2021 UMD Startup Cup Entrepreneurship Competition

The event is a university-wide competition in which finalists have the opportunity to pitch an existing business, idea, or product to a panel of Minnesota business professionals. This year Amy Ronneberg, CEO of Be The Match; Lili Hall, Founder and CEO of KNOCK inc.; and Rick Lampton, Duluth restaurateur judged the competition.

This year's student contestants were Madison Brenengen and teammate Allyson Hilgeman, Zachariah Coughlin, Will Holz, John Rosas Ramirez, and Dalton Scharmer.

Additionally, the applicants/teams work with a mentor before the competition. Mentors help applicants prepare for the competition and provide guidance on furthering their existing businesses or ideas. This year’s mentors are Eric Faust, Janelle Jones, Dean Packingham, Tom Sega, Chris Swanson, and Tim White.

The competition is planned and executed by a student team and powered by the Labovitz School of Business and Economics. The 2021 student directors were Katelyn Glaser, Bob Libal, Joel Martinez, Rachel Mummah, Ziggy Pha, and Mikena Senarighi.