Skip to main content
  • Home
  • About
  • Faculty Experts
  • For The Media
  • Videos
  • Topics
    • Alumni
    • Events
    • Faculty
    • Library
    • Research
    • Students
    • All Topics
  • Contact
  • Submit
Business & Economy
  • All News
  • Arts & Culture
  • Business & Economy
  • Campus & Community
  • Health & Society
  • Media, Law & Policy
  • STEM
  • Veterans
  • |
  • Alumni
  • The Peel
  • Athletics
Sections
  • All News
  • Arts & Culture
  • Business & Economy
  • Campus & Community
  • Health & Society
  • Media, Law & Policy
  • STEM
  • Veterans
  • |
  • Alumni
  • The Peel
  • Athletics
  • Home
  • About
  • Faculty Experts
  • For The Media
  • Videos
  • Topics
    • Alumni
    • Events
    • Faculty
    • Library
    • Research
    • Students
    • All Topics
  • Contact
  • Submit
Business & Economy

Syracuse Team Wins Second Place in Tibetan Innovation Challenge

Monday, July 13, 2015, By News Staff
Share

A team of students from the University won second place in the Tibetan Innovation Challenge this weekend, and received their award from the Dalai Lama at a ceremony in New York City.

Syracuse University team, l-r students Rinchen Dolma, Tenzin Lama, Tenzin Kusang, Norzom Lama, Pasang Lhamo, and Michael Wohl (back) pose with the Dalai Lama after their second place finish.  //Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama meets participants in the national finals of the Tibetan Innovation Challenge, a new intercollegiate social entrepreneurship business plan contest, organized by the University of Rochester, intended to improve the lives of Tibetans living in refugee camps in India, at the Tibet House US in New York City July 11, 2015.  // photo by J. Adam Fenster / University of Rochester

Syracuse University team, from left to right, students Rinchen Dolma, Tenzin Lama, Tenzin Kusang, Norzom Lama, Pasang Lhamo and Michael Wohl (back) pose with the Dalai Lama after their second-place finish.

The Tibetan Innovation Challenge is a competition, organized by the University of Rochester, created with the goal of promoting economic development and stability that Tibetan refugees can apply in their communities

The challenge involved the creation of a business idea for Tibetan refugees living in India. In May, six universities across the country held competitions for teams of students to develop practical business ideas that the refugees might implement in their communities. Each university selected one team to advance to the National Finals in New York City, where Tibetans and supporters of the cause served as judges and selected the winning business plan.

The refugees in India face daily challenges and difficulties, and the competition can greatly improve their lives by connecting them with innovative ideas to help serve their struggling population. Each business plan will be provided to the Tibetan community, and the refugees are allowed to apply any of the solutions to aid their community.

After learning about the competition, School of Information Studies (iSchool) Professor of Entrepreneurship, Bruce Kingma asked iSchool student Norzom Lama ’17, if she was interested in competing. Lama recruited four other Tibetan students at Syracuse University, and together they created Tsampa—A Taste of Tibet, a nutrition bar that can be produced by the refugees and sold in the U.S.

Tsampa is a staple food in the Tibetan culture. It is roasted barley flour that is normally mixed with Tibetan butter tea. Tsampa—A Taste of Tibet’s mission is to provide a nutritious and organic product that is ethically produced while working to improve the lives of Tibetans in India. Sixty percent of the profits made by the nutrition bar will be donated to the Federation of Tibetan Cooperatives in India.

Bruce Kingma

Bruce Kingma

The finals of the competition were held at the Tibet House in New York City. Each team presented its idea in front of a panel of judges, including Kaydor Aukatsang, representative of His Holiness the Dalai Lama to North America; Lobsang Nyandak, executive director of the Tibet Fund Trustee to the Dalai Lama Trust based in the United States; and the Dalai Lama.

“The University of Rochester did a great job running this competition, the teams from the other universities were teams from top-flight graduate business programs,” says Kingma. “Against strong competition, our students were amazing, and it was a pleasure to meet the Dalai Lama and an honor for him to give the award to the students from Syracuse University.”

In addition to Lama, the Syracuse team included Rinchen Dolma, Tenzin Kusang and Pasang Lhamo from the College of Arts & Sciences, and Tenzin Lama from the College of Engineering and Computer Science.

  • Author

News Staff

  • Recent
  • Activities for the Weekend of March 4-7: Get Involved, Stay Safe, Have Fun!
    Thursday, March 4, 2021, By News Staff
  • Message From Chancellor Kent Syverud
    Thursday, March 4, 2021, By News Staff
  • Final Report of the Board Special Committee on University Climate, Diversity and Inclusion
    Thursday, March 4, 2021, By News Staff
  • Stadium to Reopen to Fans Saturday, March 6
    Thursday, March 4, 2021, By News Staff
  • University’s Service of Commemoration to Be Held Virtually on March 16
    Thursday, March 4, 2021, By News Staff

More In Business & Economy

Funding Available for Student Innovation Plans

Syracuse University Libraries’ Blackstone LaunchPad & Techstars is accepting applications on a rolling basis from undergraduate and graduate students who need help moving an idea from concept to commercialization. Grants of up to $2,500 may be awarded to individual students…

New Paper Questions the Safety and Reward of Investing in Business Development Companies

A new paper by Syracuse University Professor Joseph Warburton offers compelling new evidence of the risk of business development companies (BDCs). Warburton, who holds dual appointments as professor of law in the College of Law and professor of finance in…

Female Sport Analytics Students Look to Transform Their Love of Math, Sports into STEM Careers

Syracuse University senior Bailie Brown will be the first female to earn a bachelor’s degree in sport analytics from the Falk College when she completes her coursework in May 2021. She is grateful for connections made with women in sports…

Amy McHale’s Investment Portfolio: Whitman Graduate Student Success

Amy McHale, assistant dean for master’s programs at the Whitman School of Management, calls herself a jack of all trades. Since 2008 she has held roles focused on the student experience and preparing graduates to enter the workforce with a…

Women in Leadership Initiative Announces Spring 2021 Programming

After kicking off in the fall of 2018, the Women in Leadership (WiL) initiative, created through the vision of Candace Campbell Jackson, senior vice president and chief of staff to Chancellor Kent Syverud, and a steering committee of women leaders,…

Subscribe to SU Today

If you need help with your subscription, contact sunews@syr.edu.

Connect With Us

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Youtube
  • LinkedIn
Social Media Directory

For the Media

Find an Expert Follow @SyracuseUNews
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Youtube
  • LinkedIn
  • @SyracuseU
  • @SyracuseUNews
  • @SUCampus
  • Social Media Directory
  • Accessibility
  • Privacy
  • Campus Status
  • Syracuse.edu
© 2021 Syracuse University News. All Rights Reserved.