Five startups will move on to the next phase of the Duquesne New Venture Challenge (DNVC), officials said Tuesday.
Hosted by Duquesne University’s Palumbo-Donahue School of Business, the national entrepreneurship competition provides businesses with the opportunity to present their business plans to a panel of distinguished judges in a competition for more than $40,000, as well as 10 hours of free legal education from Duquesne’s Thomas Kline School of Law, and five hours of free consulting services from Duquesne’s Small Business Development Center. Now in its sixth year, the DNVC has solidified its reputation as a catalyst for entrepreneurial success, providing emerging ventures with resources and recognition.
“The DNVC continues to reach new milestones, with the 2024-2025 cycle attracting a record-breaking 150+ entries. Not surprisingly, the 15 semi-finalists presented compelling and innovative business concepts, making the selection process for the final round particularly challenging,” Dr. Dean McFarlin, dean of the Palumbo-Donahue School of Business, said. “The school remains steadfast in its commitment to fostering and advancing early-stage entrepreneurial ventures. This year’s five finalists exemplify the talent and ingenuity of emerging entrepreneurs, each developing difference-making ventures with significant potential for impact.”
The winners included Clean Plate Innovations – a machine-learning-enabled waste-stream solution to cut cafeteria food waste; EASI – a medical device used in microsurgery vessel repair; PinPointDX – a medical lab device to collect, preprocess and test high-quality, standardized blood samples; Pittsburgh Coastal Energy – portable underwater charging solutions for unmanned underwater drones; and Reclamation Factory, Inc. – a plastics recycling micro-factories that produce high-quality, manufacture-ready source materials from hard-to-recycle plastic trash.
The finalists will have access to resources to complete their business plans, including Bob’s Launch Pad, a makerspace with prototyping equipment in Duquesne’s Center for Excellence in Entrepreneurship; 15 free hours of consultation with a Duquesne University Small Business Development Center (SBDC) mentor, and free access to business plan software designed for entrepreneurs and small business owners.
“Standing out among a record number of submissions is a remarkable achievement for these top teams,” Staci Offutt, director of the Center for Excellence in Entrepreneurship, said. “The outstanding quality of their work demonstrates how a well-supported, competitive environment can drive innovation and fast-track business growth—exactly the kind of impact we aim for with the DNVC.”
Winners will be announced in late April, officials said.