It used to be that Boston College held a business plan competition鈥攕tudents pitched plans for hypothetical businesses, which might work out in the real world, or might not. Today, contestants in the newly named Strakosch Venture Competition are student startups that are already connecting customers with products and services. This year鈥檚 first-prize winner, Aryeo, has clients in Naples.
鈥淭hese kids are incredible,鈥 Greg Strakosch 鈥84, told a full Heights Room in early May before handing over the prize鈥攁 check for $15,000鈥攖o Branick Weix 鈥19, the founder of Aryeo, a software platform for real estate photographers.
The student entrepreneurs behind Aryeo as well as two runner-up companies (who received $7,500 apiece) and four other finalists presented their fully realized, active businesses to a crowd of their classmates and alumni. The event鈥攚hich also featured a performance by Masti, Boston College鈥檚 Bollywood fusion dance troupe, and a 鈥渇ireside chat鈥 with Spark Capital co-founder Bijan Sabet 鈥91鈥攚rapped up the year鈥檚 activities for the Edmund H. Shea Jr. Center for Entrepreneurship.
Weix is a finance and computer science student as well as a drone photographer who has used his skills to help scientists track endangered sea turtles. He founded Aryeo as a software solution to help photographers streamline the creation of online galleries, property websites, and Facebook ads.
The winners of the $7,500 prizes were UniMarkit and Trackster. Founded by information systems student Mark Dimeglio 鈥19, provides Boston College students with a safe and convenient way to buy and sell used furniture online. Unlike with Craigslist or Facebook, users must have a verified bc.edu e-mail address. Dimeglio plans to expand the concept to other campuses.
Trackster was co-founded by accounting and information systems student Jack Sexton 鈥18, and computer science major Emmett Scully, Morrissey 鈥18. They met on Boston College鈥檚 cross-country team, and their business concept was born of experience. Typically, running coaches time runs with a stopwatch, note the times on paper, and save them in Excel spreadsheets. Trackster integrates all that into a single app.聽 Pitt, UNC, UMass, and Georgia Tech are just a few of the 100 teams already using Trackster.
The other finalists were no slouches. With EcoLiv, for example, Alexandra Kontopanos 鈥18, is seeking to shrink the environmental footprint of mid-market hotels by introducing water-soluble (and therefore zero-waste) shampoo and conditioner packaging. Jenness, co-founded by Will Dailey 鈥20, and Nick Bomleny, Morrissey 鈥20, is a clothing company with a mission to rid the ocean of the abandoned fishing nets that endanger whales and other sea mammals.
鈥淚t鈥檚 good to see a company with a porpoise,鈥 quipped Quinn Kelly, Morrissey鈥18, the evening鈥檚 MC.
In all seriousness, the lineup of startups evinced the Boston College mission, said Greg Strakosch in his remarks. 鈥淣ot only 鈥榚ver to excel,鈥 but also to be a man or woman for others,鈥 he said. 鈥淭hink about how much good an entrepreneur can do for society. That鈥檚 why Peggy and I support entrepreneurship here.鈥
Peggy Strakosch 鈥85, Greg鈥檚 wife, is an active alum in her own right. She has served as co-leader of the Council for Women of Boston College鈥檚 Student Advisory Board, among other things, and this year the Alumni Association bestowed on her its highest honor, the William V. McKenney Award. The couple are also the parents of three Eagles: Tim 鈥14, Jack 鈥16, and Molly 鈥17.
Greg Strakosch recalled his reaction when Peter Bell 鈥86 first asked him to meet with Dean Andy Boynton 鈥78 about supporting a venture competition at Boston College. 鈥淚 thought about the last time I met with a dean at BC, and it didn鈥檛 go so well,鈥 he said, joking about his student days.
But the Strakosches did decide to support the competition that will now bear their name in perpetuity. And their early support was critical, said Boynton in his own remarks: 鈥淚t鈥檚 easy to help out when something鈥檚 already gotten rolling, but Greg and Peggy stepped up at the beginning, when they were taking more of a chance.鈥
Taking chances, of course, is what entrepreneurs do, according to Strakosch. 鈥淪uccess is not guaranteed,鈥 he said. 鈥淚鈥檝e started two companies, and both times I said to my wife, 鈥業f it doesn鈥檛 work out, we鈥檙e broke.鈥 Both times she said, 鈥榊ou should definitely do it.鈥欌 Strakosch co-founded TechTarget, which he currently runs as chairman and CEO.
In the fireside chat, with moderator Tammy Lee 鈥19, Sabet shared the qualities that venture capitalists are looking for in a startup. 鈥淒oes the founder have an extraordinary vision?鈥 Sabet asks himself. 鈥淚s the product something I鈥檓 in love with? And could I imagine myself working there?鈥
Sabet also counseled students to have patience. 鈥淚t鈥檚 good to be ambitious and to work hard and take risks,鈥 he said, 鈥渂ut you don鈥檛 have to have your own startup in college. You can get experience and learn at a bigger company.
鈥淭here鈥檚 no one way to become an entrepreneur,鈥 Sabet continued. 鈥淪ome students I speak with already have their internships mapped out, down to the summer after sophomore year. I was a valet driver the summer after my sophomore year. And I didn鈥檛 even know how to drive stick.鈥