The University of Wisconsin Oshkosh Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation and Center for Customized Research and Services have partnered to launch the inaugural UW Oshkosh Wisconsin High School Business Model Competition. Participants will present their business idea or solution in a professional setting to a panel of judges. Students compete for $15,000 in cash and UWO scholarship awards that may be used to support their entrepreneurial endeavors or to pursue higher education. This experience will help students develop their presenting skills while nourishing their entrepreneurial spirit.

The competition will take place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on May 22 at the Reeve Memorial Union, 748 Algoma Blvd., Oshkosh. A dozen teams have been invited to compete on campus for $15,000 in UWO scholarship awards and cash prizes. Semi-finals will take place from 10:45 to 11:45 a.m. Lunch and a keynote featuring Austin Phillips, founder of Ardent Fitness and Education, will take place during the break in the competition. The finalists will pitch between 1:15 and 2:30 p.m. with winners announced and awarded trophies between 2:30 and 3 p.m.

Judges include Patti Purcell, Writing By Design founder; Brittany Lutz, The Sweet Lair founder; Jessica Meidl, Oshkosh BID manager; Jolene Heuchert, Verve small business banker; Nikki Hessle, Future Neenah executive director; and Kim Mischler, Sticky Fingers founder.

The following teams will attend the competition: New REI by Benjamin Bush, Authentitoken by Evan Halverson, Commah by Samanth Osorio, Ayden Fowler and Lillian Goeckerman, Bonefide Tail Waggers by Holly Stronach, American Maker by Carter VanHaren, Trailor Made by Salsabeel Salem and Jade Allman, Unity by Brandon Vivar, Chrome Dome by Max Yahnke, Plexi Microphones by Lexi Bain, AxHosh by Jeronimo Orozco and Yovani Vazquez Hernandez, C&C Business Consulting by Connor Ruppel and Christian Duwe, and Plastic Bound by Edward Canas, Josiah Zarate and Steven Cruz. a