We are proud to share the WashU student and recent alumni ventures that have been selected as finalists in the fall 2023 Skandalaris Venture Competition (SVC). On October 19, semifinalists presented their best pitch to a closed-room panel of judges, who then voted for which teams would advance to the next stage of the competition. Teams later pitched to an open audience made up of members of the WashU and St. Louis communities who gathered to watch and support their ventures.

Cyril Loum, Assistant Director of Venture Development, announced the finalists at the end of the evening saying, “We got a chance to engage with these amazing teams throughout the process to get to today, and to say that we’re beyond proud of everyone would be an understatement. A huge congrats to the teams who are moving on, and we can see what they bring to the final competition.”

On November 16, 2023, the finalists will pitch to another panel of judges for a chance to win up to $25,000 in awards to launch or expand their ventures.

The fall 2023 Skandalaris Venture Competition (SVC) finalists are:

AgeSafe Assist is an online platform to connect older adults at risk for falls with occupational therapists who are trained to deliver a new evidence-based fall prevention intervention. Sophie Fendler (LA ’26 and Beyond Boundaries)

Akna is using banana fiber from LMIC to create biodegradable menstrual pads, while lifting rural farmers out of poverty. Carolina Plaza (MPH ’24)

Another Me is an app that tracks your mental health and provides recommendations on mindfulness practice based on your personal data. Voranun Taweerutchana (MBA ’24), Watunyu Suthacheewa (MBA ’24), Tram Ngo (MBA ’24), Vitaliy Sharlai (MBA ’24), and Natee Viravan

Ascent Labs works to provide sleep relief through drug-free solutions. Samarth Aggarwal (EN PhD) and Yohann Samarasinghe

ASL Aspire builds games to make STEM more accessible to K-12 deaf students and their teachers. Mona Jawad (WUSM PhD)

Beacon Tags is an effective, secure, and affordable solution to lost items. Ethan Weilheimer (EN ’25)

Chick is developing innovative skincare products that utilize the skin’s natural defenses. Christina Trivisonno (LA ’25) and Mary Trivisonno (BU ’25)

Crewmate is an embeddable and monetized talent community for the world’s fastest growing brands. Raj Thaker (EN ’24)

OvuMap is revolutionizing reproductive healthcare with a minimally invasive continuous hormone monitor that provides critical menstrual cycle insights in an easy-to-use mobile app. Nathalie Morton (EN ’24), Erin Ritter (EN ’24), and Bhavana Angalakudati (EN ’24)

Papertrail is a digital platform for car enthusiasts and dealers to manage and share their vehicle records. Kuo Wang (EN ’24, TG ’25), Jimmy Lancaster (BU ’25) Drew Kassman (LA ’25), Christian Robinson (BU ’26), Andrew Padousis (BU ’25), and Josh Magare (EN ’26)

Phoenix is a 3D-printed prosthetic with interchangeable parts, so that it can be modified without complete replacement. Lili Hostetler (SI and MBA ’24), Steve Sedano (MBA ’24), Arun Ganesan (MBA ’24), and Neil Sefah (MBA ’24)

Pledge is an accountability partner in your pocket. By requiring daily fiscal pledges on each task, the app ensures your efforts compound over time. Chris Chen (EN ’26)

TossUp is an approachable, social, and competitive betting app offering handpicked daily bets, head-to-head rankings against friends, and a simplified points system. Max Williams (LA ’24), Adam Haiken (BU ’24), Sean Chopra (LA ’24), and Julian Tornusciolo (BU ’24)

The audience had an opportunity to cast their vote for our People’s Choice Award, where the winning team receives $250. The SVC People’s Choice winner is: Papertrail!

All of the semifinalist teams will receive feedback from the judges, which provides a great opportunity to make improvements to their ventures and pitches. “The energy and enthusiasm shown by all of the semifinalist teams was palpable. They really brought their best to this stage of the competition and we hope all of the teams will continue to take advantage of the resources available through the Skandalaris Center,” said Associate Director, Chris Ramsay.

The fall 2023 SVC winner will be announced at The Washington University Innovation and Entrepreneurship Awards presented by the Skandalaris Center on November 16.