A contest-style learning initiative launched by Lambton College has helped more than 20 students showcase their innovative business concepts.
For the past six weeks, students participating in Project Pitch It! have been building their business pitch in hopes of taking home a piece of the $10,000 prize pool.
The pitch competition was organized by the Lambton College Social Exchange, which aims to create meaningful learning experiences for students. The initiative received generous support from Community Futures Lambton, who contributed the $10,000 prize fund and helped facilitate the programming. Additional assistance was provided by the Business Enterprise Centre operated through the Sarnia-Lambton Economic Partnership (SLEP), and TechAlliance, who played pivotal roles in hosting workshops and coaching sessions to help students refine their business plans.
The program attracted 28 students from various Lambton programs, who collaborated in teams or individually to transform 20 business concepts into reality. Through a series of workshops, mentorship opportunities, and entrepreneurial support, these emerging entrepreneurs received training and guidance on key topics such as ideation, competitive analysis, marketing, financial planning, and risk mitigation.
The series concluded with a live event where eight finalists had the opportunity to pitch their business concepts to a panel of judges.
Betty Kakulu, a Business Management - International Business student, was awarded the $4,500 grand prize for her business concept, Mikabel Beauty, which specializes in designing products tailored to African hair care and beauty needs. Runners up were Andres Ramirez, an Advanced Project Management & Strategic Leadership student who received $2,500 for his business Immigrant Goods, selling Colombian coffee from a family farm, and Saurav Ghimire, from the Full Stack Software Development program, who took home $1,500 for Cebool, an app developed for the elderly. All funds awarded are solely allocated towards educational expenses for each winner.
In recognition of their exceptional efforts, the remaining finalists were also awarded $300 each for their outstanding business pitches.
"The success of Project Pitch It! has been truly inspiring,” said Sarah Reaume, CEO of Community Futures Lambton. “Having the opportunity to collaborate with Lambton College, and other local organizations on this project really highlights our community’s commitment to fostering innovation and supporting the next generation of business leaders. Together, we were able to provide a platform where students were able to access valuable business resources and mentorship, allowing them to turn their ideas into successful startups.”