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BigIdea! Elevator Pitch Contest

Showcase your innovation or brilliant business idea.

Enter to win $500 plus a trip to the National Collegiate Entrepreneurs' Organization Pitch Competition.

Enter the 2018 BigIdea! Pitch Contest

The 2018 BigIdea! Pitch Contest will take place October 2 & 9. 

  • 1st Place: $500 and a trip to Nationals!
  • 2nd Place: $250
  • 3rd Place: $100

Contest Details

Any UNO student with an innovative, original idea was invited to participate.

The contest took place on Tuesday, Oct. 2, where all contestants performed 90-second pitches in front of faculty, staff, alumni and community members.

Finalists pitched in front of a live audience on Tuesday, Oct. 9, at Mammel Hall.

This year, Ly Phan won first place with her business concept, NailedIt, and will be traveling with CEO to the National Pitch Competition in Kansas City!

2018 Big Idea! Pitch Competition winner, Ly Phan, with Levi Cermak and Dr. Dale Eesley

Ly Phan, business administration major from Vietnam, took first place in the annual pitch competition hosted by the Center for Innovation, Entrepreneurship & Franchising on October 9. The first place winner received a $500 check and an all-expense paid trip to the National Collegiate Entrepreneurs Organization (CEO) Pitch Competition in Kansas City. At CEO Nationals, she placed in the top 16 out of the other 80 competitors that made it to Nationals.

Her business concept is NailedIt – a management system for nail salons in the form of an app – benefits nail technicians, salon owners, and customer. It would increase efficiency of communication between salon owners and nail technicians while allowing customers and technicians to build rapport. Additionally, it will allow customers to see ratings and performance reviews of salons and technicians, allowing for a seamless experience from all angles.

Michael Mazgaj placed in the top 16, bringing about an exciting year for UNO at CEO Nationals! Michael is an MBA and IT Innovation graduate student and pitched his idea Hollar Scholar to judges on November 2. Hollar Scholar is an audible abstract service that aids researchers in maximizing their time in digesting literature. Mazgaj pitched at UNO’s Big Idea! Pitch Competition and won runner up. Suzy Fendrick took second runner up with her app Chorie, described as “Hudl meets choreography and dance.”