Ann Arbor, December 7, 2021 – The Michigan Business Challenge (MBC), a campus-wide, multi-round business plan competition has announced the eight teams advancing in its Seigle Impact Track.

Many student teams submitted proposals for MBC, with over 30 teams submitting for the Seigle Impact Track. After passing a qualifying round, teams advanced to Round One, which was held at the Ross School of Business on Friday, November 8-12, via video link. In the Seigle Impact Track, eight teams will now advance to Round Three, taking place on Friday, January 21, 2022. From there, four teams will advance to the Finals on Friday, February 11, 2022.

Eight impact teams will advance from this round to the next:

• Clear Computing – helps older adults learn their devices to better their quality of life and extend their independence. James Giordani, MSW ’22
  
  
• finding joi – supports Black women in centering their well-being in their professional and academic success through access to physical and digital mental-health resources. Joi James, MBA ’23
  
  
• Founder – provides an end-to-end investment and fundraising platform that seeks to educate investors and provide founders with initial capital through crowdfunding. Ariel Cruz, MBA 22
  
  
• Great Quality Development –  is a social-impact driven mixed-use development company that specializes in integrative models that increase affordable housing, homeownership, and community resources in Detroit, MI. Hattie McKinney, JD ’22
  
  

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  Plucky Comics – is an educational tool that tells the stories of Black Queer historical figures through the medium of sequential art. Nathan Alston, MBA ’22 & Daniella Gennaro MBA/MA in Educational Studies ’22
  
  
• PPD Project –  is a pipeline for professionals with disabilities to grow personally and professionally through empowered and autonomous visioning, action, and skill growth. Kayla Rothstein, BBA ’24
  
  
• Seconds Labs – transforms a byproduct of coffee farming into a novel, performance-boosting beverage for the health-conscious consumer. Austin Clowes, MBA ’22; Matthew Baker MBA ’22; Claire Bissa MBA ’22
  
  
• Wild – is an all-in-one online destination for end-of-life and after-loss planning. Maura McInerney-Rowley, MBA ’22

Additionally, 8 teams are advancing in the the Product/Service Track, and 8 teams are advancing in the IP Track.

The Michigan Business Challenge (MBC) is a campus-wide, multi-round business plan competition where student businesses have the opportunity to win cash prizes totaling over $100,000, gain feedback from leaders in the business community, and expand their business network. Ross’ Seigle Impact Track is sponsored by the Mark and Robin Seigle Entrepreneurial Innovation Fund and co-managed by Business+Impact at Michigan Ross, the Erb Institute for Global Sustainable Enterprise, and the Zell Lurie Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies.