McGuire Student Startups Win $15K at AZ Conscious Capitalism Collegiate Challenge

April 12, 2018

Ecocrete and Blare, two McGuire New Venture Development Program student startup teams, took home more than $15,000 in prizes from the AZ Conscious Capitalism Collegiate Challenge on April 11. Ten student teams from seven Arizona universities and community colleges participated in the event, which was held at the Grand Canyon University Arena on the school's Phoenix campus. The event distributed more than $60,000 in prizes to purpose-driven student ventures.

"Participating in our first pitch competition and winning a grand prize was a surreal experience," said Miguel Pugmire, a member of Ecocrete. "The McGuire NVD Program prepared us well to be ahead of our competition."

Ecocrete manufactures and sells construction materials made of recycled byproducts that are safe, cost-effective and eco-friendly. In addition to Pugmire, team members Sean Mcbride, Martin Ruiz and Sydney Wilson won prizes worth more than $8,850, including:

  • APS Sponsor Award ($5,000 cash prize)
  • Conscious Capitalism Arizona (CCAZ) Sponsor Award (12-month Membership, $500 value)
  • MAC 6 Sponsor Award (Communications Workshop, $2,100 value)
  • MAC 6 Sponsor Award (3-month Co-op Work Space)
  • CCAZ Sponsor Award ($500 cash prize)
  • Goodman's Sponsor Award (Executive Business Chair, $750 value)

Blare’s tech-equipped jewelry discreetly alerts trusted contacts and law enforcement of a user’s location in dangerous situations. Team members Caroline Boncoskey, Niharika Piratla,Benjamin Walker and Alejandro Zaragoza won prizes worth more than $6,400, including:

  • Conscious Capitalism Arizona (CCAZ) Sponsor Award (12-month Membership, $500 value)
  • CCAZ Sponsor Award ($500 cash prize)
  • MAC 6 Sponsor Award (Communications Workshop, $2,100 value)
  • MAC 6 Sponsor Award (3-month Co-op Work Space)
  • Seed Spot (2-Day Camp Startup Workshop, $1,000 value)
  • CO+HOOTS (3-Month Membership, $1,800 value)
  • StartUp AZ (Travel Conference, $500 value)

"We had a great day and are so excited about our future," said Walker. 

"Our students did a great job in Phoenix," said McGuire NVD Mentor Randy Accetta, Ph.D. who joined the teams at the competition. "Both teams showed how a new venture can make money while staying true to the mission of serving the greater good. Both teams draw on personal and professional passions to create something bigger than a mere money-making opportunity. They truly represented the McGuire Center way of doing things."