Skip to main content
  • Home
  • About
  • Faculty Experts
  • For The Media
  • ’Cuse Conversations Podcast
  • Topics
    • Alumni
    • Events
    • Faculty
    • Students
    • All Topics
  • Contact
  • Submit
Campus & Community
  • All News
  • Arts & Culture
  • Business & Economy
  • Campus & Community
  • Health & Society
  • Media, Law & Policy
  • STEM
  • Veterans
  • University Statements
  • Syracuse University Impact
  • |
  • The Peel
  • Athletics
Sections
  • All News
  • Arts & Culture
  • Business & Economy
  • Campus & Community
  • Health & Society
  • Media, Law & Policy
  • STEM
  • Veterans
  • University Statements
  • Syracuse University Impact
  • |
  • The Peel
  • Athletics
  • Home
  • About
  • Faculty Experts
  • For The Media
  • ’Cuse Conversations Podcast
  • Topics
    • Alumni
    • Events
    • Faculty
    • Students
    • All Topics
  • Contact
  • Submit
Campus & Community

Winners of 2023 Raymond von Dran iPrize and Spirit of Entrepreneurship Award Announced

Thursday, March 30, 2023, By Cristina Hatem
Share
College of Arts and SciencesCollege of Engineering and Computer ScienceCollege of Visual and Performing ArtsentrepreneurshipFalk College of Sport and Human DynamicsMaxwell School of Citizenship and Public AffairsSchool of Information StudiesStudentsSyracuse University LibrariesWhitman School of Management

Winners of the School of Information Studies’ (iSchool) Raymond von Dran (RvD) Fund for Student Entrepreneurship competition, the Hunter Brooks Watson Spirit of Entrepreneurship Award and the Compete CNY regional qualifier for the New York Business Plan Competition (NYBPC) were announced at the student entrepreneurship competition held on March 24  at Bird Library.

three people holding giant check

Scott Warren, of Syracuse University Libraries (left), and Bruce Kingma, of the School of Information Studies (right), present a check to Ben Ford ’23, founder of Fundwurx.

The concurrent competitions were coordinated by the Blackstone LaunchPad at Syracuse University Libraries (LaunchPad).

The following nine student startup teams each won $2,000 in RvD funding:

  • Ben Ford ’23 (Martin J. Whitman School of Management), founder of Fundwurx
  • Adya Parida ’25 and Oliver Raycroft ’25 (College of Engineering and Computer Science), co-founders of Scale Sense
  • Motolani Oladitan ’24 (College of Arts and Sciences), founder of Ta
  • Jeremy Shinder ’24 (College of Visual and Performing Arts), founder of Jere Bear Films, LLC
  • Travis Ghirdharie G’22 (Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs), founder of Many Hands
  • Sai Krishna Bolla G’23 (School of Information Studies), founder of Cognition X
  • Aidan Mickleburgh ’23, G’23 (College of Engineering and Computer Science and Martin J. Whitman School of Management), founder of Intervea
  • Kai Patricio G’23 (College of Visual and Performing Arts), founder of Farm Loop
  • Rob Goldblatt ’23 (Martin J. Whitman School of Management), Paul Sausville and Nicole Byrnes (SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry), co-founders of Tree-Spun

The 2023 Hunter Brooks Watson Spirit of Entrepreneurship Award was given to four students who best exemplify “The Spirit of Entrepreneurship.” Prizes honor the memory of Hunter Brooks Watson, a University student who died tragically in a distracted driving accident. Winners of $2,500 each are the following:

  • Rabia Razzaq G’23 (College of Visual and Performing Arts), Kai Patricio G’23 (College of Visual and Performing Arts), Priscilla Cruz ’24 (School of Information Studies) and Peyton Sefick, members of Re-mend team
  • Motolani Oladitan ’24 (College of Arts and Sciences), founder of Ta
  • Jeremy Shinder ’24 (College of Visual and Performing Arts), founder of Jere Bear Films, LLC
  • Ethan Tyo ’17, G’22 (David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics), AlterNative Project and cookbook author
  • Author

Cristina Hatem

  • Recent
  • First-Year Law Student to First-Year Dean: Lau Combines Law and Business to Continue College of Law’s Upward Trajectory
    Thursday, June 26, 2025, By Robert Conrad
  • Student Innovations Shine at 2025 Invent@SU Presentations
    Thursday, June 26, 2025, By Alex Dunbar
  • Iran Escalation: Experts Available This Week
    Tuesday, June 24, 2025, By Vanessa Marquette
  • SCOTUS Win for Combat Veterans Backed by Syracuse Law Clinic
    Monday, June 23, 2025, By Vanessa Marquette
  • Syracuse Views Summer 2025
    Monday, June 23, 2025, By News Staff

More In Campus & Community

Retiring University Professor and Decorated Public Servant Sean O’Keefe G’78 Reflects on a Legacy of Service

For most of his time as a public servant, Sean O’Keefe G’78 adhered to a few guiding principles: Step up when someone calls upon you to serve. Be open to anything. Challenge yourself. Those values helped O’Keefe navigate a career…

Jorge Morales ’26 Named a 2025 Beinecke Scholar

Jorge Morales ’26, a double major in history and anthropology in the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs with a minor in English and textual studies in the College of Arts and Sciences, has been awarded the highly competitive…

Registration Open for Esports Campus Takeover Hosted by University and Gen.G

Syracuse University and global esports and gaming organization Gen.G have opened general registration at campustakeover.gg for its first Campus Takeover Sept. 20-21. The two-day conference will bring students and administrators to Syracuse to highlight career opportunities within the esports industry…

2 Whitman Students Earn Prestigious AWESOME Scholarship

For the first time in the 12-year history of the program, both nominees from the Whitman School of Management have been selected as recipients of the 2025 AWESOME Excellence in Education Scholarship, a prestigious honor awarded to top-performing undergraduate women…

Whitman’s Johan Wiklund Named a Top Scholar Globally for Business Research Publications

The Whitman School of Management’s Distinguished Professor Johan Wiklund was recently listed as one of the most prolific business and economic research scholars globally, according to “What We Know About the Science of Science in Business and Economics? Insights From…

Subscribe to SU Today

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

Connect With Us

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

For the Media

Find an Expert Follow @SyracuseUNews
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Youtube
  • LinkedIn
  • @SyracuseU
  • @SyracuseUNews
  • Social Media Directory
  • Accessibility
  • Privacy
  • Campus Status
  • Syracuse.edu
© 2025 Syracuse University News. All Rights Reserved.