Students Sweep Business Pitch Competition

Three Business Division students took the top places in the Tri-College Student Pitch Competition held in April.

The Tri-College Student Pitch Competition was open to all students studying at Mt. SAC, Cerritos College and Norco College. It provided students with the opportunity to practice presenting a business idea in front of established entrepreneurs, business experts, professionals, and community leaders. Judges evaluated the pitches based on the market opportunity and concept validation of the business idea.

Fredric Royce, an Economics major currently studying product management, won first place and a $1,000 prize. Fredric and his business partner Heidi Leonardo presented their idea Nihon'ichi, a food truck for California rolls that have vegan ingredients “that synergize to make every bite a delight.”  According to the pitch, “these vegan California rolls have a large amount of protein, which makes them a natural metabolism booster for fat loss. This business idea is oriented toward Generation Z and Millennials who are college students in Los Angeles and Orange County. The mission of Nihon'ichi is to greatly reduce obesity and environmental destruction through yummy, sustainably sourced, nutritious and affordable sushi.”  Fredric says he would recommend other students consider entering the contest. “Winning this competition with Heidi was the result of dedicating myself to academic, business, and public speaking opportunities over two years, where I was vulnerable and the stakes were high.”

Business Administration major Ralph (Hongbai) Ruan won second place along with his friend and fellow Mt. SAC student Weizhen (Wilson) Jiang. Together they presented the Allergen Protector, a product that can detect allergies. Ralph and Wilson came up with the idea after realizing they both suffered from allergies discovered later in life. They hope their product will be the solution to detecting allergies quickly. "The best business idea is from daily life, which can make life get better,” Ralph said. The pair won $500.

Third-place winner Ashley Juarez, a Business Administration major, created a friend-meeting mobile app called Vibin' out. Vibin' out allows a person to meet other people online, and once they feel comfortable with them, they are encouraged to plan a day to meet them in person to build a stronger relationship. Ashley won $250.