Seattle University "Rise Above It All" Year-End Celebration

Brayden Olson of Recurrence 

ZINO Society Member and Seattle University Albers School of Business Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center Advisory Board Member, May McCarthy, hosted a lovely event for the winners of the Seattle University Business Plan Competition at the Columbia Tower Club this week. The name of the event was "Rise Above It All" Year-End Celebration.

May McCarthy and Sue Oliver

Having recently judged the University of Washington Foster School of Business Buerk Center for Entrepreneurship Business Plan Competition, I saw one of the same teams that made it to the UW Sweet Sixteen semi-finals also placed at the Seattle University competition.  The company has developed a process to extract cannabis oil from the leaves and
stems of marijuana plants and then infuse it into hard candies, which will initially be sold in medical dispensaries.

One of the other teams that was showcased was the winning Seattle University team, Recurrence, which is a teaching tool that includes a gamified version of traditional business cases, led by Brayden Olson.  We look forward to featuring Brayden and his company at our upcoming ZINO Life & Wellness Investment Forum on Tuesday.

Sue Oliver, who is the Executive Director of the Seattle University Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center, thanked May and introduced the featured teams who each shared a two minute pitch with the attendees.  In addition to Recurrence, the finalists were an interesting group that also included Nutraberry, a company that produces and supplies premium quality berry seed power and oil to the health food supplement industries; Octave, an education platform that teaches beginners and amateur singers the basics of singing through a gamified and social experience; and Universal Charge, a company that will create and operate the country's first interconnected access and payment system for commercial fueling of electric vehicles.

Congratulations to each of the winning teams!