Pitch Perfect: The Salvin Pitch Competition Empowers the Next Generation of Entrepreneurs

After months of intense preparation and a tough round of eliminations, three ambitious students and a dynamic team of five presented their innovative product ideas to a panel of Charlotte’s leading business minds at the Salvin Entrepreneurial Pitch Competition. Now in its seventh year, the competition is an opportunity for students to compete in a vigorous process with monetary prizes of up to $7,000 to help propel their businesses to the next level.

“What makes this competition special is not just the prize money at stake, but the comprehensive development and experience that it provides to our students,” said Denise Rotondo, Ph.D., dean of Queens’ McColl School of Business. “Students engage with members of our prestigious Entrepreneurial Leadership Circle, gaining insights from experts and successful entrepreneurs. They establish a powerful networking ecosystem, which connects them with industry leaders who can help transform their concepts into viable businesses.”

This year’s event was renamed to honor the generous contributions of Queens Board of Trustee member Bob Salvin and his wife, Susan. Salvin’s entrepreneurial achievements have earned him significant recognition, including the North Carolina Governor’s International Trade Award and the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award.

“The Salvins’ transformative gift reflects an unwavering commitment to fostering innovation and entrepreneurship among students,” said Rotondo. “Their vision aligns perfectly with our mission to develop the next generation of leaders who will shape the business economy.”

Reflecting on his entrepreneurial journey, Salvin shared valuable advice with the finalists. “My interest in sponsoring this pitch competition stems from looking back and realizing that my ability to pitch and deliver on what I pitched was instrumental in every inflection point of my career,” he said. “One of the most important lessons I’ve learned is that you won’t always pitch to the right person but if you pitch your idea well enough, oftentimes they’ll connect you with someone in their network who is a better fit.”

Starting in January, students honed their skills in crafting and delivering compelling pitches under the guidance of Oscar “Figu” Barzuna Hidalgo, D.B.A, assistant professor of entrepreneurship in the McColl School, and experts from its Entrepreneurial Leadership Circle (ELC). Participants also benefited from skill-building workshops and invaluable networking opportunities with seasoned entrepreneurs and industry leaders. These connections often provide pathways to mentorship, strategic partnerships, and future opportunities extending beyond the Salvin competition.

Juan Garzón, executive director of Innovate Charlotte and a dedicated ELC member, offered guidance to this year’s aspiring entrepreneurs during their final preparatory session. Driven by his strong support for student entrepreneurship, Garzón offered his expert insights, focusing on a core principle: “Something that I heard early on was this idea of falling in love with the problem that you are solving, and not with the solution,” he said. “The more successful entrepreneurs tend to be the ones who really want to solve a problem, and they’ll pivot based on what the market is telling them. Each year, I’m inspired by the passion of these students, their unique perspectives, and their vision of entrepreneurship.”

A notable first for the competition saw a team of students – Logan Breedlove ‘26, Oli Kneer ‘27, Matt Shanahan ‘26, Andreas Maerz ‘25, and Ondrej Dusa ’25 – collaboratively deliver their pitch for Talaria. Their concept is a customer relationship management application designed to streamline contact management, reminders, and note-taking.

Jake Cendejas ’25 presented Sentiment, an innovative venture focused on custom-made 3D-printed smart tokens that when scanned by a smart device, deliver personalized content, fostering real-time user engagement with venues.

A familiar face returned to the stage: Chase Aldous ’25, the 2023 first-place winner with Unfinished USA. This year, he pitched Vault Labs, a creative marketing agency specializing in e-commerce growth through strategic email and SMS mobile marketing, website optimization, and data-driven analytics.

Rounding out the finalists was Natalie Coates-Wiens ‘25, who presented Racked, an AI-powered digital closet app designed to revolutionize wardrobe management by offering personalized outfit recommendations based on individual preferences and occasions, promising a seamless and stylish user experience.

Keith Luedeman, founder and former CEO of goodmortgage.com and board chair of the ELC, introduced finalists, expressing his enthusiasm for the competition’s growth. “We came up with this crazy idea seven years ago and look how far it’s come today – look at the crowd that we’ve got!” said Luedeman. “The Charlotte ecosystem has really changed over the past 10 or so years and there are a lot more events and options that provide new entrepreneurs with resources, like access to investors and mentors. The McColl School has come a long way in connecting students with a business community that is more engaged and open to mentoring the next generation of leaders in Charlotte.”

The competition was fierce with each student having seven minutes to pitch their ideas and five minutes to respond to rapid-fire questions from five judges: Winston Len, managing partner, Equator Venture; Ram Sridharan, product leader, AvidXchange; Leslie Vander Baan, investor, Fyusion Inc; Adrian T. Marable, owner, Colarity; and Laura Smailes, NC relationship manager, Everblue. Students were judged on innovation, feasibility, market potential, and presentation quality.

While the judging was close, the results were announced: Talaria secured fourth place and $500. Vault earned third place and $500. The People’s Choice Award of $500, combined with an additional $2,000, was awarded to Racked, which took second place overall. Ultimately, first place and $3,000 went to Sentiment.

“Stepping into this competition for the first time was truly eye-opening,” Cendejas reflected. “Professor Figu’s Entrepreneurial Mindset course was the spark that ignited my journey. It pushed me to learn, to grow, and to challenge my own limits. My goal was to develop an idea I was deeply passionate about, one that could potentially lead me to places I’ve never been before.”

As Cendejas prepares for his commencement in May, he reflected on his time at Queens. “When I first came here, I thought I’d follow in my sister’s footprints and for a while, I was comfortable living in her shadow,” he said. “But when I embarked on a semester-long John Belk International Program study abroad opportunity in Malta, I came back a new person and was ready to challenge myself with new things, like the Pitch Competition. I’ve learned that I’m only as good as the people I surround myself with and I wouldn’t have been able to do it without the support of my family, friends, mentors, and of course, Professor Figu.”

Hidalgo expressed his pride in the growth of this year’s competition and is excited about its future. “I’ve noticed that students from other areas of study are interested in competing,” he said. “Introducing entrepreneurship as a minor has opened a new pathway to students from all majors looking to master the ‘life-work balance.’ This generation understands that life is way more important, and work is just a way for us to be able to live,” he said. “Entrepreneurship gives people the option to be creative while being in control of their own destiny.”