Morgenthaler-Pavey Startup Competition

The Morgenthaler-Pavey Startup Competition is an annual pitch competition held by the Veale Institute for Entrepreneurship. Participants pitch their startups, research or ideas to a panel of judges for a chance to win funding from a prize pool of $45,000.

Apply for the 2025 Competition

Applications are open from December 2 through February 7 for the 2025 Morgenthaler-Pavey Startup Competition. Current students and alumni from the past 5 years are eligible to apply. Fill out the application today.

2024 Awardees

On April 3, over 150 attendees gathered in the Sears think[box] to celebrate the accomplishments of our twenty finalist teams, who pitched their ventures, ideas and research to a group of twenty judges.

All of the participants showed up with their best energy. Competition was fierce. Presentations were solid. And in the end, nine were deemed winners. 

The Veale Institute for Entrepreneurship team is thrilled to announce the winners of the 2024 Morgenthaler-Pavey Startup Competition. Please join us in congratulating all who pitched and celebrate our winners!

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

The final event of the 2023 Morgenthaler-Pavey Startup Competition had an energetic crowd and an inspiring group of students and alumni pitching their projects for the chance to win funding. Everyone enjoyed a lively networking hour and got a chance to sample food from local entrepreneurs Redheart (Michael Zhou and Danny Lee), Smokin’ Bettie’s BBQ Sauces (David Ball) and Bon Appetit.

Taking place on the brand new Community Space floor of the think[box], finalists pitched their ventures, ideas, and research to audience members and judges in four separate rooms.

While every finalist brought their A-game to their pitches and impressed us all, only a few could be awarded prize money.

Congratulations to the 2023 winners!

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)

• Retflix: $3,500 awarded to Kevin Arndt, Amy Budzichowski, Maya Kapur, Sonia Kim, Bhavya Krishna, Parshva Sanghvi
• Anti-asporin Antibody: $3,500 awarded to Ila Mishra

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)

• Asclepii: $5,000 awarded to Franco Kraiselburd
• Lighthanded Enterprises: $5,000 awarded to Steven Burns (CWR '11, MEM ’11) and Matthew McPheeters (CWR ’12, GRS ’13, PHD ’21)

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

• 1st place: NeverEnding led by Jamie Van Doren won $15,000.
• 2nd place: Cleanr led by Max Pennington (CWR ‘22, chemical engineering) won $5,000.
• 3rd Place: Micah Specialty Foods let by Nana Kwamena Takyi Micah (MGT ‘24).

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

Photos by Character Studies Photography