Campus News

Women’s suffrage is recognized, the Arts and Sciences Orchestra performs, entrepreneurs pitch business ideas for prizes, and a podcasting/journalism rockstar shares his recipe for success.

Ryan Gleeson ’19 and Andrew Sugarman ’19, founders of PWR Technology, won first place in the Northeast Ohio Regional LaunchTown competition.

Three teams of entrepreneurs were awarded a total of $45,000 during the LaunchU pitch competition on Saturday, March 4. The program stewards Oberlin students, alumni, faculty, and staff entrepreneurs through business-model innovation curriculum and prepares them to launch a venture.

Alumnus Tom Kelley ’77, recognized globally as an expert on innovation, gave the keynote address for the inaugural LaunchU Accelerator Pitch Competition on January 26. Five groups of entrepreneurs won Venture Development Awards during the competition.

Oberlin’s first annual LaunchU, featuring 15 ventures from current students and alumni, culminates on Saturday with a series of events that are free and open to the public and which include a talk about nurturing innovation by IDEO general manager Tom Kelley ’77.