{"id":16088,"date":"2025-08-01T01:40:47","date_gmt":"2025-08-01T08:40:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/business.wsu.edu\/edividend\/?p=16088"},"modified":"2026-02-17T10:01:23","modified_gmt":"2026-02-17T18:01:23","slug":"bpc-follow-up","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/business.wsu.edu\/edividend\/2025\/08\/01\/bpc-follow-up\/","title":{"rendered":"BPC Winners Chart Next Steps"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"Business<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Center for Entrepreneurship\u2019s<\/a> annual Business Plan Competition<\/a> (BPC) attracts dozens of aspiring entrepreneurs each year with a chance to earn monetary prizes to seed their budding ventures. The competition includes not only the WSU College League but also the Foster Garvey Open League and the High School League, which are open to peer universities and regional high schools teams. All leagues compete for additional merit prizes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For many student entrepreneurs, the BPC is just the beginning. These five top-ranked ventures share how the experience shaped their next steps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wearable Aromas<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n
\n
\"MJ
MJ Kunkle speaks to an attendee during the trade show portion of the BPC<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

First place at this year\u2019s BPC was awarded to Wearable Aromas\u2014a wax-based solid perfume, housed in jewelry and designed for clean, on-the-go use. Founder Madeline June (MJ) Kunkle<\/a> (\u201925 Entrep.) and partner James Harrison<\/a> (\u201925 Accounting, Entrep., Finance) were presented with the $15,000 grand prize at an award banquet the evening of the competition. Kunkle says the win marked an important milestone in turning her idea into a viable business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She credits the entrepreneurship program for preparing her to build and pitch a market-ready product.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI was able to apply almost everything that I was learning in my classes directly to the business,\u201d she says. \u201cEntrepreneurship was the right major for me\u2014it was great for honing important skills and helping me figure out where I fit in the business world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While the competition provided a financial boost, Kunkle says it also pushed her to grow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cEven if I had failed, I still learned so much, and I got amazing feedback,\u201d she says. \u201cIn some ways, the value of pushing yourself out of your comfort zone was by far the biggest and most rewarding part.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Following the competition, Kunkle was surprised with a matching $15,000 award from IT Cosmetics entrepreneur and Carson alum Jamie Kern Lima<\/a> (\u201900 Busi. Admin.). With a provisional patent already secured, she is now focused on making sales through farmers markets and pop-up shops. Her process includes fostering relationships with small boutiques that might carry her product, growing her online presence to ramp up production, and eventually making the venture her full-time career.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kerat AI<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n
\n
\"Mason
Mason Matich (left) and Jasson Makkar (right) pose with their winnings for second place<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

A venture called Kerat AI was the second biggest winner, earning second place and Best Technology Venture for a total of $12,500.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Founder Jasson Makkar<\/a> (\u201925 PhD Molec. Biosci.), developed a personalized marketplace that helps consumers monitor their hair health and discover the right products for their specific hair type.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For Makkar, who comes from a research background, the competition was a turning point that helped him and his team clarify their go-to-market strategy and make valuable industry connections.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a pretty big shift\u2014going from improving technology in a lab to solving real-world problems with limited resources,\u201d he says. \u201cIf not for the Business Plan Competition, we\u2019d probably just be toiling away endlessly on the technology without actually moving it closer to market.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since the competition, Makkar and partner Mason Matich<\/a> (\u201925 Gene. & Cell Biol.) launched a research collaboration with an outside company to further develop their technology and participated in the University of Washington\u2019s Dempsey Startup Accelerator. Both experiences will expand their network and refine their business model as Kerat AI prepares for investors and market launch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rainmaker Solutions<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n
\n
\"Aidan
Aidan Finnegan presents his venture during the BPC’s final round<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

Rainmaker Solutions, an automation platform for mobile car detailers, earned third place and $7,000. The venture, founded by WSU student Aidan Finnegan<\/a> (\u201927 Entrep.), uses AI to help detailing businesses streamline marketing, lead generation, customer engagement, and internal operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finnegan says running his own car detailing business inspired him to build a venture that helps service-based entrepreneurs scale more effectively and affordably. Participating in the competition helped clarify his business model.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI figured out some simple branding stuff and really meditated on services detailing businesses would need,\u201d he says. \u201cThe BPC gave me such a good reason to figure out how the business is actually going to work.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since the competition, Finnegan has brought on a technical cofounder, landed his first paying clients, and expanded his platform to serve small construction firms. As a next step, he hopes to sign 10 automation clients and refine his venture\u2019s offerings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Driveway Pitstop<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n
\n
\"Mason
Mason Pickering (left) and Ben Kapsandy (right) listen to feedback from judges<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

Driveway Pitstop, a mobile mechanic and oil change service that brings vehicle maintenance directly to customers\u2019 homes, won fourth place and $4,000. Created by business students Mason Pickering<\/a> (\u201925 Mgmt. Info. Sys., Entrep.) and Ben Kapsandy<\/a> (\u201925 Entrep.), the venture stood out for its convenience-focused model and lack of direct competitors in the market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For Pickering, the experience was a powerful supplement to his academic career.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI learned more with the BPC experience than I have throughout my whole college career,\u201d he says. \u201cIt actually played a vital role in showing me how planning and operating a real business would look.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Through the competition, the team gained a deeper understanding of market research, financial planning, and the real-world viability of their idea. Judges and visitors expressed strong interest, reinforcing their belief that Driveway Pitstop could fill a genuine market need.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Following their graduation in spring 2025, the cofounders have placed the venture on hold while they gain additional industry experience\u2014but say the door remains open to launching the business in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Miata Fitment<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n
\n
\"Antonio
Antonio Casila (left) and Anthony Devito (right) with their fifth-place award<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

Miata Fitment, a platform designed to simplify wheel, tire, and suspension selection for Mazda Miatas using a 3D visualizer, earned fifth place and $2,000.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Founded by computer science major Anthony Devito<\/a> (\u201925 Comp. Sci.) and cofounder Antonio Casila<\/a> (\u201926 Busi. Admin.), the platform grew out of Devito\u2019s personal interest in the Miata community and desire to streamline a process that often left car owners guessing. Matching the correct parts to a specific generation of Miata can be notoriously tricky, and mistakes can be expensive. This inspired Devito and Casila to develop an online tool to eliminate that uncertainty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Though the product was already live with an active user base, Devito says the competition pushed him to think more strategically about how the venture could grow as a business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe biggest benefit of participating in a competition like this comes from the support you get from the people, not only the organizers, but the judges and other participants as well,\u201d he says. \u201cThe BPC fosters an environment where it\u2019s less like competition and more collaborative\u2014everyone wants to help everyone.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since the competition, the team has expanded the platform to support additional Miata models and is preparing to launch subscription features. Their long-term goal is to continue to improve the visualizer into a tool that can be adapted to work for a wider range of car brands.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Center for Entrepreneurship\u2019s annual Business Plan Competition (BPC) attracts dozens of aspiring entrepreneurs each year with a chance to earn monetary prizes to seed their budding ventures. For many student entrepreneurs, the BPC is just the beginning. These five top-ranked ventures share how the experience shaped their next steps and what they\u2019re planning for the future.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":[629],"featured_media":16371,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[623,425],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/business.wsu.edu\/edividend\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16088"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/business.wsu.edu\/edividend\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/business.wsu.edu\/edividend\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/business.wsu.edu\/edividend\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/629"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/business.wsu.edu\/edividend\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=16088"}],"version-history":[{"count":14,"href":"https:\/\/business.wsu.edu\/edividend\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16088\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":18397,"href":"https:\/\/business.wsu.edu\/edividend\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16088\/revisions\/18397"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/business.wsu.edu\/edividend\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/16371"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/business.wsu.edu\/edividend\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=16088"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/business.wsu.edu\/edividend\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=16088"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/business.wsu.edu\/edividend\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=16088"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/business.wsu.edu\/edividend\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/author?post=16088"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}