BOISE, Idaho — Boise State University announced Christian Perry claimed the top prize in Thursday's eighth annual 2022 Idaho Entrepreneur Challenge at Jack's Urban Meeting Place in downtown Boise.
The event is Idaho's largest entrepreneurship competition for higher education students in the Gem State. 24 teams of future business leaders competed Thursday for a shot at a total of $50,000 in cash prizes.
Perry won the challenge while representing ChatterQuant -- a company offering real-time data, discussion and sentiment monitoring on more than 28,000 stocks, exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and more than 10,000 cryptocurrencies.
Seven Idaho colleges and universities were represented by students in the 2022 Idaho Entrepreneur Challenge. Universities competed for funding, mentorship and recognition of their skills, according to Boise State's news release.
Boise State University's Venture College launched the annual competition in 2015. The program within the College of Innovation and Design enables students to learn from experts through pitched ideas to make businesses work.
Winners of the 2022 Idaho Entrepreneur Challenge -- including Perry's first-place finish -- are listed below. The competition's winners receive funds to further build on their ideas.
Final Pitch Competition + Software Track Winner:
- Company: Chatterquant
- Student: Christian Perry
- Hometown: Boise
- School: Boise State University
- Major: Marketing + Business
Manufactured Goods Track Winner:
- Company: The Bee Team
- Students: Isabelle Boicourt (Boise), Ben Thomsen (Inkom, Idaho) and Kade Nyman (Redmond, Ore.)
- School: Boise State University
- Major: Engineering
Service Track Winner (tie) + President's Award Winner:
- Company: Maggie
- Student: Jenny Anderson
- Hometown: Cookeville, Tenn.
- School: Boise State University
- Major: Digital Innovation and Design
Service Track Winner (tie):
- Company: Lower Gear Cycles
- Student: Ethyn Williams (College of Western Idaho), Luke George (Boise State University) and Emily House (Idaho State University)
- Hometown: Kuna
- Major: Business
Technology Product Track Winner + Trolley House Ventures Award:
- Company: Dharma Dr.
- Student: Brad Mosell
- Hometown: Boise, ID
- School: Boise State University
- Major: Masters in Teaching
Thursday's event was the first in-person Idaho Entrepreneur Challenge in two years. Students were judged by business leaders, entrepreneurs, investors and venture capitalists, according to Boise State University.
"These students are leading Idaho's next generation of entrepreneurs and innovators," Executive Director of Boise State University's Venture College, Nic Miller, said. "We are so grateful to have a community that supports them and we look forward to watching them grow their businesses in Idaho."
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