Over the Loam wins Startup 48, Eau Claire’s own business jumpstart competition weekend. A group of UWEC Entrepreneur students have been named the winning team of Startup 48. The business idea was launched on Friday night and the team worked all weekend, then provided a final business pitch on Sunday evening to a panel of local judges. Over the Loam will plan to sell four-season renovated teardrop campers and vans to fill the market demand to adults who want to travel in comfort and live the “van life”.
Over the weekend, 37 individuals met at WIN Technology to begin a weekend-long journey to learn how to create a lean business and prepare to launch into the marketplace. Six dynamic teams formed and worked tirelessly to create business models, verify market need and find their value proposition all based around an initial 60 second business idea pitch. Strangers converged over these pitched ideas and worked together to prove if the idea was viable, starting with clearly defining a problem they’d like to solve.
At the end of the weekend, groups presented to a panel of judges to define the business model and how they will fit into the marketplace. Judges choose Over the Loam, a business that plans on selling four-season, renovated teardrop campers and vans, as the winner of Startup 48 competition. The Over the Loam team now qualifies to advance to the Wisconsin Big Idea Tournament, a statewide pitch competition vying for startup capital of up to $25,000.
Startup 48 is an annual, weekend-long business startup learning experience and competition. Local entrepreneurs and industry experts act as mentors throughout the weekend to assist and re-direct teams when needed, all with the goal to cultivate new business ideas and leaders in the Eau Claire area.
Several community partners make this event possible, including WIN Technology, JAMF, UWEC Entrepreneur Program, Prevail Bank, Chippewa Valley Developers Group and Eau Claire Area Economic Development Corporation. Financial sponsors are critical and include WiSys, Applied Data Consultants, Co-Lab, WEDC, M3 Insurance, Crivello Carlson, Security Financial Bank, and Erberts & Gerberts.
To learn more about the event, visit www.Startup48.co
Follow link to watch the final five minute business pitch.
Startup 48 Mission:
We are community leaders wanting to cultivate new entrepreneurs each year. Our Mission is to encourage innovative business thinkers to stay and make the Chippewa Valley their home because of the opportunity and support they receive while living here.
