Entrepreneurial Endeavors

On December 2, three teams of entrepreneurially minded business students vied for the top spot in the final round of the Lundquist College's annual graduate-level Venture Quest Investment Competition. At stake were cash prizes and the chance to receive valuable feedback from top Northwest business professionals. This year's winners were MBA students James Collins, Peter Philbrick, Dan Richmond, and Bryan Schoen, whose Hawk Mobility Systems provides an innovative solution for moving patients. For many budding entrepreneurs, a Venture Quest victory is just the beginning of their startup adventure. After racking up a string of successes at investment competitions all over the country, last year's winning team VisiRay is finding support through an agreement with Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and the White House's Startup America Initiative. Meanwhile, anyone who's been to Autzen Stadium lately (or LSU's Tiger Stadium or the UCLA Rose Bowl among other spots) can see for themselves the success found by 2010 runner-up Shady Peeps--maker of sunglasses in NCAA team colors. Catch up with VisiRay's latest accomplishments and download a UO Business article about ShadyPeeps.