MARYWOOD UNIVERSITY

Marywood University’s Business Department Students

Win Business Plan Competition

SCRANTON, PA—Marywood University’s business department students recently were awarded first place in the non-collegiate track, as well as the wild card winner and second and third place in the collegiate track, at the TecBridge Business Plan Competition.

The Business Plan Competition is a regional competition designed to stimulate innovative thinking to leverage a technology-driven economy, while retaining the region’s talent. Students from the area’s fourteen colleges and universities, along with non-collegiate teams, were eligible to win cash and in-kind business services to launch their tech-based companies, all while gaining valuable insight into the world of business and entrepreneurship.

First place, and winners of $10,000 cash, are DARTDrones, LLC, Major Chris Costello, Marywood University Military MBA program, and Abby Speicher, Babson MBA Program in Entrepreneurship. Major Costello and Ms. Speicher also won $90,000 in in-kind services, including legal services, rent, insurance, and office equipment and furnishings for their company.

Wild card winner and second place winner in the collegiate track are M&S Biotics, LLC, Joshua Mecca, Marywood University graduate biotechnology program, John Strauss, biology major, and Cory Panettieri, finance major. As the winners of the Wild Card Category, M&S was awarded $5,000 in cash and $90,000 in in-kind services.

Third place in the collegiate track are Step In It, LLC, Marywood University MBA students, Addul Binsuwaydan, Ali Alhamdan, and Saeed AlMoghrabi. All three companies are in talks with angel investors to invest and launch their companies.

For more information on TecBridge and the Business Plan Competition, visit www.tecbridgepa.org. For additional information on the Entrepreneurship program at Marywood University, contact Christopher J. Speicher, associate professor of business, at Marywood University at (570) 348-6211, ext. 2666, or email chrisspeicher@marywood.edu

Photo Caption (left to right): John Strauss, Archbald; Cory Panettieri, Archbald; Josh Mecca, Archbald; Maj. Christopher Costello, PA National Guard, Telford, Pa.; Abby Speicher, Boston, Mass.; Abdul Binsuwaydan, Scranton; Saeed AlMoghrabi, Wilkes Barre; Tiffany Luciani, executive director, TecBridge; Mike Sombodysson, Cabot Oil and Gas; Matt Parkyn, Newton, NJ; George Stark, director external affairs, Cabot Oil and Gas (Corporate Sponsor); Christopher Speicher, Ph.D., associate professor of business at Marywood University, Dunmore; and Ali Alhamdan, Clarks Summit.