Senior Jake Reisig wins Xavier Pitch Competition, will represent University in BIG EAST Startup Challenge
Feb 2, 2023
On Tuesday, one Xavier student’s business idea earned him a $1,500 prize and an opportunity to represent his school in an annual BIG EAST competition.
This year’s Xavier Pitch Competition winner is senior Jake Reisig, a finance major in Xavier’s Williams College of Business. Reisig wants to help prospective renters make more informed decisions during their search for rental housing with his business, SpotCheck, a website where renters can rate and review landlords. Reisig moves on to the 2023 BIG EAST Startup Challenge, a competition between student entrepreneurs from each of the 11 BIG EAST Conference institutions.
“Everyone around here, especially in the Center for Innovation and in Sedler [Family Center for Experiential Learning], they do a great job of preparing us,” Reisig said. “There are some really creative people here. Even with all the contestants, we help each other out and we want to see every business come to life. It’s a really good environment.”
Reisig and seven of his student entrepreneur peers made their final pitches on Tuesday at Xavier’s Robinette Center for Innovation. Each student prepared a five-minute video presentation of their idea and subsequently answered questions from a panel of judges comprising Xavier faculty members, as well as alumni who have founded their own successful business ventures.
Though only one Musketeer could advance to the BIG EAST finals, three others also took home prize money for their ideas.
- Senior Zack Cuda, studying entrepreneurship and innovation, won the $1,000 second-place prize for Studio Share, a platform similar to Airbnb, but for music studio recording.
- Junior Megan Osting, studying marketing and entrepreneurship and innovation, finished in third place and won $500 for Vault, an app combining the resume elements of LinkedIn with the video format of TikTok.
- Senior Kat Seebeck, studying management and entrepreneurship and innovation, won the $500 prize for Best Health Care Idea – presented by Xavier’s Center for Population Health – for Mixie-Stix, a product that detects whether a drink has been spiked.
At the event’s conclusion, Teaching Professor of Management and Entrepreneurship Mike Halloran commended all eight presenters and encouraged them to continue pursuing their ideas.
“I’ve seen people not even place in this pitch competition and go on to create amazing companies, so do not let this dissuade you,” Halloran said to the group. “There will be lots more opportunities to push your companies forward, and we’re here at the Innovation Center to help you move those things along.
On the heels of his victory, Reisig will not have long to celebrate before he competes in the BIG EAST Startup Challenge, which will take place virtually on Feb. 16 at 6 p.m. The Robinette Center for Innovation will host a watch party for members of the Xavier community who want to cheer Reisig on during the event.
Xavier won the inaugural BIG EAST Startup Challenge in 2019, following that up with third- and fourth-place finishes in the next two competitions.
Xavier Pitch Competition Winners
First Place ($1,500) — senior Jake Reisig, SpotCheck
Center for Innovation Coordinator Ben Alegre, left, poses with Reisig, who pitched a service that allows renters to rate and review landlords.
Second Place ($1,000) — senior Zack Cuda, Studio Share
Alegre poses with Cuda, who pitched a platform that would serve as "the Airbnb of studio recording."
Third Place ($500) — junior Megan Osting, Vault
Alegre poses with Osting, whose idea combines the resume elements of LinkedIn with the video format of TikTok.
Best Health Care Idea ($500) — senior Kat Seebeck, Mixie-Stix
Center for Population Health Director Dr. Victor Ronis-Tobin, right, poses with Seebeck, who pitched a product that detects whether a drink has been spiked.