The CBSS Pelican Cup Sparks Creativity and Innovation Among Entrepreneurs – The Hawkeye

The College of Business and Social Sciences recently hosted the annual Entrepreneurship Pelican Cup Luncheon, where the top three teams were honored for their outstanding performance in the semester-long business and marketing competition. This year’s winners walked away with a total of over $94,000 in prizes.

Cantaloupe AI emerged as the champion of the Entrepreneurship Pelican Cup, with a team comprising members from Tulane University and Southeastern University. Their winning product, a predictive hiring platform, aims to address turnover issues in the service and hospitality industries by improving the compatibility between employees and employers.

Connor Gleason, the chief marketing officer of Cantaloupe AI, expressed his team’s excitement at winning the grand prize of $50,000, attributing their success to dedication and hard work. Tulane University’s Tipzy secured the second-place prize of $25,000 for their innovative software that allows bar customers to choose music through small payments. ULM’s Trigworks claimed the third-place prize of $10,000 for their product targeting joint pain and fatigue.

In addition to announcing the competition winners, a separate elevator pitch competition was held, with SketchMan CEO and ULM student Supriya Pudasainy winning for their app designed to sketch criminals based on police descriptions.

Dean Michelle McEacharn highlighted the importance of the Entrepreneurship Pelican Cup in providing students with valuable entrepreneurial experience and skills for future endeavors. The competition serves as a platform for students from various universities to showcase their business acumen and innovation, fostering a spirit of entrepreneurship among the next generation of business leaders.