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Morgenthaler-Pavey Startup Competition

The Morgenthaler-Pavey Startup Competition is an annual pitch competition hosted by the CWRU Veale Institute for Entrepreneurship. Finalist teams pitch startups or ideas to a panel of judges in one of four tracks—venture, idea, research and social impact—for a chance to win funding from a prize pool of $45,000.

2025 Awardees

Idea Track

First Place (Tie)

Research Track

Third Place

  • Mandibular Fracture Repair System: $500 awarded to David Suh (CWR '22)

Second Place (Tie)

First Place

  • PhotoSorb: $3,000 awarded to Yang Yang (Class of 2027)

Social Impact Track

Second Place

First Place

Venture Track

Second Place

First Place

 

2024 Awardees

Idea Track

Second Place

MAWE Technologies ($2,000)

First Place

HemoSan ($5,000)

Research Track

Second Place

AGTR2 Agonist Lung Therapeutics ($3,000)

First Place

Artemis Platform ($4,000)

Social Impact Track

Second Place

Voteable ($1,000)

First Place

tekSafari ($5,000)

Venture Track

Third Place

SellAnalytix ($4,000)

Second Place

SearchOwl ($5,000)

First Place

Lighthanded Enterprises ($16,000)

Watch a clip of Lighthanded team lead Brecken Blackburn after winning the grand prize.

2023 Awardees

Research Track Winners

First Place (Tie)

  • Hyperion Therapeutics: $3,000 awarded to Jennings Luu
  • Bladder Patch for Treatment of Obstetric Fistula: $3,000 awarded to Ilaha Isali

Second Place

Voice Analytics for Pathology Tracking: $1,000 awarded to Millan Patel, Katelyn Vlastaris, Matthew Glaros and Andrew Ye

Social Impact Track Winners

First Place

Cocoa Potash: $5,000 awarded to Ibrahim Quagraine

Second Place

Sonali Bags: $1,000 awarded to Tanvir Hasan

Idea Track Winners

First Place (Tie)

Venture Track Winners

First Place

Lumilin Therapeutics: $15,000 awarded to David Suh (CWR '22), Grayson Derossi, Aahana Kanyal, Kerry McConnaughay, Kendall Rogoff, Ana Salas

Second Place (Tie)

2021-22 Awardees

Idea Track

  • 1st place: LEAF led by Evan Haug (CWR ‘21, electrical engineering and systems and control) won $7,500.
  • 2nd place: UAVistas led by India Johnson (CWR '17, biology) won $2,500. 

Venture Track

 

Named After Legendary Cleveland Venture Capitalists

The Morgenthaler-Pavey Startup Competition is named after venture capital leaders David Morgenthaler and Bob Pavey, whose valued input has been a key component of the success of the CWRU Veale Institute for Entrepreneurship.

Morgenthaler, who was a mechanical engineer and made early investments in companies like Apple Computers and Manufacturing Data Systems, was an active supporter of Case Western Reserve University initiatives in management, medicine and international engagement. His venture capital firm was founded in 1968 in Cleveland, where he lived for several decades. The New York Times referred to him as someone who shaped venture capitalism, and The Wall Street Journal called him “one of venture capital’s founding fathers.” 

Within a year of starting his firm, Morganthaler took on Bob Pavey as a partner. According to Pavey, Morgenthaler told him, “There's only one thing that will get you fired: telling me what you think I want to hear.”

Pavey sits on the Board of Trustees at Case Western Reserve University, and as an angel investor his focus is on seed companies run by experienced entrepreneurs in California and Ohio. His involvement with the Morgenthaler-Pavey Startup Competition includes contributing generous funding for the prize money.

 

Not Just a Competition

In 2023, MPSC teams were partnered with experienced mentors, and had the opportunity to participate in Skills Labs entrepreneurial programming throughout the Spring semester:

  • Creating a Compelling Pitch Deck
  • Writing Your Value Proposition
  • Conducting Market Research and a SWOT Analysis
  • Positioning Your Messaging and Building a Brand
  • Business & Team Formation and Creating an Operating Agreement
  • Writing Legal Agreements (IPVC)
  • Budgeting and Financial Modeling

FAQ

Applications were open from December 2, 2024 through February 7, 2025.

MPSC is open to current students, postdocs and Case Western Reserve University alumni who have graduated within the last 5 years.

Teams who won in a previous MPSC year cannot enter the same company/project in the same track. Teams can enter the same project or company in an appropriate different track, or can apply with a new project or company in the same track.

Yes, teams are welcome to apply, as well as singular participants.

Each venture, project or idea can be entered into one track. Participants may complete more than one application as long as each application is a different venture, project or idea.

We encourage you to apply even if you're at the beginning stages of your entrepreneurial journey! We offer Skills Labs programming leading up to the competition to help prepare you for your presentation in a number of topics, such as creating a pitch deck; branding; market research; value proposition creation; and more.

Additionally, we welcome ideas and ventures from any industry, including healthcare, tech, creative arts, lifestyle and anything else you can think of!

Photos by Character Studies Photography