Photo | Eric Casey
Noah Katz, founder of The Umpire Channel and a student at Clark University, makes his pitch to the sharks during the WooTank Intercollegiate Showdown pitch competition on Tuesday.
April 9, 2025
WooTank pitch competition results in $15K for student entrepreneurs
Photo | Courtesy of Andres Gomez, AG Digitial
Calvin Lambert, founder of DryPro and a student at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, shows off his sports equipment drying contraption to the sharks and audience at the WooTank Intercollegiate Showdown pitch competition on Tuesday.
The second annual WooTank Intercollegiate Showdown pitch competition on Tuesday in Worcester led to an infusion of $15,000 for six startups founded by student entrepreneurs.
Hosted at the Off The Rails restaurant and bar as part of the new StartUp Week Worcester, the event saw 15 competitors representing 8 student-run startups pitching to three Central Massachusetts business leaders.
Worcester’s College of the Holy Cross, Clark University, Worcester Polytechnic Institute and Nichols College in Dudley were represented in the competition modeled after the “Shark Tank” TV show. Student-run startups qualified for the event through pitch competitions held at their respective schools.
The three sharks for the event were Stephanie Ramey, co-founder of Auxilium Worcester and vice president at Rucker Investments, Evan Cox, an investor with The Wire Group, and Kevin Anderson, a tech entrepreneur who founded the networking event firm VentureMeets.
Sporting his signature green blazer, the event was hosted by Dave Peterson, the general manager of the Worcester Bravehearts Futures Collegiate Baseball League team.
Here’s how the student startups fared:
- Noah Katz (Clark University): Founder of The Umpire Channel, a media platform offering a look inside the world of sports officiating, with 250,000 followers and 200 million views across social media platforms. Katz’ channel intends to humanize sports officials and bring more awareness about the realities of the profession in an attempt to address a shortage of officials for youth sporting events. Katz received $3,750, the largest total awarded by the sharks at the event.
- Giovanni Cucco (Nichols College): Founder of ClosetMate, a fashion tech app allowing users to swipe through potential outfits and try them on virtually using artificial intelligence. Cucco received $3,000.
- Caroline Hanson, Maura Switzer, Grace Donahue, Sarah O’Sullivan, Lauren Halverson, Sarah Stokes, and Meggan Fourie (Holy Cross): Founders of GetStyled, an AI-powered personal stylist assisting users in making outfit choices and buying sustainable clothing. GetStyled received a total of $3,000.
- Sydnee Ambrosino (Holy Cross): Founder of Sweet Syds, a home bakery producing custom cakes, cupcakes, and other sweets with a focus on operating in Ambrosino’s home city of Burlington, Vermont. Ambrosino received a total of $2,500.
- Russell Hertel and Luis Alzamora (WPI): Founders of QuickEst, a system helping landscapers offer instant and accurate quotes for potential projects using satellite imaging and other technology. Hertel and Alzamora received a total of $1,500.
- Calvin Lambert (WPI): Founder of DryPro Equipment, a startup developing drying equipment to help eliminate bacteria and mold from sporting equipment. Lambert received $1,250.
- Mackenzie Masters (Nichols College): A student who has unexpectedly inherited SafetyFit, Inc., a family business and nationwide provider of hospital respirator fit testing services. Masters did not make a request for investment, instead seeking mentorship to help navigate the unique situation she finds herself in. The sharks agreed to lend her support and to connect her with business leaders in their networks.
- William Brothers (Clark University): Founder of No Hour Vintage, a brand and design studio producing clothing from upcycled materials, which is looking to open a storefront in Downtown Worcester. While Brothers did not receive any funds from the sharks, they pledged to help support the business’ growth through other means.
The year’s competition follows last year’s inaugural competition, which saw $14,500 awarded to six student-run startups. The event was created and produced by The Venture Forum, a Worcester-based not-for-profit founded in 1991 with the intention of turning the city into a globally competitive startup hub.
Photo | Courtesy of Andres Gomez, AG Digitial
The crowd at the WooTank Intercollegiate Showdown pitch competition listens to a student pitch their startup to the sharks.
Startup Week Worcester continues Wednesday and Thursday, with panel sessions planned for both days on a variety of entrepreneur-related topics.
EDITOR'S NOTE: This article was updated to include more details on the event's organizer.
Eric Casey is the managing editor at Worcester Business Journal, who primarily covers the manufacturing and real estate industries.
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