WashU Builds Digital Businesses at First Whop-athon!

The Skandalaris Center recently hosted its first ever Whopathon, bringing together more than 40 bright minds to explore entrepreneurship through creativity, collaboration, and plenty of late-night snacks. From first ideas to live launches, teams built digital products on the Whop platform throughout the weekend, then shared their work with judges for a chance to win cash prizes and an opportunity to earn follow-on support.

John Hill, the Vice President of Storytelling at Whop and a friend of the Center, kicked off the event Friday evening with a conversation about the power of community and how to use it effectively. Participants mingled immediately and began brainstorming ideas for how they wanted to set up their Whop shop. Energy was high, with one participant noting that the mingling was a highlight, sharing that “connecting with other entrepreneurs and hearing their concepts was very inspiring and motivating to be around like minded people,” said Ginette Rhodes.

Over the next 36 hours, teams designed their storefronts, created content, and built fully functional products on the Whop platform. Additionally, Adam Brakhane from Gateway X gave a great workshop on leveraging data to make decisions. Participants developed everything from community based channels for students to working sites for ongoing businesses. The outcome was a collection of impressive, fully functional website prototypes built to enhance the communities around us.

Finalists

TechMe  
Elva Lin (OTD ’26, pictured), Tyler Hood (OTD ’25)

A service that connects students who are skilled in technology with peers and older adults who need support navigating digital tools.  

Netty’s Juicery
Ginette Rhodes (MBA ’27)  

A wellness brand offering nutrient dense juices, organic herbs and teas, and accessible holistic courses for a national community of wellness seekers.  

Recent Rounds 
Sonu Patel (MBA ’27), Rohan Rajesh (MBA ’27)

A platform that helps students prepare for competitive recruiting by sharing interview insights from previous candidates.  

Loop
Alice Lee, Luna Liu (Brown School ’27)

A verified peer marketplace designed to help university communities exchange goods and services safely.  

While each of these teams brought home $200, Netty’s Juicery and TechMe were selected to compete for follow-on funding from the Skandalaris Center. Funding will be awarded one month after the Whopathon based on continued engagement with the Whop platform.

Thanks to Alex Wolk, Founder of Insite Advice, and Joe Steensma, Professor and Director of Entrepreneurship in Public Health, for joining us on Sunday, lending their expertise, and supporting our students throughout the event.