Entrepreneurship Pelican Cup expands with new categories and prize amounts
Published October 6, 2025
MONROE, La. – The Entrepreneurship Pelican Cup, Louisiana’s premier business plan competition hosted annually at the University of Louisiana Monroe (ULM), has announced an expansion for 2026. For the 5th year of the competition, contestants will be split into undergraduate and graduate categories. The overall prize pool will grow from $96,000 to $157,000. The application period for the 2026 competition begins on December 1, 2025, with the oral finals and awards luncheon taking place on March 25-26, 2026, on the ULM campus.
For the 2026 Entrepreneurship Pelican Cup competition, the graduate category prize amounts will be $50,000 for first place, $25,000 for second place, and $10,000 for third place. For the new undergraduate category, the prize amounts will be $25,000 for first place, $15,000 for second place, and $10,000 for third place. Graduates and undergraduates will compete in separate elevator pitch competitions at the Awards Luncheon, with a $2,000 prize on the line for each winner. Additionally, faculty advisors for the first, second, and third-place teams in each category will receive $3,000 each.
Cathi Hemed, ULM Director of External Initiatives, states that the new undergraduate category was created to allow for wider competition and more incentive for undergraduate students to compete. “By increasing the prize pool and separating the two divisions, we are touching more lives and encouraging more entrepreneurial creativity across this great state. Now our undergraduates, who may still be in the conceptual stages, are able to compete in their own division, intended to recognize their hard work and encourage them to keep growing,” said Hemed.
Dhu Thompson, founder and premier sponsor of the Entrepreneurship Pelican Cup, believes this new investment in the competition will help grow the entrepreneurial spirit that the competition has been fostering since the beginning. “This program has always had its sights on greater impact and more growth. This is a natural step that touches more lives and keeps our momentum going. We set out to change the landscape of entrepreneurship in higher education, and that’s what we will always strive to do,” said Thompson.
For more information about the Entrepreneurship Pelican Cup, including application and competition dates, please visit ulm.edu/pelicancup.
About The Entrepreneurship Pelican Cup
Open to students in all majors attending any four-year college or university in Louisiana, with cash prizes now totaling $157,000, the Entrepreneurship Pelican Cup is the premier business plan competition for Louisiana. It provides an opportunity for students to develop critical thinking, team building, presentation, and other soft skills, which are all important to career growth. The goal is to inspire participants and the community to think entrepreneurially by rewarding creativity, professionalism, and hard work.
The Entrepreneurship Pelican Cup was founded by distinguished ULM alumnus Dhu Thompson. Thompson is the founder, past owner, and former chairman of the board for Delta Plastics, producer of agricultural irrigation tubing, and the largest recycler of plastics in Arkansas. He is also the former owner and past chairman of the board for Revolution Bag, which manufactures EPA-compliant trashcan liners. Thompson’s honors include 2004 Arkansas Business Executive of the Year and SBA Person of the Year. In 2019 he sold the Revolution brands to a New York private equity firm and now focuses on entrepreneurship growth in Arkansas and Louisiana. In 2023, Thompson received the Warhawk Ambassador Award, one of ULM’s highest honors. In 2024, Thompson was inducted into the Arkansas Business Hall of Fame.
4th Annual Entrepreneurship Pelican Cup Awards Luncheon held at ULM’s Bayou Pointe with $96,000 in prizes awarded
Published April 14, 2025
MONROE, LA – The Entrepreneurship Pelican Cup hosted its fourth annual awards luncheon on April 10, 2025, at ULM’s Bayou Pointe Event Center. The luncheon was the culmination of the entrepreneurship competition, with $96,000 in prize money awarded to the three top teams, including their faculty advisors, and the winner of the live elevator pitch competition, voted on by attendees of the luncheon.
FarmSmarter.ai, a team comprised of students from Louisiana State University, took home the first-place prize of $50,000. FarmSmarter is an AI-driven agricultural consulting tool that transforms complex farming decisions into accessible, actionable intelligence. FarmSmarter.ai features team leaderGrant Muslow, team membersCole Lacombe, Colin Raby, Julius Pallotta, and advisor Fahimeh Abbasi.
“This is going to completely change the trajectory of our company so that we can add all of the features that will really change farmer’s lives,” said FarmSmarter.ai team leader Grant Muslow.
The second-place prize of $25,000 was awarded to UDOIT, a team from Louisiana State University Shreveport. UDOIT is a mobile app that helps families connect through fun, interactive physical activities, designed to make family time enjoyable for all ages anywhere. UDOIT features team leaderKhaled Saif, team membersDana Bader, Eman Bader, Xzayvier Ford-Smith, and advisor Mike McDaniel.
Third place and a prize of $10,000 went to AmbER, a team from Grambling State University. AmbER is a discreet, attachable safety device designed to provide immediate assistance in emergencies. AmbER offers AI-powered alerts, real-time GPS tracking, and satellite-enabled communication to ensure help is always within reach. AmbER features team leaderFlyness Namatama, team membersTanyaradzwa Mangundhla, Mosopefoluwa John, Emmanuel Oladele, Daniel Osuoha, and advisor Derrick Warren.
The advisors from each of the top three teams also each received a $3,000 prize.
The winner of the live elevator pitch competition was Colin Raby from FarmSmarter.ai. Raby won the $2,000 prize after receiving the most votes from attendees of the luncheon, who voted online after hearing 90-second pitches from each team.
The Entrepreneurship Pelican Cup expanded is open to teams from any four-year university or college in the state of Louisiana. The contest received 34 entries from eight universities, including Grambling State University, Louisiana State University, Louisiana State University Shreveport, Louisiana Tech University, Northwestern State University, Tulane University, the University of Louisiana Monroe, and the University of New Orleans.
Dhu Thompson, Premier Sponsor and Founder of The Entrepreneurship Pelican Cup provided remarks at the luncheon.
After thanking those who helped make the competition happen and recounting his own entrepreneurial experiences, Thompson spoke directly to the student competitors. “The Pelican Cup is not merely an event, but it is a snapshot of our future,” said Thompson. “Entrepreneurship comes from a single idea, the dedication to continue, modify, and grow that idea. There will be obstacles, and there will be failure, but many times we learn the very most through our challenges,” Thompson added.
The luncheon also featured special guest speaker Rich Simmerman, CEO of Cantaloupe AI, the winner of the 2024 Entrepreneurship Pelican Cup first-place prize. He shared that future of tech innovation can exist in Louisiana. “Our win at the Pelican Cup changed everything for us. And while, yes, the prize money was a huge help, it was the people in this room who made the biggest difference. To the funders of the Pelican Cup and the University of Louisiana Monroe, thank you for believing in slightly crazy entrepreneurs like myself,” said Simmerman.
About The Entrepreneurship Pelican Cup
Open to all majors with cash prizes totaling $96,000, The Entrepreneurship Pelican Cup is the premiere business plan competition for Louisiana. It provides an opportunity for students to develop critical thinking, team building, presentation, and other soft skills which are all important to career growth. The goal is to inspire participants and the community to think entrepreneurially by rewarding creativity, professionalism, and hard work. Thirty-four teams submitted written, formal business plans which were reviewed and scored independently by a panel of twenty volunteer judges made up of business owners and investors. The panel of judges later deliberated in groups to select the six finalist teams.
The six finalist teams presented in-person oral presentations, held March 25th at The Hangar on the ULM campus. Seven volunteer judges dedicated their time to listening to each team present their business plan and supporting visuals. The judges then deliberated and selected the first, second, and third-place winners.
The Entrepreneurship Pelican Cup was founded by distinguished ULM alumnus Dhu Thompson. Thompson is the founder, past owner, and former chairman of the board for Delta Plastics, producer of agricultural irrigation tubing, and the largest recycler of plastics in Arkansas. He is also the former owner and past chairman of the board for Revolution Bag, which manufactures EPA-compliant trashcan liners. Thompson’s honors include 2004 Arkansas Business Executive of the Year and SBA Person of the Year. In 2019 he sold the Revolution brands to a New York private equity firm and now focuses on entrepreneurship growth in Arkansas and Louisiana. In 2023, Thompson received the Warhawk Ambassador Award, one of ULM’s highest honors. Earlier in 2024, Thompson was inducted into the Arkansas Business Hall of Fame.
For more information about The Entrepreneurship Pelican Cup, visit www.ulm.edu/pelicancup
To watch the video of the 2025 Entrepreneurship Pelican Cup Awards Luncheon, click here.
2024 Entrepreneurship Pelican Cup Awards Luncheon to be held Friday, April 19
Published April 16, 2024
MONROE, LA – The 3rd Annual Entrepreneurship Pelican Cup Awards Luncheon will be held Friday, April 19 at 11:30 a.m. at Bayou Pointe Event Center on the ULM campus. Tickets are on sale now for $100 for the general public and $50 for students. Visit www.ulm.edu/pelicancup for ticket and sponsorship information.
Open to all majors, the goal of The Entrepreneurship Pelican Cup is to inspire participants and the community to think entrepreneurially by rewarding creativity, professionalism, and hard work.
The Entrepreneurship Pelican Cup is open to any full- or part-time, certificate- or degree-seeking student enrolled in a four-year college or university in Louisiana.
The competition requires a written formal business plan judged by business owners and investors. The six finalists will compete in the oral finals on March 26 at ULM. Also, during the awards luncheon, each team will select one member to conduct a 90-second “Elevator Pitch,” and the winner will receive a $2,000 cash award.
The 2024 Entrepreneurship Pelican Cup Competition is the largest yet, with 22 entries from universities across Louisiana. “We are thrilled to see this program expand so rapidly across the state and we welcome the visiting teams to our beautiful campus,” said ULM Director of External Initiatives Cathi Hemed.
Prize amounts for the 2024 competition have been increased from last year.
This year’s cash prizes include:
First Place $50,000
Second Place $25,000
Third Place $10,000
Elevator Pitch Winner $2,000
First, Second, and Third Place faculty advisors to receive $3,000.
Finalist Teams
Automatic AI, LLC (University of New Orleans) – Team Leader: Andrew Bradford Team Members: Julien Bourgeois (non-student), Jake Compton Advisors: Dong-Jun Min (Primary), Shafin Khan (Secondary)
Cantaloupe (Tulane University & Southeastern Louisiana University) – Team Leader: Rich Simmerman Team Members: Joshua Anderson (non-student), Lane Degenhardt Advisor: Jane Cooper
SketchMan (ULM) – Team Leader: Supriya Pudasainy Team Members: Samir Gurung, Suruchi Bista, Nabin Tamang, Binit Karki Advisor: Therese Filhiol
Tipzy (Tulane University) - Team Leader: Josh McCoy Team Members: Jake Marzullo, Tinley Gorman Advisor: Rob Lalka
Trigworks (ULM) - Team Leader: Janet Stopka Team Members: Mackenzie King, Viktor Motov, Valeryia TrubskayaAdvisor: Veronika Humphries
WavRC (Tulane University & University of Louisiana Lafayette) - Team Leader: Samuel Liu Team Members:Maggie Lai, Ting Jiang Advisor: Evan Nicoll
“Every team that entered should be commended,” said Hemed. “The rigor of this competition is intense and requires countless hours of the students and faculty advisors,” she added.
Preliminary Judges
Connor Ashley, Kennedy Rice Mill, LLC; Ash Aulds, Murphy USA, Keith W. Babb, CAI, AARE, Keith Babb & Associates, Inc.; Scott Bolonda, Neighbors, LLC; EP Bourgoyne, Oleolive, Inc.; Chap Breard, MoeBiz; Jamie Sheridan-Crawley, CPA, Husely, Harwood & Sheridan, LLC; Mallory Lawrence, InterMountain Mangament, LLC; Mary Linda McCann, Bank of Oak Ridge; Shane Middleton, M3; Long Nguyen, Lumen; Tom Nicholson, Strauss Interests; Miguel Perez, Plondo Network, Inc.; Andy D. Smith, ASGE Media Group + iConnect Newspaper; DeRon L. Talley, MBA; Key Marketing Solutions; Blake Upshaw, Crossmark Management Group, LLC
Final Round Judges
William V. Smart, Monroe Housing Authority; Linda Holyfield, Alli Management Solutions; Dixon W. Abell, Abell, LLC; Stewart Ewing, InterMountain Management; Sue Nicholson, retired Monroe Chamber of Commerce; David R. Smith, Entrepreneurial Accelerator Program Biomedical Research Foundation; Glen Post, PhireLink
Entrepreneurship Pelican Cup Sponsors
Premier Sponsor and Founder: Dhu Thompson
Catalyst Sponsors: Abell, LLC; LA Plastic Industries
Expansion Sponsor: Scott Powerline and Equipment
Growth Sponsors: Arkansas Capital Corporation, Biomedical Research and Innovation Park, Entrepreneurial Acceleration Program, Keith Babb and Associates, Mid South Extrusion, Neighbors Cookies, 4 Sisters Rice, Kennedy Rice Mill
Breakthrough Sponsors: Central Oil & Supply, Holyfield Construction, Homeland Bank, InterMountain Management, LLC, John Luffey, John Rea Realty, KEDM, Marsala Beverage, Monroe Chamber of Commerce, Monroe Housing Authority, Origin Bank, Southern Industrial Contractors, ULM Foundation
Influencer Sponsors: Owen Corporation, Sir Speedy, Unique Trophies, West Monroe/West Ouachita Chamber of Commerce
About The Entrepreneurship Pelican Cup
Now in its third year, The Entrepreneurship Pelican Cup was founded by distinguished ULM alumnus Dhu Thompson. Thompson is the founder, past owner, and former chairman of the board for Delta Plastics, producer of agricultural irrigation tubing, and the largest recycler of plastics in Arkansas. He is also the former owner and past chairman of the board for Revolution Bag that manufactures EPA-compliant trashcan liners. Thompson’s honors include 2004 Arkansas Business Executive of the Year and SBA Person of the Year. In 2019 he sold the Revolution brands to a New York private equity firm and now focuses on entrepreneurship growth in Arkansas and Louisiana.
Competition Dates 2024
Published September 27th, 2023
January 3th
- Applications Open for Online Business Plan Submission
February 25th
- Applications Close for Business Plans Due 11:59 p.m.
March 15th
- Announcement of Finalists
March 26th
- Oral Finals- The Hangar
April 19th
- Awards Luncheon – ULM Campus- Bayou Pointe Event Center 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
3rd Annual Entrepreneurship Pelican Cup Awards Luncheon held at ULM’s Bayou Pointe with $96,000 in prizes awarded
MONROE, LA – The Entrepreneurship Pelican Cup hosted its third annual awards luncheon on April 19, 2024, at ULM’s Bayou Pointe Event Center. The luncheon was the culmination of the entrepreneurship competition, with $96,000 in prize money awarded to the three top teams, including their faculty advisors, and the winner of the live elevator pitch competition, voted on by attendees of the luncheon.
Cantaloupe, a team comprised of students from Tulane University and Southeastern Louisiana University, took home the first-place prize of $50,000. Their business plan is a software solution to aid businesses in the food service and hospitality industry with hiring and help reduce turnover. Cantaloupe features team leaderRich Simmerman, team membersJoshua Anderson and Lane Degenhardt, and advisor Jane Cooper.
The second-place prize of $25,000 was awarded to Tipzy, a team from Tulane University. Tipzy is a software platform designed to simplify the process of receiving and managing songs requests in bars, catering to both bar owners and patrons. Tipzy features team leaderJosh McCoy, team membersJake Marzullo and Tenley Gorman, and advisor Rob Lalka.
Third place and a prize of $10,000 went to Trigworks, a team from ULM. Trigworks is a device that aims to revolutionize muscle care with eco-friendly, heat equipped massage tools. Trigworks features team leaderJanet Stopka, team members Mackenzie King, Viktor Motov, and Valeryia Turbskaya, and advisor Veronkia Humphries.
The advisors from each of the top three teams also each received a $3,000 prize.
The winner of the live elevator pitch competition was Supriya Pudasainy from Sketchman. Pudasainy won the $2,000 prize after receiving the most votes from attendees of the luncheon, who voted via text message after hearing 90-second pitches from each team. Sketchman is an application powered by AI that is designed to create criminal sketches based on witness descriptions for law enforcement use.
In its third year, The Entrepreneurship Pelican Cup expanded its eligibility and was open to teams from any four-year university or college in the state of Louisiana. The contest received 22 entries and included teams from the University of Louisiana Monroe, University of New Orleans, Tulane University, Southeastern Louisiana University, University of Louisiana Lafayette, Centenary College of Louisiana, and Northwestern State University.
Dhu Thompson, Premier Sponsor and Founder of The Entrepreneurship Pelican Cup provided remarks at the luncheon.
After thanking those who helped make the competition happen and recounting his own entrepreneurial experiences, Thompson spoke directly to the student competitors. He told the students that failure is an inevitable part of being an entrepreneur. “Once you fail, you’ll begin to see through the eyes of experience. When you begin to succeed, you will accomplish goals you never imagined,” said Thompson. He also encouraged them to set goals, stating that “real self-confidence comes from establishing goals and achieving them.”
About The Entrepreneurship Pelican Cup
Open to all majors with cash prizes totaling $96,000, The Entrepreneurship Pelican Cup is the premiere business plan competition for Louisiana. It provides an opportunity for students to develop critical thinking, team building, presentation, and other soft skills which are all important to career growth. The goal is to inspire participants and the community to think entrepreneurially by rewarding creativity, professionalism, and hard work. Twenty-two teams submitted written, formal business plans which were reviewed and scored independently by a panel of sixteen volunteer judges made up of business owners and investors. The panel of judges later deliberated in groups to select the six finalist teams.
The six finalist teams presented in-person oral presentations, held March 26th at The Hangar on the ULM campus. Six volunteer judges dedicated their time to listening to each team present their business plan and supporting visuals. The judges then deliberated and selected the first, second, and third-place winners.
The Entrepreneurship Pelican Cup was founded by distinguished ULM alumnus Dhu Thompson. Thompson is the founder, past owner, and former chairman of the board for Delta Plastics, producer of agricultural irrigation tubing, and the largest recycler of plastics in Arkansas. He is also the former owner and past chairman of the board for Revolution Bag, which manufactures EPA-compliant trashcan liners. Thompson’s honors include 2004 Arkansas Business Executive of the Year and SBA Person of the Year. In 2019 he sold the Revolution brands to a New York private equity firm and now focuses on entrepreneurship growth in Arkansas and Louisiana. In 2023, Thompson received the Warhawk Ambassador Award, one of ULM’s highest honors. Earlier in 2024, Thompson was inducted into the Arkansas Business Hall of Fame.
For more information about The Entrepreneurship Pelican Cup, visit www.ulm.edu/pelicancup
For more photos from the 2024 Entrepreneurship Pelican Cup Awards Luncheon, click here.
To watch the video of the Awards Luncheon, click here.
Entrepreneurship Pelican Cup announces new prize amounts and creation of Student Innovation Fund
By ULM Office of Marketing and Communications
MONROE, LA – The Entrepreneurship Pelican Cup, Louisiana’s premier business plan competition, announced plans to increase prize amounts as well as the creation of the Student Innovation Fund, which will provide up to $200,000 annually to support new businesses grown from the competition. The announcement was made at a press conference on Monday, August 14, 2023, on the campus of the University of Louisiana Monroe, which hosts the annual competition.
"This is really quite a moment,” said ULM President Dr. Ron Berry. “It’s one of those moments in our history that’s going to send a strong message to the world that we truly are serious about changing lives on the bayou. We’re serious about reaching out and working with partners, bringing people to campus and to Monroe, Louisiana, to make a difference, not only in our students’ lives but the lives of our faculty and the community at large,” he added.
When the Entrepreneurship Pelican Cup enters its third year in 2024, the first-place prize amount will increase to $50,000, up from $25,000, while the second-place prize will increase to $25,000, up from $15,000. The third-place prize will remain at $10,000, with the pitch competition winner receiving $2,000, and the first through third-place faculty advisors receiving $3,000 each. This brings the total amount awarded each year to $96,000.
The newly created Student Innovation Fund offers Entrepreneurship Pelican Cup finalists the opportunity to apply for additional funding if they choose to take the next step and pursue their business. The fund will award a total of $200,000 per year over the next five years. Priority will be given to first through third-place teams, but any finalist team is eligible to apply. The fund will help foster the growth of ideas while providing guidance and resources along the way. The Student Innovation Fund is made possible by anonymous donations.
"With their investment in the Entrepreneurship Pelican Cup and Student Innovation Fund, these donors have provided the opportunity for complete and total trajectory changes in the lives of students, that will benefit and transform our community, the region, the state of Louisiana, and perhaps the world,” said Dr. Michelle McEacharn, Dean of the ULM College of Business and Social Sciences.
The Entrepreneurship Pelican Cup was founded by distinguished ULM alumnus Dhu Thompson, who is also the premier sponsor of the event. His increase of the prize money puts this competition among the top of its kind in the nation.
Cathi Hemed, Director of External Initiatives at ULM, is the organizer of the competition. “With this incredible competition, ULM is leading the way in changing the future for higher education students and making a statement of dedication to Louisiana business development,” said Hemed.
About the Entrepreneurship Pelican Cup
Open to all majors with cash prizes totaling $96,000, The Entrepreneurship Pelican Cup is the premier business plan competition for Louisiana. It provides an opportunity for students to develop critical thinking, team building, presentation, and other soft skills, which are all important to career growth. The goal is to inspire participants and the community to think entrepreneurially by rewarding creativity, professionalism, and hard work. The 2024 competition will be open to any degree-seeking undergraduate or graduate student throughout the state of Louisiana.
Teams submit written, formal business plans, which are reviewed and scored independently by a panel of twelve volunteer judges made up of business owners and investors. The panel of judges later deliberates in groups to select the six finalist teams.
The six finalist teams conduct in-person oral presentations. Five volunteer judges dedicate their time to listening to each team present their business plan and supporting visuals. The judges then deliberate and select the first, second, and third-place winners. Each finalist team also chooses a representative to participate in a 90-second pitch competition, held live during The Entrepreneurship Pelican Cup Awards Luncheon. The winner is chosen by the audience at the luncheon via text message voting.
Dates of 2024 Entrepreneurship Pelican Cup competition:
01/03/2024 - Applications Open
02/25/2024 - Applications Close
03/15/2024 - Announcement of Finalists
03/26/2024 - Oral Finals
04/19/2024 - Awards Luncheon and Live Pitch Competition
Sponsorships to increase the impact of this already extraordinary program are available and allow companies to show their support of Louisiana business development. Anyone seeking sponsorship or information about joining/participating in the Pelican Cup or Student Innovation Fund can reach out to Cathi Hemed, Director of External Initiatives, at hemed@ulm.edu. The Entrepreneurship Pelican Cup Competition Guide is available on the website: www.ulm.edu/pelicancup
Competition Dates 2023
Published October 10th, 2022
January 4th
- Applications Open for Online Business Plan Submission
February 26th
- Business Plans Due 11:59 p.m.
Week of February 27th
- Written Judging Begins
March 13-14th
- Written Judging Closes 11:59 p.m.
March 16th
- Finalists Announcement NOON
March 27th
- Revised Plans Due from Finalists 11:59 p.m.
April 4th
- Oral Finals- ULM Campus- SUB Ballroom A- All Day
April 21st
- Awards Luncheon – ULM Campus- Bayou Pointe Event Center 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
2022 Entrepreneurship Pelican Cup Awards Luncheon Thursday with $61,000 in prizes
Event from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. April 7 at Bayou Pointe Event Center
Published April 5th, 2022
The University of Louisiana Monroe and alumnus Dhu Thompson, founder and retired CEO of Delta Plastics, partnered to create the 2022 Entrepreneurship Pelican Cup to encourage students to develop innovative business ideas.
Thompson is providing $61,000 in prize money to be presented to students and faculty advisers for first place ($25,000), second place ($15,000), third place ($10,000), elevator pitch ($2,000), and $3,000 to faculty for first, second and third places.
The Awards Luncheon is 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m., Thursday, April 7, at Bayou Pointe Event Center. The winners will be announced at 12:45 p.m. The luncheon is open to the public, and tickets are available at https://bit.ly/3NO9TxS.
The Entrepreneurship Pelican Cup is an academic business plan competition. It was open to full- or part-time undergraduate and graduate certificate or degree-seeking students from ULM and Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine (VCOM).
Fifteen teams submitted a written, formal business plan judged by business owners and investors. Six finalists were chosen for in-person oral presentations. An Elevator Pitch competition with a prize of $2,000 will be held after the luncheon.
Finalist teams
Gaea Environmental – team leader Paurava Thakore, team members Gannon Malone, Prabin Basnet and adviser Joydeep Bhattacharjee, Ph.D.; GeauxGas – team leader Luke Phillips, team members Justin Gibson, John Bardwell, Reagan Lloyd, and adviser Stacie Austin, Ph.D.; RapidReceipts – team leader Tama Washington, team members, Julia Oubre, Edwin Litolff, and advisers Vice President for Student Affairs Valerie Fields, Ed.D. Kim Shephard; Southern Green Solutions – team leader Preston Phillips, team members Michael Hollman, Kasidy King, Christopher Barton, Akriti Pant, and adviser Claudia Williams; spotiT – team leader Adesola Raphael Akinpelu, team members, Stanislava Prosvietova, Valeryia Trubskaya, and adviser Joyce Zhou, Ph.D.; Virtual Tour – team leader Dharmendra Sharma, team members Mai Hieu, Samir Gurung, and advisers William Barnett, Ph.D., and Jun Yu, Ph.D.
Participating teams
BRHM Agency – team Leader Cole McKnight, team members Ryan Humeniuk, Brianna Sam, and adviser Bruce Walker, Ph.D.; Love Local Box – team leader Asja Jordan, team members Andie Lindsey, Dylan LeBoeuf, and adviser Josh Tolleson; M.A.D.R.E. – team leader Andrew McMillan, team members, Roxie Stewart, Colby Glatter, Cater Saterfiel, Adriana Brown and adviser Jennifer Whited, Ph.D., My Bistro – team leader Hanna Flynn, team members Brady McKay, William F. Bryan, and adviser Joyce Zhou, Ph.D.; Pet Safe – team leader Charlotte Fourdraine, team members Shani White, Viktar Harbachuk, and adviser Rachel Pollock; Skedgy – team leader Daylan Nailer, team members, Brian Scott, Tommy Wimbley, and adviser Elizabeth Ragland; The Pinnacles – team leader Hamid Khan, team members, Rodney Pardue, Kamana Thapa Magar, Zia Ullah Khan, and advisers Shakir Ullah, Ph.D., and Joyce Zhou, Ph.D.; Vetollo – team leader Adam Charles, team members, Nirajan Sangraula, Connor McDuffie, and adviser Arturo Rodriguez, Ph.D.; Warhawk Wellness – team leader Blake Stone, team members, Phillip Vu-Nguyen, Carolyn Cardin, Lauren Fee, and advisers Dean Don Simpson, Ph.D., and Amy Miller.
Preliminary judges
Ash Aulds of Murphy USA, Bradley Bridges of Cross Keys Bank, Chap Breard of MOEBiz, John F. Bruscato of Bruscato Law Firm, Max Cox of Lumen Technologies, Mallory Lawrence of InterMountain Management, LLC, Dr. Toni Lowe-Fisher of Engineer Research and Development Center, Justin Mailhes Argent Advisors, Mary Linda McCann of Bank of Oak Ridge, Shane Middleton of M3 Accounting Services, Tom Nicholson of Strauss Interests, Long Nguyen of Lumen Technologies, Miguel Perez of Plondo Network, Kelly J. Shambro of Progressive Bank, and David Smith of Entrepreneurial Accelerator Program.
Final round judges
Dixon W. Abell of Abell LLC dba Poly Processing & Ouachita Fertilizer Company, Stewart Ewing of InterMountain Management, Meryl K. Farr of Kennedy Rice Mill and 4Sisters Rice CEO Neighbors, LLC, Susan Hoffmann, retired, of JPMorganChase - Northeast Louisiana, Linda Holyfield of Specialty Management Services of Ouachita, LLC, Patrick Owen of Owen Corporation, and William Smart of Monroe Housing Authority.
Entrepreneurship Pelican Cup sponsors
Premier Sponsor and Founder – Dhu Thompson, Expansion Sponsor – Scott Powerline & Utility Equipment, Growth Sponsors – Arkansas Capital and Mid South Extrusion, Breakthrough Sponsors – Entrepreneurship Accelerator Program, InterMountain, Law Offices of John L. Luffy Jr., Monroe Chamber of Commerce, West Monroe-West Ouachita Chamber of Commerce, Monroe Housing Authority, Marsala Beverage, Kennedy Rice Mill/4 Sisters Rice/Neighbors, John Rea Realty, Origin Bank, Homeland Bank, Abell, Influencer Sponsors – Argent Advisors Inc., Progressive Bank, Unique Trophies and Awards, Harvey Hales Shelter Insurance, and Scott Truck.
Published March 9th, 2022
Congratulations to the 6 finalist teams competing for our cash prize pool of $61,000!!
Southern Green Solutions
GeauxGas
Gaea Environmental
SpotiT
Virtual Tour
Rapid Receipt
Oral Finals will be held right here at ULM at The Hangar, March 29th throughout the day. The presentation schedule will be posted prior to the event- come and support your favorite team and all of their hard work!
We want to thank all of our teams and faculty advisors for their hours of hard work!
The awards luncheon on April 7th is now open for individual ticket and sponsorship purchasing- come experience our LIVE 90-sec Elevator Pitch Competition where the audience will vote on site for the winner. Winner receives $2,000!!!
TICKETS ON SALE: https://secure.touchnet.com/C21151_ustores/web/product_detail.jsp?PRODUCTID=375
A press conference announcing the new Entrepreneurship Pelican Cup business competition will be at 10 a.m., Friday, Oct. 22, at Laird Weems Center.
By ULM Office of Marketing and Communications
MONROE, LA – Innovation, fostered in a culture of expanding ideas and pushing established boundaries, leads to the changes in business, healthcare, and technology which propel society past the normal and into the incredible.
To encourage students to develop their innovative ideas, the university, with a key partner, announces the Entrepreneurship Pelican Cup.
At 10 a.m. Friday, Oct 22, 2021, a press conference will be held at Laird Weems Center to introduce the Entrepreneurship Pelican Cup business competition developed by ULM in partnership with sponsor Dhu C. Thompson, founder and retired CEO of Delta Plastics.
Thompson is providing $50,000 in prize money to be presented to students and faculty advisers for first place ($25,000), second place ($15,000), third place ($10,000), elevator pitch ($2,000), and $3,000 to faculty for first, second and third places.
The 2022 competition is open to all ULM and VCOM students, with future competitions open to all colleges and universities in Louisiana. A website will be launched containing more information about how to enter the Entrepreneurship Pelican Cup.
The Entrepreneurship Pelican Cup is a real-world entrepreneur education opportunity for college students. Whether they are serious about launching a startup or they want to learn more about entrepreneurship, competitors will gain a greater appreciation of the challenges and opportunities of starting a viable business.
There is no cost to enter the competition. Teams are not required to launch their businesses to compete. Students and their faculty advisers are rewarded for the rigorous work accomplished throughout all phases of the competition.
Thompson is a distinguished ULM alumnus and founder, past owner, and former chairman of the board for Delta Plastics, producer of agricultural irrigation tubing, and the largest recycler of plastics in Arkansas. He is also the former owner and past chairman of the board for Revolution Bag that manufactures EPA-compliant trashcan liners. Thompson’s honors include 2004 Arkansas Business Executive of the Year and SBA Person of the Year. In 2019 he sold the Revolution brands to a New York private equity firm and now focuses on entrepreneurship growth in Arkansas and Louisiana.