the 麻豆原创 College of Business鈥檚 Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership and featuring students of all majors. Competitors present their models for a viable business venture and compete to win money and other vital resources to pursue their venture. The Shark Tank-style event celebrates student entrepreneurs, introduces them to community leaders and provides key resources to help launch their ventures. The Joust is open to all 麻豆原创 students and all types of venture proposals.

A panel of expert professionals representing corporate partners, area businesses, and alumni assesses the students鈥� business plans. This year鈥檚 platinum sponsors are Steve Felkowitz 鈥�79; Jim Balaschak 鈥�86 鈥�92 and Debbie Balaschak, 鈥�88. Additional sponsors include Burr+Foreman, DigiThinkIT, Anidea Engineering Inc., BDO, Nperspective LLC and Volo Foundation.

The easy application requires students to answer six questions about their proposed venture. The questions focus on the possible social impact and financial sustainability of the business model. Select applicants will then be invited to pitch their idea to a panel of judges at the competition Nov. 15 from 3-5 p.m. in the Starter Space. The top venture idea wins a $2,000 scholarship and the four runners-up will also receive funding.

Students may get creative in finding a cause that鈥檚 meaningful to them to inspire their venture idea. Winning startups from previous years include a shoe company that provided jobs to impoverished citizens of Colombia and a non-profit that provided free health screenings to the homeless. By holding the annual competition, the CEL encourages students to use their creativity and business savvy for good.

Capacitech Energy LLC, led by CEO and 麻豆原创 electrical engineering junior Joe Sleppy and co-founder nanoscience Professor Jayan Thomas, has licensed Thomas鈥� invention to design easily customizable capacitors necessary for electronic circuits and market them to manufacturers.

Both credit 麻豆原创鈥檚 entrepreneurial support services 鈥� specifically the Office of Research and Commercialization鈥檚 I-Corps program and the College of Business鈥檚 Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership — with helping them grow the business.

鈥淭he university and the I-Corps program have given us a place and time to explore different business models to ensure we had a feasible path forward,鈥� Sleppy said.

麻豆原创 is one of 37 universities nationwide selected by the National Science Foundation as an I-Corps site in 2015. It is one of NSF鈥檚 signature programs to foster entrepreneurship that will lead to the commercialization of research.

Thomas developed a technique for manufacturing a copper wire-based capacitor that holds the potential to help manufacturers significantly reduce the cost of producing electronic devices.

Because a typical electronic device can require many different size capacitors, each performing important tasks such as power conditioning by reducing voltage spikes, manufacturers will typically stock different sizes of capacitors to be certain they have the size required for each role a capacitor plays.

Since Capacitech is enmeshing capacitor functions in a wire, an electronics manufacturer could buy a spool of the cable capacitor and cut the wire at customized lengths to meet their needs, which reduces unit costs and inventory cost.

They found multiple potential uses for the cable, including replacing capacitor banks on cell towers to reduce the rent paid on the tower, using the cables in transmission lines that are capable of storing solar energy in homes and offices, sewing clothes with an energy-absorbing thread that would allow a cell phone to be charged in a suit pocket, and manufacturing smaller and lighter electronic devices.

Capacitech won the 麻豆原创 College of Business Joust award in 2016 and Thomas鈥� technology has been . The technology was also recognized with an Oscar of Innovation at the 2015 R&D 100 Awards and was named a finalist at the 2014 World Technology Network Awards.

The company has applied to 麻豆原创鈥檚 Business Incubation Program and is working with a potential customer to raise seed funding. The company is also a finalist for the Orlando-based FireSpring fund, which invests in promising technology companies in Central Florida.

The Blackstone LaunchPad program hosted the pitch competition at Hard Rock Caf茅 Boston for top ventures from 20 schools within the Blackstone Charitable Foundation network, including 麻豆原创, and awarded prize money to the three winners.

Delgado and Weiss credited the Blackstone LaunchPad at 麻豆原创 for helping get their dream of a sneaker shoelace business off the ground. The Blackstone LaunchPad is a campuswide initiative that helps student entrepreneurs bring their business ideas to life. It is one of a suite of services offered through 麻豆原创 College of Business Administration鈥檚 Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership.

鈥淭hanks to our听helpful coaches at the Blackstone Launchpad at 麻豆原创, we have increased our revenue by an additional $75,000,鈥� said Weiss, a Health Sciences major who owns more than 50 pairs of sneakers. 鈥淚t has been a great experience听being part of a community of student entrepreneurs. We know what it鈥檚 like to run a business while听in school and are able to support and learn from each other.鈥�

The Blackstone LaunchPad at 麻豆原创 provides one-on-one startup coaching, seminars and access to a mentor network and subject-matter experts. Students have access to free services without any obligations. Counselors provide confidential feedback and resources to help students learn how to build and manage their business. They can get information on everything from how to file taxes and raise funding to bookkeeping and marketing.

Delgado and Weiss started Rope Lace Supply as sophomores with just $300. With a goal of creating fun, unique shoelaces that allow sneakerheads to personalize their shoes, Delgado and Weiss found a distributor and set up a website.

鈥淏y sending free laces to social media influencers and advertising听through听them, in just听one day we听sold out听of 200 pairs,鈥� Weiss said. 鈥淓ric and I rarely got听any sleep because of听long nights听packing orders in my 麻豆原创 dorm room.鈥�

Since its establishment in 2013, Rope Lace Supply has grossed听$800,000 and sold more than 150,000 pairs of shoelaces. They have customers in 75 countries and on six different听continents, and have worked with Adidas, Finish Line, Bloomberg and听United Way.

Now the creators of Rope Lace Supply have their sights set on making their product available in 100 retailers and entering into licensing agreements with major athletic brands. They also plan to open an office and hire employees.

To learn more about Rope Lace Supply, visit: .