On Thursday, April 7, Cupid’s Cup Entrepreneurship Competition will return to The Clarice for its eleventh year of show-stopping startup exhibition. Six companies have been announced as finalists, selected from hundreds of applications representing nearly 100 universities and colleges. On Feb. 19, Under Armour Founder and CEO Kevin Plank ’96, who chairs the competition, hosted the semi-final round at Under Armour’s global headquarters in Baltimore, Md. Twelve startups competed before being reduced to the these final exceptional entrepreneurs, who will compete for a life-changing prize package, including more than $100,000 in total cash prizes, access to Plank’s professional network, and the prestigious Cupid’s Cup title.
The finalists represent six universities and a broad range of industries. They are:
Headbands of Hope (North Carolina State University)
Creates fashionable headbands aimed at girls experiencing chemotherapy. For every headband sold, a headband is given to a child with cancer.
Javazen (University of Maryland)
Leading the world of coffee to a healthier place.
mybestbox (Columbia University)
Assembles boxes with essential, high-quality products that cover a broad range of health & wellness areas.
Plova Chewing Gum LLC. (Trinity University)
The world’s first and only beneficial oral care product for people who are always on the go.
Six Foods (Harvard University)
Uses crickets milled into a flour to make tortilla chips (Chirps) that are familiar to Americans, in an effort to normalize insect foods, starting with snacks to meat.
Wolf & Shepherd (University of Notre Dame)
Designs shoes to provide unparalleled comfort by concealing high performance foam technology into the heart of each sole.
The judges joining Plank for this year’s competition are recognizable names from across business sectors:
Dan Gilbert, founder and chairman of Quicken Loans, owner of the Cleveland Cavaliers, and founder and chairman of Rock Ventures
Wes Moore, author of The Other Wes Moore, founder and CEO of BridgeEdU, and host of Beyond Belief on the Oprah Winfrey Network
Arianna Huffington, editor-in-chief of The Huffington Post and author of The Sleep Revolution
Join this celebration of entrepreneurship on Thursday, April 7 at 4 p.m. at The Clarice. Free tickets are available at cupidscup.com, and all attendees will receive a free Under Armour promotional item.
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About the University of Maryland's Robert H. Smith School of Business
The Robert H. Smith School of Business is an internationally recognized leader in management education and research. One of 12 colleges and schools at the University of Maryland, College Park, the Smith School offers undergraduate, full-time and flex MBA, executive MBA, online MBA, business master’s, PhD and executive education programs, as well as outreach services to the corporate community. The school offers its degree, custom and certification programs in learning locations in North America and Asia.