THE 2023 CBIC FINALE!
The ABCEI’s 2023 Cangialosi Business Innovation Competition (CBIC) Finale
On Thursday, April 20th, 2023, The Alex. Brown Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation hosted the annual Cangialosi Business Innovation Competition Finale. The CBIC was established in 2014 by a generous pledge from Greg Cangialosi ’96. It is designed to attract the real entrepreneurs at UMBC, the ones who are committed to starting a company or social venture in the future.
The 2023 event included seven finalist teams, which consisted of undergraduate and graduate students from various majors from UMBC. The teams presented their ideas in front of an audience of students, professors, community members, and an esteemed panel of entrepreneurial judges. The 2023 panel of judges included: Eli Eisenberg ‘86, the CEO of VPC, Inc., Kimberly Brown, the CEO of Amethyst Technologies, LLC, and Lindsay Ryan, the Executive Director of Economic Development for the University of Maryland System. The Alex. Brown Center offered two tracks for students to enter: Technology & Innovation and Social Impact. After the students in each of the tracks presented, they faced questions regarding their idea from the judges. Once all presentations were completed, the judges selected the winners in each track. The Alex. Brown Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation would like to recognize the winning ideas below:
Technology & Innovation Track
$3,000 First Place Winner for the Technology & Innovation Track: Fly Easy – Anurag Varshney and Deevyesh Upadhyaya
Everyone loves to travel, but no one enjoys the frustration of airports! Fly Easy is a platform to satisfy all of your traveling needs as it would include 3D interactive airport maps, accurate data on wait times, curated list of all restaurants near you, real-time baggage tracking, and premium features like concierge services. Fly Easy can make your next trip to the airport an experience that you will never forget!
$2,000 Second Place Winner for the Technology & Innovation Track: BetterU – Saurabh Chapagain
As more people are becoming health-conscious and looking for ways to improve their physical and mental well-being, there is a growing demand for a comprehensive wellness platform that offers a one-stop-shop for all their needs. By leveraging AI and predictive algorithms to provide personalized feedback and habit tracking, BetterU is poised to be a unique and essential solution for anyone looking to improve their overall well-being.
$1,000 Third Place Winner for the Technology & Innovation Track: IdeaChain – Chanda Lowrance
In the wake of the pandemic, businesses have shifted to the online realm and the demand for market research has significantly increased. IdeaChain leverages blockchain technology, ensuring data security and accuracy, a feature that other market research firms may not offer. The demand for market research is not only growing but is also becoming increasingly important for businesses to stay competitive in their respective industries.
Social Impact Track
$3,000 First Place Winner for the Social Impact Track: Amron – Gabriel Laracuente and Scotty Collinson
Sleep apnea is a potentially serious sleep disorder in which breathing repeatedly stops and starts during the course of a night’s sleep and requires the use of CPAPs. There is no personalization for these machines, and the vast majority of CPAP users dislike the look. Amron will provide CPAP users with customized covers, which will come in different colors and even include a picture frame for the machine.
$2,000 Second Place Winner for the Social Impact Track: UMBC Beauty – Kendal Howell
At UMBC, there is a gap in access to beauty supplies for hair and skin care for students living on campus. UMBC Beauty would be a beauty supply space on the UMBC campus and would eventually expand to other campuses when the beauty supply “truck” solution is deployed. UMBC Beauty’s mission is to bring the necessary products for all students to the UMBC Campus!
$1,000 Third Place Winner for the Social Impact Track: Scan Safe – Parth Bhodia
With the rise of health concerns, more and more people are paying attention to the ingredients in the products they consume. Scan Safe addresses this problem by providing a simple, convenient way for consumers to scan food and cosmetic products and receive information on the ingredients, calorie and sugar content within these products. By allowing users to set allergy restrictions and receive alerts, this solution also ensures that consumers can avoid harmful ingredients and make informed decisions about the products they buy.
$500 Fourth Place Winner for the Social Impact Track: Zeitlos – Atharv Abhyankar, Pratik Bhatkar, and Deevysesh Upadhyaya
The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the adoption of “telehealth” and digital health solutions, including mental health apps, particularly among the elderly population. Zeitlos is an AI based app that provides personalized interactive sessions to combat loneliness and depression issues and promote a feeling of inclusiveness for senior citizens. The AI app provides personalized and interactive sessions that cater specifically to seniors, utilizing AI and machine learning technology to tailor sessions to each user’s individual needs.
Congratulations to all of the 2023 winners! Here’s what some of the finalists had to say about the experience:
“The CBIC truly was an unforgettable experience. It was very competitive yet had a welcoming environment. I am extremely grateful for not only the funding, but also the experience of pitching a company to such professional judges. If you are on the ropes about joining this competition, I HIGHLY recommend it. The amount you learn from going through the process of this competition will, without doubt, help you in the future.”
-Gabriel Laracuente, Amron
“Participating in the CBIC has been one of the most pivotal experiences in my life. I encourage every student with entrepreneurial ambitions to apply!”
-Saurabh Chapagain, BetterU
“‘Dreams do become a reality” and the CBIC competition is a great platform to make your dreams come true. I received mentorship from industry experts and encouragement from the ABCEI team. Do you have an idea? Don’t wait, register for the CBIC! Mark my words, this will be among your best life experiences.”
-Anurag Varshney, Fly Easy
“What an incredible experience that helped me prepare for my first startup pitch! The mentor I was paired with was exceptional, and his supportive attitude helped alleviate some of my anxieties as a new entrepreneur. Preparing for the pitch allowed me to scrutinize my idea at a deeper level, and I found myself asking questions about my business that I hadn’t previously considered. The event itself provided me with the opportunity to network, and I made some excellent connections that I look forward to nurturing in the future. I highly recommend applying to CBIC if you have a business idea, as the experience was truly rewarding.”
-Pratik Anil Bhatkar, Zeitlos
Thank you to all of our sponsors Greg Cangialosi, bwtech@UMBC and the University System of Maryland, as well as our judges: Eli Eisenberg, Kimberly Brown and Lindsay Ryan! Congratulations to all of our student teams! Thank you to everyone who joined the ABCEI for this incredible night of community and good ideas! Click here for more pictures!
Click here for access to a recording of the 2023 event!
Quotes from Past CBIC Winners
Saurabh Chapagain – BetterU (2023)
“Participating in the CBIC has been one of the most pivotal experiences in my life. I encourage every student with entrepreneurial ambitions to apply!”
Gabriel Laracuente- Amron (2023)
“The CBIC truly was an unforgettable experience. It was very competitive yet had a welcoming environment. I am extremely grateful for not only the funding, but also the experience of pitching a company to such professional judges. If you are on the ropes about joining this competition, I HIGHLY recommend it. The amount you learn from going through the process of this competition will, without doubt, help you in the future.”
Anurag Varshney – Fly Easy (2023)
‘”Dreams do become a reality” and the CBIC competition is a great platform to make your dreams come true. I received mentorship from industry experts and encouragement from the ABCEI team. Do you have an idea? Don’t wait, register for the CBIC! Mark my words, this will be among your best life experiences.”
Tamara Buchanan- Plus One Technology (2022)
“The CBIC was an amazing experience that helped to prepare me for my first startup pitch. The mentor I was matched with was phenomenal! His kind and nurturing demeanor helped remove a few fears I had as a new entrepreneur. The pitch competition was great and meeting the founder, Greg Cangialosi, was the icing on the cake. If you have a business idea apply for CBIC, you won’t regret being a paticipant!!”
Basil Udo- Xeddy (2022)
“Getting the opportunity to pitch at the Cangialosi Business Innovation Competition has given me an experience I will never forget. There are a ton of amazing ideas currently at UMBC that would immensely benefit from the great resources provided by the Alex Brown Center for Entrepreneurship. To those resources and the wonderful individuals behind them, I am forever grateful for the boost in confidence and capital that has gone towards fueling my venture, Xeddy.”
Kayla Massey – Pennies for Pointe (2022)
“My experience during the entire process was nothing short of amazing! Going through the process of preparing a pitch made me examine my idea on another level and ask myself questions about my business that I may not have given a lot of thought to before. It’s one thing to know what you want to do in your head, but another having to articulate your ideas and plans in hopes of convincing people of how important they are. Being assigned a mentor to work with helped tremendously. Receiving feedback and ideas, and being asked challenging questions by my mentor helped clarify some aspects of my business model. In addition to being supported by my mentor, I felt very supported by the faculty and staff in the entrepreneurship department. Having the opportunity to network the night of the event was also beneficial. I made some great connections that night and look forward to seeing how these relationships grow in the future.”
Balaji Viswanathan- Invento (2021)
“The CBIC competition organized by UMBC’s Alex. Brown Center for Entrepreneurship is a great platform for startups to get discovered by investors. We participated in the competition, were paired with a key advisor and won 1st place in the Technology and Innovation track. We are also getting investor connections. I thank the organizers for such a wonderful initiative. “
Mariah Qureshi- codeHER (2021)
“CBIC was an enriching experience that I’d recommend for every UMBC student that is entrepreneurship oriented. I’m grateful for the immense help provided by the competition mentors and coordinators, and I’m thankful for the smooth transition despite COVID-19. I learned of several different ways I could engage in furthering my own social venture, and have had many professional and personal takeaways from this experience!”
Nikolas Sicilia – GreaterPlate (2020)
“When COVID-19 began to affect the academic semester, one of the first things I was upset about was its effect on the CBIC. I had been looking forward to the CBIC since I got to UMBC, and thought for sure that it was going to get cancelled. I was extremely pleased with how UMBC’s Alex. Brown Center pivoted and gave us all an experience that was beyond our expectations given the conditions!”
Noha Darwish – Madina Girl (2020)
“The CBIC Competition was very transformative for my business, I learned a lot about myself and my business. It was a great opportunity for many reasons but one of the most important is because of my mentor who gave me so much support and guidance. The competition was demanding and challenging in the best way and because of it, my business is a lot stronger, as am I.”
Akshay Pershave- Karotene (2019)
“The competition and mentorship immensely helped distill Karotene’s value proposition and concretize our business plan. The feedback and visibility Karotene received is of great value as we progress towards our MVP. The ideas pitched at the CBIC also gave a glimpse of the thriving startup and innovation culture at UMBC.”
Michael Ogunsanya- CEO of MindStand Technologies (2019)
“The CBIC allowed us to showcase our budding student startup for Baltimore’s finest entrepreneurs! Their advice, mentorship, and network will benefit MindStand Technologies for years to come.”
Dan Lee (2019)
“CBIC really pushed us to create a killer pitch deck, which we can now use for future opportunities.”
Mustafa Al-Adhami (2018)
“The Alex Brown Center and CBIC have supported my venture for over a year now. I am so grateful to have been able to use the resources they offer to develop my business idea, and I am excited to get to work on the next stage of development with their support.”
Miranda Marvel (2018)
“The CBIC has been a great experience! The advice from my mentor helped me to significantly hone my business pitch, and having the encouragement and support from the UMBC entrepreneurship community has given me the confidence and ability to take my business to the next step and start developing a prototype.”
Chris Bodan- Aye-Aye (2017)
“Participating in the CBIC was a life changing experience. In just over a month, we took an idea and transformed it into a full business proposition. The CBIC isn’t just a contest. The guidance, advice, and resources you are given along the way are invaluable. The CBIC is an opportunity for students to take a “what if” and turn it into something extraordinary.”
Filip Dabek- Supply Sense (2016)
“Going through the Cangiolosi Business Innovation Competition (CBIC), UMBC allowed me to go through the process of formulating a business plan and prototype product, from which I learned a great deal and received excellent strategic mentorship from CBIC affiliated faculty. Through the knowledge that I gained from being a CBIC participant, I am now going to take my SupplySense idea to market.”
Annah Seo – PiVot (2015)
“The CBIC was a great opportunity to showcase my creatvity and get feedback on presenting in front of investors.”
Michael Gardner – Neighborhood Net (2015)
“Amazing. I learned so much about entrepreneurship, pitching an idea, and networking. These lessons I will carry with me for the rest of my life – through both entreprenuerial endeavors and building myself professionally.”
Patrick Wheltle – Baltimore Emergency Medical Technology (2015)
“The experience with CBIC was one of the most memorable things about my college career. It was really challenging and engaging and gave me experience that I could take with me to the real world.”
Markus Proctor – EduPal (2014)
“I consider the CBIC the highlight of my undergraduate experience. The phrase ‘unlock your future’ definitely rings true for me since I credit almost every opportunity in front of me now to the CBIC.”