Approximately 100 people gathered in the Wilden Lecture Hall for the first annual ZuVenturez on Tuesday, April 22 and witnessed entrepreneur and graduate student Robert Cardiff win the $15,000 first place award for his business pitch called “Whip,” a transportation networking application.
The seven finalists each were allotted a three-minute presentation in the final round of the event. Judges were then given six minutes to ask questions and provide feedback immediately following each presentation.
The judging panel included the executive managing director of Jones Lang LaSalle, Bryan Jacobs; the mobilizer and co-founder of Telos Ventures, David Kim; and the owner and chief executive officer of U.S. Alliance Group and Electronic Cash Systems, Fadi Cheika.
Cardiff’s winning proposal, Whip, would be an advanced Web-based platform that would connect certified student drivers and their personal vehicles with students who need rides to the airport or other locations at their shared university, alleviating a problem that can sometimes be “inconvenient and costly” for college students.
The feature that would allow students to book appointments and rides in advance is what distinguishes Whip from competitors such as Uber, Lyft and Sidecar.
Cardiff explained how students using this app will not only be assured a ride from a campus driver, but will also know the exact expense for travel prior to pick-up. The selected drivers will be certified and are currently projected to be able to earn up to $17 per hour, as they create and manage their own schedules.
“Right now, I am feeling like this is an incredible experience, and I can’t wait to start this business and have APU be the starting place,” Cardiff said. ” I am so excited that this is sustainable development for faith-based entrepreneurship.”
According to Cardiff’s proposal, Whip’s purpose is: “Empower students. Drive to give.” He explained he is looking to contact his graphic designer to lay out a website, as he will begin to pay initial business fees with his awarded finances.
“I think there are two types of students,” said junior exercise science major Kimm Chase. “Students who are jonesing for gas money or jonesing for rides, [Whip] reaches both of them. You can get paid to drive people or you can get the rides you need. On either end, I think it benefits both parties.”
Second and third places were also rewarded. The second-place team, La Semia: Coffee and Tea, was awarded $3,000 toward its Los Angeles organic coffee car, and Directive Consulting: Online Marketing Solutions came in third, earning $2,000.
The $20,000 in prize money was privately donated by various supporters, according to School of Business advisory board member and project co-leader Janice Orlando.
Senior business major Sara Willard said she is looking forward to the chance to try Whip, and is empowered that she too has the chance to one day become an entrepreneur.
“It was cool to see fellow students engage in the business world, while being able to pitch true ideas,” Willard said.
ZuVenturez is an entrepreneurial competition in which Azusa Pacific undergraduate and graduate students within any discipline and school are encouraged to participate. Winners are to use the funds to help further their proposed business.
“We think that innovation and entrepreneurship should come from all areas of leadership and all areas of growth, both from an academic point of view and a business point of view,” Orlando said. “We want to celebrate all the different disciplines and create sustainability to do really cool things within those different areas.”
Depending on future finances, this “Shark Tank”-style event has potential to take place every semester, according to Orlando.
The event was launched by APU’s Center for Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship and is a part of sabbatical research conducted by Dr. Annie Tsai, Psychology Department chairwoman.
A team of three students worked closely with Orlando during this process and the trio were main contributors to the program’s efforts. These students included senior marketing major Josh Torok and graduate students Matthew Chormann and Nathaniel Durkin.
“I am really happy with the results. The guys that won really deserved it, and I think they are going to do great things,” Durkin said.
At the start of this process, approximately 50 different pitches were submitted. However, with the amount of time and work required to be a finalist, many students decided to postpone their participation until next year’s competition, according to Orlando.
“We need to really do things that are very tangible and give people skill sets … understanding revenues, expenses, profits and what you can do in order to be sustainable in 10 years as a real business,” Orlando said.