3 Day Startup Encourages Creativity and Entrepreneurship at Mays

The Texas A&M University – Mays Business School invited students from across the university to participate in a 72-hour entrepreneurial experience at Startup Aggieland on April 15th.

Hosted by the Center for New Ventures and Entrepreneurship (CNVE), the 3 Day Startup competition invited forty students from all segments of the university to present their entrepreneurial ideas. Students from a variety of backgrounds and majors worked together as teams to present their pitches, hoping to be one of the six teams selected for the 72-hour high-impact experience.

Beginning on Friday, the teams formed to develop prototypes and business models for their budding businesses, followed by a night full of research. And though the student’s hard work truly drove the competition, they weren’t alone; mentors from the community such as business leaders, Texas A&M faculty and intellectual property lawyers stepped in to provide crucial feedback to the teams.

Hannah Cartwright ‘19, 3DS team leader, commented on the importance of this part of the competition: “I learned so much from the mentors at 3DS. They were all so willing to help and guide us in the right direction. I value all of their advice so much.”

The competition continued Saturday, when teams were able to go into the field and communicate directly with potential customers. Finally, the event culminated with a showcase of the six teams, each provided with fifteen minutes to pitch their startup to a panel of professionals. The student startups were of a wide variety, ranging from a home audio company to all-natural cookie dough balls.

The 3 Day Startup competition does not offer any monetary prizes, but with the chance to pitch to a pro panel of local entrepreneurs, startup gurus and businessmen, the most impressive ideas are not likely to fade after the three days. After the 72-hours, students will have had the opportunity not just to get creative and start something new, but to connect with important mentors in the business world who can help their ideas flourish.

regions: Houston

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