Student Entrepreneurship
Business Ideas At The Next Level
At our core, Ignite is about pushing boundaries, challenging the status quo, and offering fresh perspectives on complex problems. That’s why we’re the hub on campus for all things student entrepreneurship - if you have a business idea, we’ll help make it a reality.
Invaluable Mentorship
Need advice, product ideas, or simply a nudge in the right direction? Ignite’s here to provide support in any way we can.
Business Incubation
If you want to grow your own venture throughout your time at Clarkson, you’ll have the chance to do so with us.
Funding Opportunities
Between business plan competitions, investor visits, and grant submissions, critical funds are always available.
Strong Entrepreneurial Endeavors
For 13 years, Clarkson has hosted the North Country Regional Business Plan Competition, an exciting platform for local student entrepreneurs to showcase their business ideas, engage with seasoned investors, and compete for impactful funds. This is one of several regional competitions held across New York.
Although college students from across the North Country region participate, it’s no surprise that those from Clarkson perform exceptionally well. True to form, the grand-prize winner of the 2024 competition was Young Innovator & Entrepreneur Emelie Laribee (I&E ‘26) with her business EmeliesMinis.
With a goal to inspire creativity and cultivate a life-long passion for innovation in children, EmeliesMinis sells unique “Learn to Crochet” kits for ages 5-12+. Focusing on the scalability and real-world impact of this product, Emelie’s pitch amazed the judges, earning her a spot at the state-wide competition in Albany.
Emelie’s advice for student entrepreneurs wanting to pitch their business idea at a competition? “Practice, practice, practice - and be confident! It's important to show passion and excitement for your idea. Don't be afraid if you can't answer every question or mess up, just be true to yourself and your innovation.”
The Perks of Business Plan Competitions
Business plan competitions provide great experience where it counts - practicing your pitching, winning cash awards, and making important connections.
Important Cash Prizes
Industry Connections
Statewide Recognition
Software & Services
Third Place - UniSwap (Jonathan Welbeck, Kolade Ayeni, & Valence Yagayandi)
Food & AgTech
First Place - Pure Recover (Greta Brezenski & Kami O'Brien)
Second Place - ADAPT Electrolytes (Brady Parker & Brady Egan)
Third Place - Nuovo Brands LLC (Ethan Flamand & Rocco Albanese)
Learn, Work, & Live
First Place - Raise the BAR (Rachael Matthews, Brody Frankowski, & Aidan Bailie)
Second Place - ScoutSphere (Felix Freed & Morgan Burke)
Third Place - Perpetual (Vukota Miric, Andrii Zorin, & Yamikani Vitusi)
Products & Hardware
First Place - Loop & Lock (Alina Krdzic & Jamie Dahlgard)
Second Place - Fill the Bucket (Nicole Wing, Thatcher Findlay, Shane Franklin, & Ava O’Neal)
Third Place - Fat Head Feeder (Lily Clonan)
Health & Wellbeing
First Place - Care Connector (Liam Welch & Anant Bansal)
Second Place - LifeBook (Grace Hanson & Emily Bulone)
Third Place - Sole Solutions (Avery Austerman, Parker Koproski, Saverio Sergi, & Jace Dutch)
Safety, Power, & Mobility
First Place - Slice Guard (Hayley Kelleher)
Second Place - VenturePack (Natalie Glass)
Third Place - ThermoVeil (Emma Peck, Jackson Knobloch, Gage Tlapa, & John Burns)
Innovative Prototype Award
ThermoVeil (Emma Peck, Jackson Knobloch, Gage Tlapa, & John Burns)
Loop & Lock (Alina Krdzic & Jamie Dahlgard)
Stolos (Bailey Warren, Riya Mistry, Mason Gault & Sean Boyle)
People’s Choice Award
VenturePack (Natalie Glass)
ADAPT Electrolytes (Brady Parker & Brady Egan)
Green Mindset (Lydia Custer)
Dar-Aid (Kouboura Abakar Khatir Adam, Sadia Abakar, & Nabitou Cisse)
The Grand Prize winner was Loop & Lock, owned by Clarkson Business Administration freshmen Alina Krdzic and Jamie Dahlgard, who strive to create an innovative jewelry storage solution that is both user-friendly and space-efficient.
Software & Services
1st place - IME; Marline Fries
2nd place - Emmet Croteau Goalie Consulting; Emmett Croteau
3rd place - Sendy Paradise; Dylan Lutz
AgTech & Food
1st place - Fat Head Feeder; Lily Clonan
2nd place - Nuovo; Ethan Flamand, Rocco Albanese, & Casey Monesano
3rd place - 2 Saucy; Ally Chang, Kobe Steorts, Talon Sigurdson & Oliver Martin
Learn, Work, & Live
1st place - EmeliesMinis; Emelie Laribee
2nd place - Fill The Bucket; Nicole Wing, Ava O’Neal, Shane Franklin, & James Dinius
3rd place - ROTC4ME; David Hart
Products & Hardware
1st place - Slope Snap; Alyssa Bleau & Rebecca Morissette
2nd place - Meltmaster; Ethan Harmon, Emily Greene, Julia Patterson, & Brigham Dubey
3rd place - Steel Shield; Ben Webster, Ryan Makowski, Matt Fluty, & Max Miller
Health & Well-Being
1st place - TRIN LLC; Peter Nekos
2nd place - CMS Biotechnology; Robert Kayton
3rd place - MABE; Andrew Downer, Makenna Cassin, Elias Gonzalez, Robert O’Conner
Safety, Power, & Mobility
1st place - DoorBit; Jerry Orans, Corey Delisa & Izzy Vacaro
2nd place - DenfendHer; Delaney Smith & Allison Szwagulinski
3rd place - Revolt Optics; Carson Wescott
The Grand Prize winner was EmelieMinis, owned by Clarkson Innovation and Entrepreneurship student Emelie Laribee '26, who strives to create a learn-to-crochet kit for young children aged 5-12.
Personalized Business Support
For students ready to take their ventures to the next level, Ignite offers the Cube, an exclusive business incubator providing full-time support and resources. Admission to the Cube is highly competitive, with only one to three businesses earning a spot each semester following an exciting pitch event.
When Ledina Banushllari (ChemE ‘25), an Ignite Presidential Fellow and Maker Mentor, set out to develop an innovative lip balm for her Honors Capstone Project, its commercial potential quickly became undeniable. Seizing the moment, she launched Milips as her personal entrepreneurial endeavor.
Through the Cube, Ledina has honed a compelling value proposition, identified key sales and distribution channels, and conducted vital customer discovery. While more development remains, the future of Milips is bursting with potential. Without Ignite’s acceleration, this quick growth would not have been possible.
Since its inception in 2018, the Cube has been home to a diverse array of pioneering ventures. Among its most remarkable success stories is KLAW Industries, which developed an innovative, cost-effective, and eco-friendly cement replacement. As for the Cube’s next global success, only time will tell.
Ledina’s thoughts on her trailblazing innovation? “I never imagined that I’d have the courage to start a business - I just had an idea and decided to act on it. Don’t hesitate to reach out to Clarkson’s innovation ecosystem whenever you feel the same. With the right help, your vision can be turned into reality.”
Do You Have What It Takes?
There’s only one way to find out - and that’s by starting your business! As soon as you feel the time is right, don’t hesitate to reach out. We’d love to work together on making your idea a reality.
Open Doors
Regardless of year, major, or background, our doors are open to any dedicated student entrepreneur within the Clarkson
community.
Worldwide Potential
While a business idea may seem small at first, the potential for worldwide impact is always present.
Learn More About Ignite
What’s next for Ignite? A bright future filled with innovation, entrepreneurship, and all things creativity. Stay tuned!