2024 Gustie Entrepreneur CupHighlights

As we celebrate the eighth Gustie Cup this year, we acknowledge the ongoing support of faculty, multiple departments, and college administrators. We are also grateful to our alumni who have made this student experience so very meaningful through classroom visits, mentoring opportunities, judging this competition, and financial support. We look forward to incorporating this wonderful College asset into the new Center for Innovative and Entrepreneurial Leadership (CIEL), broadening its appeal and extending a variety of additional opportunities to students across campus. Additionally, we are excited to announce the formation of a new student organization on campus, the Gustavus Innovation and Entrepreneurship Club.

Participants in the 2024 Gustie Cup will compete for up to $15,000 of prize money across two categories: Scalable and Sustainable. The winner of the Scalable category will also automatically advance to the semi-final
round of the Minnesota Cup Student Division. The Gustie Entrepreneur Cup is a focal point to create a virtual space at Gustavus where students can experiment with putting innovative ideas into action. Entrepreneurship requires critical thinking, promotes creativity and resilience, and teaches students how to lead through ambiguity. We also believe that entrepreneurship is the perfect way of blending vocational preparation, service, and a liberal arts education. The Cup is financially supported annually by generous designated gifts and endowments, and by contributions from alumni and friends of the College to the 'Friends of Innovation Fund'. If you would like to support the Cup financially, you can do so with a gift to the Friends of Innovation. If you
would like to become more involved with the students as a speaker, judge, or through the mentor panels, please contact Tara (Pals) Cadenhead ’97, Visiting Instructor and Director of the Center for Innovative and Entrepreneurial Leadership at tcadenhead@gustavus.edu.

Winning Teams

• Scalable 1st Place ($5,000) + an automatic advancement to the semi-finals of the Minnesota Cup went to Kayla Malmgren '24 for REACH Juggling
  Website: REACH Juggling
• Scalable 2nd Place ($2,500) went to Tomas Patterer '24 for SightC 
• Sustainable 1st Place ($5,000) went to Will Pinney '26 for The Dawg House
  Website: DawgHouseBrand
• Sustainable 2nd Place ($2,500) went to Hamza Malim '24, Andrea Cruz Bracamontes '24, Rohee Konde '24 for EmpowerU

Executive Summaries and Pitch Videos (coming soon)

Bluestem Films | Elijah Simon
Whether celebrating your wedding day or boosting your brand, Bluestem Films blends expertise in storytelling with professional film and photo production to share and preserve your most important moments. Our Southern
Minnesota-based company, founded by two best friends and storytelling aficionados, specializes in both video and photography for individuals and organizations. Eli Simon and Ethan Krueger leverage their backgrounds in Communication Studies, Business, and Photography to become your ideal partners for capturing and bringing your stories to life. (Category: Sustainable)

SightC |  Thomas Patterer
SightC, Travel without Traveling, is a pioneering event-based business offering immersive cultural experiences tailored for retirement living communities. Our inperson events bring the world’s cultures to participants through a blend of traditional foods, practices, games, music, dances, and a unique virtual reality (VR) exploration. From independent to assisted living communities, we cater to mature audiences seeking engaging and accessible ways to connect with global cultures without the need for physical travel.  (Category: Scalable)

Details Matter |  Franklin Schwendimann
At Details Matter located in Wayzata, Minnesota, we bring the experience to redefine automotive and marine care, delivering a meticulous detailing experience that goes beyond expectations. Our expert team of detailing professionals is dedicated to restoring and preserving the beauty of your vehicles, ensuring they stand out on both land and water. (Category: Sustainable)

Budget Buys | Sunny Rijal
Introducing BudgetBuys: Your ultimate destination for budget-conscious shopping. Whether you’re in need of a stylish summer outfit, camping essentials, picnic items, outdoor recreation gear, or personal care products, BudgetBuys has you covered. Simply input your desired filters and budget, and let our platform do the rest. We’ll find the best combination of items that match your criteria and stay within your specified budget, including taxes. Say goodbye to overspending and hello to smart shopping with BudgetBuys. Revolutionize your shopping experience today. (Category: Scalable)

The Cornerstone Café |  Hubie Gonsorowski
The Cornerstone Café is a place where Christians can rest in their true identity as a son or daughter of the Most High. People are leaving churches because they are not finding
authentic community within their faith groups, and there is a need for a place that is accessible and attractive to people of faith. The Cornerstone is a place where people can
come study, hang out, and drink coffee, but also a place where they can pray, worship and find a true family in Christ. There will be rooms for Bible study, prayer, and worship built into the operations of the café. (Category: Sustainable)

Grub Tracker |  Petr Philippov
Introducing GrubTracker, a mobile application designed specifically for college students. My app offers convenient access to your campus cafeteria’s daily menu, complete with detailed information on food calories and nutrients. With GrubTracker, users can effortlessly monitor their nutritional intake, calculating calories consumed per meal and maintaining a personalized meal log for easy tracking. (Category: Scalable)

EmpowerU |  Hamza Malim, Andrea Cruz Bracamontes, Rohee Konde
We believe there’s a limiting paradigm in our community that stifles our youth’s potential by dictating a singular path to success. Within EmpowerU, we want to shatter those paradigms and empower the youth to forge their own unique path to success, not by mentoring but by helping them MODEL the life they want to create. We will pair 9-12th graders with college students and college graduates who are in the early stages of their careers, and over four years these mentors will give insights into the opportunities, resources, and networks EmpowerU
Models provides to propel the youth into a limitless trajectory toward individualized accomplishment.
(Category: Sustainable)

REACH Juggling | Kayla Malmgren
At REACH Youth Juggling Club, based out of Edina, MN, our mission is to coach juggling, mentor youth, and teach life skills. Our company currently hosts four weekly clubs for youth in grades 2–12 to learn and practice juggling, and one additional weekly club/open space for adult jugglers. As the director and founder, I wear many hats, but
my main role is to support our 10 independent contractors on site (6 coaches, 2 student coaches, and 2 office administrators) and manage communication among parents. (Category: Scalable)

The Dawg House |  Will Pinney
Welcome to The Dawg House! We are a comfortable loungewear clothing brand that creates fun and creative graphic designs of cartoons featuring man’s best friend. At The Dawg House, we have a commitment to making a pawsitive impact. We fulfill our commitment by providing dog lovers clothing that shows the powerful bond they share with their furry friend, while also donating a portion of the proceeds to local animal shelters. Due to the struggling economy, animal rescue organizations have lacked funding with an increase in animals rescued. Join The Dawg House’s mission in playfully helping animals having a ruff day. (Category: Sustainable)

InterviewWell |  Peacebridge Osei
InterviewWell is a technical interview preparation platform and engineering hiring marketplace. College graduates use us to prepare for their technical interviews and employers use us to hire the best talent to stay competitive. By leveraging our platform, candidates gain invaluable insights and practical advice, enhancing their confidence and performance during technical interviews. We’re redefining the interview preparation and engineering hiring landscape, making it more accessible, effective, and tailored to individual needs.
(Category: Scalable)

Ivan The Barber |  Ivan Scarpino Korb
Everyone needs a haircut from time to time and finding a good barber can make or break how you look, how you feel, and how you perform your day-to-day activities. As a barber for 5 years, I want to offer the best service possible that provides a client experience like no other—I want to change the industry by reimagining barbering—combining highquality service with an unforgettable experience. (Category: Sustainable)

Abro |  Mikyas Kebede
I was stranded in the freezing Minnesota winter, after I locked the car with my keys inside. The least expensive solution was to pay $50 for a locksmith, but I wished there was someone on campus who could do it cheaper. That’s when the idea for Abro hit me. Why not connect college students with the skills they need right on campus? No more overpaying for services. Abro: unlocking opportunities, one student at a time.
(Category: Scalable)