Witt students compete in “Shark Tank”-like program

The shark has jumped and the Tiger Tank has replaced it at Wittenberg University.

The school’s Department of Business presented its own version last week of the popular ABC television series “Shark Tank,” calling it Tiger Tank after the school’s mascot.

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Seven sets of students, 20 participants altogether, competed for internships by presenting ideas for products and services to a panel of three alumni judges: Kyle Barger, a 2007 grad who runs Champion Trading Group; Scott "Muddy" Watters, class of 1987, owner and president of Flippin Water; and Corey Myers, a strategic adviser for several organizations who graduated in 2004.

“It was a great evening with a wide variety of ideas and a big span of students, from freshmen to seniors, from a lot of programs from biology to management,” said Heath Queen, coordinator for engaged learning in the Department of Business.

Barger came up with the idea for the event and Queen and his department made it happen.

About 40 submissions were narrowed to eight finalists.

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Student pitches included a non-profit venture to alleviate food deserts with nutritious food delivered to the home; a website that donates money to a local organization of the buyer’s choice when they shop online; to-go drinks with flavors built into the side walls of the cup; and a new way to detect viruses leading to the most effective treatment based on a person’s DNA.

Watters selected Melanie Barrett for her project, Bailey’s Capes. Inspired by her late sister who spent many years using a wheelchair, her idea was for a cape that fits around the chair to keep it warm and features fun designs.

Maxim Boone and Christopher Dunne’s invention, GolfChalk, designed to help golfers get better grip on their clubs, was Barger’s pick.

Myers chose Jack Strahm and Charles Tillett’s Hot Wheels Coffee Co., a mobile coffee service that dispenses coffee out of backpacks.

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The winners will do internships where they will work with the established businesses run by the judges, learn from the alums and get advice on how to establish their products, Queen said.

Another positive Queen observed was many of the other finalists had interest from other Wittenberg alumni offering to work with them.

“There was a lot of informal mentoring,” he said.

The alumni judges said they wished there was something similar when they were undergrads and were glad to give back.

An estimated 130 people attended and included members of the community. Given the success, Queen and Barger both said Tiger Tank will likely become an annual event to encourage future entrepreneurs.

“This is just the start of something special,” Barger said.

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