The Anderson Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, housed in the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Haslam College of Business, awarded $21,750 in startup funding to student-led ventures during the Fall 2025 Graves Business Plan Competition.

The biannual pitch competition features growth and lifestyle business categories, giving UT students real-world experience in launching and scaling startups. Finalists competed for top honors and seed funding by presenting their business plans to a panel of expert judges on November 7 in the Anderson Center Business Accelerator at the UT Research Foundation Business Incubator.

Lifestyle Category Winners

The competition’s lifestyle category features three prize levels and is for startups targeted to support local or smaller-scale opportunities.

First place and $5,000 went to DH Industries LLC, makers of Big Al’s Hot Mustard. DH was founded byAlex Del Vecchio, a junior management major from Lenox, Massachusetts. DH Industries produces Big Al’s Hot Mustard, a clean-label, all-natural sauce that delivers bold flavor without artificial additives.

“I’m beyond grateful for the judges’ belief in me and the dream that is Big Al’s Hot Mustard. This award will help me take the next step toward getting Big Al’s on store shelves across America,” said Del Vecchio.

Rosebud Accessories, founded by sophomore applied AI major Kayla Harris, earned second place and a $3,000 prize. Her venture’s flagship product, the Hero Bag, is a washable, lightweight handbag designed with modular organization and a versatile style suited for work or travel.

“I’m so excited and grateful that I can now start developing my prototype,” Harris said. “It was a fun and valuable experience.”

Third place in the lifestyle category and $2,000 in funding went to sophomore management major and Knoxville native Jeremiah Vecchioni. His business World’s Fair Furnishing Company restores and rents high-quality furniture through a circular economy model that repurposes used items from students and residents.

“This experience taught me how to advocate for myself and my dreams in a brand-new way,” said Vecchioni.

Growth Category Winners

The competition’s growth category features three prize levels for startups seeking large investment with high scalability.

Gus Alvarez-Suchini, a Ph.D. candidate in learning, design and technology from Guatemala City, Guatemala, won first place in the growth category and $5,000 with his company, DataRook. The business combines professional soccer technology with data science education, letting students analyze performance data and build real-world STEM skills.

“I’m honored to have been selected as this semester’s winner. The coaching from the Anderson Center was invaluable and gave me the confidence to deliver a strong pitch,” said Alvarez-Suchini.

Second place and $3,000 went to Markify, founded by Anthony Beckett, a freshman majoring in management from Brentwood, Tennessee. Markify brings the classroom whiteboard to every student’s device for real-time note sharing, collaboration and interactive learning.

“Connecting with mentors during the process was just as rewarding as the funding itself,” Beckett said.

Marton Peintler Krivan, a senior originally from Szeged, Hungary, majoring in industrial and systems engineering, won third place and $2,000. His company, Aquafer Technologies, offers a breakthrough water filtration solution that removes a wider range of PFAS compounds with superior efficiency and longevity.

“Once I began my pitch, the nerves disappeared — it turned into an exciting experience,” Krivan said.

Special Awards Honoring Student Businesses

Beyond the prizes in the growth and lifestyle categories, three additional awards were bestowed at the Fall 2025 Graves Business Plan Competition. The UT Entrepreneurs Club (UTEC) Prize of $1,000, awarded to the best pitch by a UTEC member, celebrates student leadership and engagement in UT’s entrepreneurial community. The Fall 2025 UTEC Prize went to COLA II, founded by junior philosophy major Noah Cooper.

COLA II is an on-premise platform that automates ERISA compliance reviews, flags hidden fees and creates a secure audit trail for transparent retirement plans.

“It was a great experience. I’m excited to show how transformative technology can come from right here in Knoxville,” said Cooper, a Memphis native.

Mirka Mandich and Saurabh Pethe, Ph.D. candidates in energy science and engineering, won the $250 Spark Innovation Award. Mandich is from Everett, Washington, while Pethe is from Pune, Maharashtra, India. AlchemII, their joint venture, converts methane into clean hydrogen and synthetic graphite using an innovative electrochemical process, enabling cost-effective, decentralized production.

Hudson Schmitt, a junior in construction science and management, and Julius Brown, a sophomore majoring in supply chain management, won the $500 Judges’ Prize for their business Tennessee Longhorn Camp.

“I came in with no expectations — I was simply excited to share my idea. Winning the Judges Prize was an amazing surprise,” said Schmitt.

The Tennessee Longhorn Camp founders captured the judges’ attention as they entered the competition as a wildcard and did not have the same preparation time as the other teams. The pitch made an impact with its mission-driven business model, offering immersive agricultural experiences for sons and their fathers that blend education, outdoor adventure and Tennessee heritage. The new Judges’ Prize, made possible by the generosity of competition judges, recognizes ventures that demonstrate exceptional creativity, purpose, and community impact.

Judges’ Perspectives on Student Entrepreneurs

The judging panel included Myra Hamilton, John Bartlett, Robyn Geron, Rachel Ramsey (UT, ’05) and Jared M. Smith (UT, ’16; M.S., ’17; Ph.D., ’20), who evaluated pitches based on innovation, feasibility and market potential.

The judges represented a wide variety of backgrounds, perfect for evaluating student ventures of all types. Hamilton is the assistant vice president of commercial lending at UT Federal Credit Union; Bartlett is the founder of Brentwood Growth; Geron is the director of UT Ventures, part of the UT Research Foundation; Ramsey is a neonatal registered nurse, certified postpartum doula and founder of The Newborn Nurse, LLC; and Smith is the co-founder of Uncat and the senior manager of attack surface intelligence at Recorded Future.

“Each student who participated is a sharp, forward-thinking leader and represents UT so well. It was hard to choose a winner because each idea brought something special,” said Ramsey.

Judges agreed that the creativity and dedication of the students made the competition both exciting and inspiring.

“This semester’s competition far surpassed even the one I won a decade ago. The entrepreneurial drive and grit of these students make me incredibly proud of my alma mater,” said Smith.

About the Graves Business Plan Competition

Organized by the Anderson Center, the Graves Business Plan Competition is a dynamic, two-category pitch competition. Held each fall and spring, the competition gives current UT students the opportunity to pitch their original business ideas in a 10-minute, in-person presentation for a chance at startup funding.

About the Anderson Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation

The Anderson Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, housed in Haslam, is the front door to entrepreneurship at UT, connecting entrepreneurs and innovators at every stage with the resources, networks and expertise needed to solve real challenges. By cultivating an entrepreneurial mindset across campus, connecting entrepreneurs with the resources and mentorship they need to grow and collaborating with the UT and regional ecosystem, the Anderson Center is developing an entrepreneurial culture where Volunteers are empowered to identify unmet needs and take bold action to create value through new ventures.

For more information and upcoming events, visit the Anderson Center event page.

Author:
Allison Kelly, Anderson Center director of marketing, akelly9@utk.edu

Contact:

Leah McAmis, senior editor, leah@utk.edu