Tiger Cage March Madness is down to Six Startup Business Teams
Twelve outstanding student-led teams, representing the Harbert College of Business, the Samuel Ginn College of Engineering , the College of Human Sciences , and the College of Sciences and Mathematics, pitched their business ideas before industry professional judges on Friday February 28, at the Harbert College of Business. The six teams selected to advance to the March 28 Tiger Cage finals round, listed in alphabetical order, are shown below:
Bandit Duck Calls
Led by Simon Worley, Harbert College Senior, majoring in Management, Bandit Duck Calls is a redesigned duck call that solves a common issue with all current duck calls that also helps support waterfowl conservation by releasing a duck for each call sold.
Planet of Snacks
Co-Founded by Liam Heary, Samuel Ginn College of Engineering sophomore and Harrison Rainer, Sophomore majoring in Apparel Merchandising, Planet of Snacks is in online retailer designed to meet the growing demand for international snacks, candies, and drinks in the United States. Many international students with diverse backgrounds who are studying in the U.S. lack access to their favorite snacks from abroad, particularly at affordable prices and with original ingredients from each country.
Polar Docks
Founded by Vince Visser, Samuel Ginn College of Engineering sophomore, majoring in Industrial & Systems Design, Polar Docks provides liquid cooling to docks across the southeast through strategically placed misters. Docks, patios, and wood surfaces can get up to 150 degrees burning feet, paws, and radiating heat in the summer. Polar Docks provides relief from this extreme heat allowing people to spend more time out on the dock.
Protector Innovations
Led by Sophia Aulisio, Harbert College of Business junior, majoring in Accounting, Protector Innovations offers a new volleyball knee pad, which unlike the traditional pad, allows for better mobility, stays in place, and truly delivers on the “one size fits all” model because it is adjustable. It is also made of highly durable material. The product is patentable, and the design differentiates from other pads because they all stick to the traditional look.
Tradition Apparel
Founded by Harrison Irby, Harbert College of Business junior, majoring in Finance, Tradition Apparel is built on creativity and emerging fashion trends to deliver the special apparel that fans love. We all have a deep-rooted need to be a part of something bigger than ourselves. This need materializes in different ways with different people; in the South and increasingly across the nation, this need materializes in the form of college football. Unfortunately, the current collegiate apparel market is antiquated and boring.
Trusty
Led by, Eliot Wilson-Daniel, a recent Harbert College of Business graduate with a degree in Business Administration, Trusty is dog-sitting platform that aims to provide a safer, more transparent, and user-friendly experience for both dog owner and caretaker. It offers peace of mind by connecting users with reliable, qualified sitters through a system that includes detailed dog profiles, complete medical histories, emergency contacts, and behavior logs. The platform uses AI to match sitters with dogs based on medical requirements and breed experience and provides emergency information assistance if needed.
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Other semifinal teams who were outstanding and deserving of special recognition are:
Chifforo – Choice Employ – Farm Hub – Glory EV – Hustle – Student Task.
In its eleventh year, the Tiger Cage business pitch competition discovers and rewards early-stage products, services or business concepts that emerge from Auburn University students. Recent success stories include, AbGlo, Vulcan Line Tools, Room2Room Movers, Flashtract, Yellow Card, and Tennibot.
The Tiger Cage finals will be held on March 28 in the Broadway Event Space and Theater located in Horton-Hardgrave Hall. There, teams will compete for $105,000 in early-stage startup capital plus $13,000 of in-kind legal services and design services.
Special recognition and appreciation go to the judges who supported the semifinal round: Lee Hicks, Ben Finley, Ron Coppock, Matt Kemph, Delphine Carter, Jason Wilson, George Lott.
Please contact Lou Bifano to learn more about the Tiger Cage business idea pitch competition as well as the broad array of services provided by the New Venture Accelerator that are available to those who may need help starting a new business or growing an existing one.