Student business competition winners announced

Chuck Cornell (left), director of the Center for Innovation and Economic Development, with students Zachary Dean (Shorewood Commerce); Miles Calloway (Fredonia Makerspace); Noah Meyer (Sonoro Records); and Lassana Sillah (Concrete Made), along with Lauri Gawronski, CIED project coordinator.

Zachary Dean and his company, Shorewood Commerce, won the 10th SUNY Fredonia Student Business Competition.

Dean, a senior majoring in Adolescence Education: Social Studies, from Fredonia, delivered the winning pitch for his company in the annual competition sponsored by SUNY Fredonia’s Center for Innovation and Economic Development (CIED).

Lassana Sillah, a junior majoring in Music with a concentration in Percussion, from East Amherst, and founder of Concrete Made, was the runner-up.

Four finalists pitched their startups to three judges on Dec. 13. The final pitch competition was well attended and included the Dunkirk City School District’s high school economics class.

The competition is designed to help student entrepreneurs present business ideas, develop proposals, receive guidance from experienced business mentors and launch their businesses. Their pitches delivered were based on the Business Model Canvas (BMC) that includes value proposition, customer segments, channels and revenue streams.