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SALISBURY, MD---For ºÚÁÏÍø junior Cameron Kane being an avid gamer finally paid off. 

Kane’s business plan for Valkyrie Software Solutions a Salisbury based accessibility software company, recently took home the $20,000 Bernstein Achievement Award for Excellence during the 32nd annual Franklin P. Perdue School of Business Entrepreneurship Competitions for SU students, sponsored by M&T Bank.

This award is sponsored by LWRC International; Rommel Chesapeake, Inc.; and the Perdue School’s Business Economic and Community Outreach Network (BEACON).  

Kane, of Glenn Dale, MD, is double majoring in computer science and interdisciplinary studies with a focus on business and communications. 

Using a portion of his third-place winnings from last year’s competition, he built a custom workstation to accelerate technical development and designed concepts for graphic overlays to on-screen game displays in an effort to enhance accessibility for the deaf and hearing-impaired community. In addition, he fine-tuned his concepts using a customer feedback loop while saving the remainder of his winning towards further product development.

 As an SU Undergraduate Research Fellow, he founded this company with the goal of developing the highest-quality accessibility solutions without letting cost block all-inclusive accessibility. 

“The synergy of having access to large university resources, such as the Richard A. Henson School of Science and Technology’s High Performance Computing Lab, along with funding opportunities combined with small institutional networking connections and mentorships really enabled me to grow academically and entrepreneurially to both develop the technology and launch a business while helping real people.” he said.   

In addition, Kane received $1,000 by advancing in the first round of competitions, the “Invest in My Idea” poster presentation. He also placed first in the second round of the competitions, the “Gull Cage,” a Shark Tank-style elevator pitch to local business leaders.

In all, Kane left the Entrepreneurship Competitions with some $21,000 in cash, awards, and services.

Some 49 teams applied, and for the first time, all of SU’s academic divisions were represented, along with the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. In addition to Perdue School teams, 50 percent included students from SU’s other schools, including College of Health and Human Services, Charles R. and Martha N. Fulton School of Liberal Arts, Henson School, and Samuel W. and Martha C. Seidel School of Education.  

More than 50 percent of this year’s Gull Cage winners were from schools other than the Perdue School. The final four Bernstein Round teams equally represented the Henson and Perdue schools. Additionally, close to 50 percent of the applicant businesses self-identified as minority owned.

William Burke, SU executive director for economic development and director of entrepreneurial activities, attributed the increases in part to a University-wide campaign to inform and encourage those enrolled in all of SU’s schools and colleges to participate in the competitions and use the resources available to them for preparing their entry. These include the Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Economic Development Hub (the Hub), which opened in 2017 and is located on the first floor of Perdue Hall.

“Our reach and support from the entrepreneurship ecosystem, campus and business community at large is impressive,” Burke said.

In the Hub, members of the University’s Collegiate Entrepreneurs’ Organization (CEO) offer student-to-student business plan and coaching services. Entrants also receive training and support from John Hickman, regional director of the Small Business Development Center at SU; Bill Bernard, rural business innovation mentor at the Maryland Technology Development Corporation (TEDCO); and Mike Thielke, executive director of the Eastern Shore Entrepreneurship Center, hotDesks Coworking and F³  Tech Accelerator. Outside the Hub, students utilized local experts, such as Kevin Justice, executive director of M4 Reactor.

SU faculty also provided workshops and office hours for students. They include Drs. Gene Hahn, professor of information and decision sciences, and Patrick Fennell, assistant professor of marketing; as well as Paula Morris, marketing professor of the practice; Bob Morrison, management lecturer; and Bob Barber, mathematics and computer science senior lecturer.

Placing second in the Bernstein round was NightIce, a Middletown, MD-based ice therapy product company founded by SU sophomore management major Joshua Woozley, who earned some $11,000 in cash, awards, and services, including the $10,000 second-place Bernstein Award, sponsored by Maryland Department of Commerce and Maryland Capital Enterprises (MCE), and $1,000 cash in the Invest in my Idea round. 

Solar Green HVAC, a solar technology and HVAC integration company proposed by junior economics major Ronald Cavelius of Ellicott City, MD, placed third in the Bernstein round, taking home a total prize package of $18,000 in cash, awards, allowances and services, including $5,000 cash sponsored by Pohanka Automotive Group of Salisbury, $1,000 cash from the Invest in my Idea round,  a $10,000 F³  Tech agriculture/aquaculture business allowance  and the James A. List Award: $2,000 in attorney services.

Bernstein finalist Sepehr Rahimi, a senior biology major from Dubai, proposed Medica-Bed, a hospital bed with a unique design which makes the cleaning of patient beds less challenging, with the goal of preventing the formation of bedsores.  He earned $1,000 in cash during Invest in my Idea round and won a Weber grill provided by Rommel’s Ace Hardware.

In addition to the four finalists, 11 other business plans received $1,000 each during the “Invest in My Idea” round. Cash awards for this round were provided by Bank of America, Bank of Delmarva, Chesapeake Utilities, Hebron Savings Bank, Layton’s Chance Vineyard and Winery, Private Wealth Partners, Quintellas, Sisk Fulfillment, Strategic Wealth Partners, TEDCO, Worcester County Economic Development and SU alumni. They included:

•    Honeycove (health promoting tea café and zen environment)– Kaitlyn Causey and Abby Snow (also received the James A. List Award: $1,000 in attorney services)

•    The Northern Chesapeake Oyster Company (oyster farm favoring the restoration of the Chesapeake Bay’s ecosystem) – Joseph Dantoni 

•    Haya’s Boutique (online shop offering women’s clothing and accessories) – Hayley Dize

•    Photoelectric Safety Cones (safety cones that aid in hazardous spill containment and cleanup) – Jenna Drewer and Brian Mason (UMES)

•    Hasell and Corporation (a cleaning device and spray for public restrooms) – Imani Hasell

•    Cupcakes by Frosted (bakery providing party packages for special events) – Lindsay Jones

•    Type 1 Training Systems (web-based diabetes community for patients and families) – Nicholas Kundrat (also received the $5,000 CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Medical Award)

•    TL Squared Woodworking (home décor from reclaimed materials) – Tyler Loh

•    CadiCup (tiered condiment cup for on-the-go eating) – Jock Simon (also received the James A. List Award: $2,000 in attorney services and the SU Office of Institutional Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Award: $1,000)

•    Drink-N-Pour, LLC (automated drink dispensing system) – Hunter Strickland, Christopher Banks (UMES), and Adnan Bashir (University of Maryland, College Park

•    Broke Boys Brewing Co. – Shawn Wierzbowski (with Garrett Morris; also received the Barrett Business Systems Award: $1,000 cash and $4,000 in services; City of Salisbury Mayor’s Award: $3,000 cash and $2,000 in services; and Director’s Award for Cross Campus Collaboration, representing the Fulton and Perdue schools: $1,000 cash)

Additional winners included:

•    Southern Maryland Fitness Center (fitness facility) – Noelle St. Laurent (SU Veterans Services and Roger Martinson Edward Jones Award: $1,000 cash and $750 services)

Regardless of whether their proposals were selected for funding, all participants had the opportunity to win raffles with prizes donated by BeachUm, Burley Oak Brewing Co., Dogfish Head Brewery, Layton’s Chance Vineyard and Winery, Plakthat.com and Rommel’s ACE Hardware.

During the final awards ceremony, the local business leaders who volunteered their time as judges praised the students’ efforts.

“I’m amazed by your passion and creativity,” said Sandy Fitzgerald-Angello of Pohanka Automotive Group of Salisbury.

“I know my father would be proud,” said Kevin Bernstein, vice president of LWRC International, LLC, whose father, Richard, established the Bernstein Achievement Award for Excellence in 1986. “Every year it gets better and better.”

For more information call 410-543-6030 or visit the SU website.