For the second year in a row, the University honored Orange ingenuity with two days of celebration, networking and a friendly pitch competition as part of the ’CUSE50 Alumni Entrepreneur Awards.
Last Thursday, the ’CUSE50 Alumni Entrepreneur Awards ceremony recognized the 2024 honorees, culminating with a live reveal of the top 10 fastest-growing Orange businesses. The evening also included a conversation with Buddy Valastro, celebrity chef and baker from A&E’s hit shows “Cake Dynasty” and “Legends of the Fork,” who participated in a fireside chat, sharing the personal ingredients behind his entrepreneurial success.
The next day, honorees of the ’CUSE50 Alumni Entrepreneur Awards headlined the ’CUSE50 Summit. The summit allowed students to meet and network with top thinkers on engaging, practical and forward-thinking opportunities. The summit also included a “Six for Six” student pitch competition, where the top six campus innovation teams participated in a spirited “Shark Tank”-style format for a “winner take all” $6,000 grand prize selected by ’CUSE50 honorees.
Check out how the two days went:
’CUSE50 Alumni Entrepreneur Awards (Nov. 14)
Thomas O’Brien ’25, student in the College of Visual and Performing Arts, kicked off the ceremony. (Photo by Chuck Wainwright)J. Michael Haynie, vice chancellor for strategic initiatives and innovation and executive dean of the Martin J. Whitman School of Management, provided the welcoming remarks for the evening. (Photo by Chuck Wainwright)Tracy Barlok, senior vice president and chief advancement officer, and Buddy Valastro, celebrity chef and baker, participated in a fireside chat. (Photo by Chuck Wainwright)The University presented Valastro with an Otto the Orange cake as a thank you for participating in the evening’s festivities. (Photo by Chuck Wainwright)Student attendees were invited on stage to take a photo with Valastro and Otto the Orange. (Photo by Angela Ryan)Valastro posed for photos with attendees after the event. (Photo by Chuck Wainwright)Valastro posed with Aaron Krause ’92 (center), founder of Scrub Daddy and Otto the Orange. (Photo by Chuck Wainwright)Award winners and attendees had an opportunity to network after the awards portion of the evening. (Photo by Angela Ryan)Award winners and attendees gathered together after the awards portion of the evening. (Photo by Chuck Wainwright)Students enjoyed the networking event after the ceremony. (Photo by Chuck Wainwright)Otto had fun joking around with the award winners. (Photo by Chuck Wainwright)
’CUSE50 Entrepreneurship Summit (Nov. 15)
The ’CUSE50 Summit included conversations and networking with the 50 fastest-growing alumni businesses. (Photo by Chuck Wainwright)Alex McKelvie, professor of entrepreneurship and interim dean of the Whitman School, provided welcoming remarks at the summit. (Photo by Chuck Wainwright)Students met and networked with alumni founders and top executives of leading innovation companies at the ‘CUSE50 Summit. (Photo by Marilyn Hesler)Haynie addressed the ’CUSE50 Summit attendees. (Photo by Chuck Wainwright)’CUSE50 honorees participated in various panel discussions. (Photo by Chuck Wainwright)Students engaged with ’CUSE50 honorees. (Photo by Chuck Wainwright)The ’CUSE50 Summit brought out great conversations and collaboration. (Photo by Chuck Wainwright)Students participated in a spirited “Six for Six” student pitch competition. (Photo by Chuck Wainwright)Nicolas Courbage ’26 (center), student in the Whitman School and founder of PapeX, won the “Six for Six” student pitch competition. (Photo by Chuck Wainwright)
