Skidmore teams make finals in NYS Business-Plan Competition

Out of 400 teams that initially entered the 2013 edition of the New York State Business Plan Competition, two from Skidmore College and 83 others made presentations in Friday’s finals held at the SUNY College of Nanotech Science and Engineering in Albany. 

The Skidmore teams weren’t among the 19 that ultimately took home prizes totaling $500,000, but they “did an amazing job,” says Catherine Hill, F. William Harder Chair of Management and Business. This was the first year that any Skidmore team entered the competition, which was launched in 2010 to encourage young entrepreneurs to think creatively and launch new businesses.  Three Skidmore teams were entered in the regional competition and two teams won in their category, each receiving $500.00.   

One of the Skidmore teams to advance to the finals was Rum Dogs, founded by Alexander Nassief ’16 and Brianna Barros ’16, which has come up with a proprietary method for aging rum in barrels submerged in the Caribbean Sea, a process that provides a “mountain-like” coolness and limits evaporation. A few weeks ago, they won $10,000 in cash and $2500 in legal services by taking second in Skidmore’s Kenneth A. Freirich Business Plan Competition.

The other Skidmore team to compete in the finals was Games4Good, which presented a plan to market smartphone games keyed to the fund-raising efforts of non-profit organizations. Making the Friday’s presentation were Jack Yeung ‘14, Avani Sharma ’13, and Zachary Rohde ’14. Other team members included Alexander Radmin ’13, Bradley Morris ’13, Nicholas Yedibalian ’13, Gregory Amoresano ’13, and Frederick Tetteh ’13.

“This has been one of the best courses I’ve ever taken,” said Rohde, referring to Hill’s "What's the Big Idea" class. “It’s real world. You come to class and to competitions like this because you enjoy the process.”