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Two USF Students Win Scholarship Money in Annual Frank and Ellen Daveler Pitch Competition

By Keith Morelli

TAMPA (May 12, 2021) -- Two University of South Florida students, including one enrolled in the Zimmerman Advertising Program, won scholarships at the annual Frank and Ellen Daveler Pitch Competition held on a virtual format last month. In all, 19 students from a dozen universities and colleges across the state earned $85,000 in scholarships.

The competition, in which students pitch unique ideas for recognition and seed funding, was hosted by the USF Center for Entrepreneurship, which offers undergraduate students an opportunity to boost their knowledge of business operations and get an insight into the entrepreneurial process in venture creation, growth and a chance for cash prizes.

The goal is to encourage students to start new businesses, teach business skills and to network with successful entrepreneurs.

The two USF students who were among the 19 winners were Magdelena Harrah, whose pitch for Baldr Medical earned a $3,000 Fellow award and the Scholar award of an additional $5,000, and Oyindamola (Damo) Teniola, who received a Fellow award of $3,000 for his pitch for LiveEDU. Harrah is a student in the Zimmerman Advertising Program and Teniola is a biomedical engineering student.

Baldr Medical aims to deliver easy, low-cost, highly accurate light-based diagnostic tools for helping patients and physicians around the globe.

LiveEDU is a data-driven, gamification learning technique designed to enhance care delivery and aid patients and their families in discharge training and exit programs.

All of the invitation-only participants were named Daveler Fellows and awarded $3,000, while five, who presented exceptional pitches, were named Daveler Scholars and each was awarded additional scholarship money.

Participants represented colleges and universities across Florida, including USF, Florida Gulf Coast University, Eckerd College, Florida Atlantic University, Florida State University, the University of Florida, Florida Polytechnic, Stetson University, the University of West Florida, Lynn University, Valencia College and the University of Tampa.