The second annual University of Oregon Entrepreneurship Awards was held virtually this year on June 11. Sponsored by the Lundquist Center for Entrepreneurship and Department of Product Design, the program recognized student innovation and creativity across campus. This year’s award winners include:

• Founder of the Year Award: Max Chung, founder of the Light Shield, an eSports accessory company
   
• Startup of the Year Award: William Schoeffler, founder of Instashowing, a real estate technology that increases client–agent communications
   
• Freelancer of the Year Award: Andrea (Dré) Markowski, founder of Studio AM, a creative design services company
   
• New Venture Award: Chris Cohen, founder of PowerFill Solutions, a sustainable alternative to bulk refill stations
   
• Outstanding Entrepreneurship Concentration Student of the Year Award: Chris Cohen, for excellence demonstrated inside and outside the classroom
   
• Sustainability Award: Tina Calvin and Mahfuzur Rahman, founders of Terran Material Resources, a lithium-ion battery recycling company
   
• Best Technology Award: Alex Balog and Ben Cooper, founders of Basking Filter, a self-cleaning water filter for water treatment plants
   
• Best eCommerce Award: Shaun Smerling, dropshipper and founder of SP Visions Inc., a data company that e-commerce founders can use to scale their revenue through omni-channel advertising
   
• Social Impact Award: Josh Murray, Hunter Reed, and Malcom Mackey, founders of The Late Bloomer Project , a conscious clothing initiative using and altering 100% recycled and repurposed pieces
   
• Innovative Club of the Year Award: UO Sales Club, in recognition of outstanding contributions expanding sales leadership outside the business school and for successfully competing against national programs with developed sales curricula
   
• Asian Academy for Sports and Fitness Professionals Design Ventures Competition Awardees:
   
  • First Place: Oli Bartoszck, founder of Airbender, a face mask for athletes
     
  • Second Place: Connor Hayward, founder of Ever Run, which creates accessible shoes for people with disabilities or injuries that need to wear orthotic-based braces
     
  • Third Place: Allen Yin, MJ Ang, Antonio Chan, and Sean Lo, founders of Baller Up, a mobile app matching athletes for shared experiences
     
• Koehn Award: Jessie Silbert, founder of Transitions, a maternity training apparel company; Mila Penrith, Tyler Wilkinson, and Toby Hodges, founders of Studio Skosh, a natural lighting company
   
• Paul Anthony Troiano RAINmaker Grant Awardees: Tina Calvin and Mahfuzur Rahman, founders of Terran Material Resources; Jessie Silbert, founder of Transitions

In addition to the student awards, event organizers recognized UO business and economics librarian Genifer Snipes with the Campus Innovator of the Year Award for her efforts in expanding the university’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.

“Genifer’s extraordinary contributions this year included supporting our Lens of the Market program, facilitating UO’s adoption of the Pitch Book database, leading the development of the student-focused IDEA Space, and providing market research assistance to faculty and students in the Lundquist College of Business, the School of Journalism and Communication and the Economics Department,” said Andrew Nelson, Randall C. Papé Chair in Entrepreneurship and Innovation and associate vice president for entrepreneurship and innovation. “Our entrepreneurial ecosystem has measurably benefited from her work and dedication to our faculty and students.”

Awardees will receive their awards by mail this year due to the COVID-19 environment. Organizers hope to resume the in-person, end-of-the-year luncheon and student trade show next June and invite faculty, alumni, and community partners to celebrate these student contributions.