Celebrating student entrepreneurship at the Gustavson Business Start-Up Competition
Every year, our Bachelor of Commerce (BCom) entrepreneurship students spend their final term learning the ins and outs of starting and running a business. For their final projects, they create their own business ventures and present them to Gustavson faculty and external panels of entrepreneurs. Over 2 days and out of numerous presentations, our entrepreneurship faculty determined 4 finalists, and these students are then invited to participate in the annual Gustavson Start-Up Competition.
By Breia Monti
Sponsored by Tiny, the Gustavson Start-Up Competition brings together a panel of community judges to determine which of the top student-run businesses will be awarded part of the $30,000 in seed funding for their ventures.
This year, the top entrepreneurship projects were Jules Marie Design Studio by Julianna Iacobelli, LampPost Victoria by Simon Larocque, Ascendant by Reed Smith and CycleSyncs by Madelyn Waldhaus and Karina Nina-Marcu. After presenting their ventures to the judges, Jules Marie Design studio took first place and $20,000, while LampPost Victoria secured second place and $10,000.
The Gustavson Business Start-Up Competition aims to inspire and empower BCom students, helping them turn their entrepreneurial dreams into reality. The school extends its sincere thanks to our panel of judges, special guests, Athenic Award donor Ellen Cmolik, and sponsor Tiny, whose support make this event possible.
“This competition is extremely important to the launching of these businesses. After four years of university, students are often not in a financial position to launch their new ventures and the seed funding provided gives them the ability to fully commit to that venture. We are grateful for Ellen and Tiny’s support in giving these students a leg up when launching or growing their ventures."
Ventures are evaluated based on several key criteria students cover in class, including the product's compelling concept, evidence of product-market fit and creation feasibility. Judges also assessed market understanding, customer acquisition strategies and the overall strategic vision. The suitability and commitment of the team, along with sound financial planning. These and the likelihood of the funding having significant impact are critical factors in determining the winners.
1st Place: Jules Marie Design Studio
Presented by: Julianna Iacobelli
What the business is: “Jules Marie Design Studio is a fashion design studio that preserves the traditional craft of dressmaking for decisive, affluent women to look and feel their best on the days that matter most. Creating opportunities for a new generation of dressmakers.”
Julianna Iacobelli's passion and vision earned her the top prize of $20,000, setting her studio up for future success.
Q&A with Julianna:
How did the entrepreneurship specialization help you achieve this success?
The entrepreneurship specialization pushed me to think through every aspect of the business, from how I might go about hiring someone in the future to testing new concepts. I also really appreciated the insights from guest speakers, who had firsthand experience with the startup process. Their advice helped me prepare for challenges and opportunities I hadn’t considered before.
What’s next for Jules Marie Design Studio?
I’m excited to take the next steps with Jules Marie Design Studio. My immediate focus is on officially registering the business and beginning the creation of our first dress samples!
What does winning this competition mean to you?
Winning this competition has been such a confidence boost. Hearing the feedback from the judges and my fellow classmates has reaffirmed my belief in what I'm working on. With their support, I'm excited to fully devote my focus to building the studio and bringing this dream to life.
2nd Place: LampPost Victoria
Presented by: Simon Larocque (co-founded with Jared Leary)
What the business is: “LampPost Victoria is a newsletter curating all of Victoria's events into a simple, 5-minute read. We save users 8-12 hours every week searching different event sources, so they can spend less time finding events and more time attending them.”
LampPost’s innovative approach to event curation earned the company the 2nd place prize of $10,000.
Q&A with Simon:
How did the entrepreneurship specialization help you achieve this success?
The entrepreneurship specialization gave me the time and space to focus on LampPost without feeling overwhelmed. Instead of working on hypothetical concepts, we applied real strategies like SEO practices, cold emailing and partnerships with local businesses. These practical experiences kept me consistent with LampPost and opened the door to this competition. The networks and resources we built during the program will continue to benefit us both personally and professionally.
What does winning this competition mean to you?
Winning 2nd place at the Gustavson Start-Up Competition has been a game changer. It validates that what we’re doing is real and worth pursuing. What began as a simple way to centralize events in Victoria has grown into a meaningful business. It’s a powerful motivator to keep building something bigger than ourselves, and we’re grateful for this opportunity.
What's next for LampPost Victoria?
Our next steps are to expand into other cities like Kelowna and Halifax, boost our social media efforts, and introduce a subscription model that connects community members with local businesses. While we both work full-time to cover living costs, we’re committed to growing LampPost and building trust in new communities.
Finalist: Ascendant
Presented by: Reed Smith
What the business is: “Ascendant is an exclusive, members-only club for young entrepreneurs, models, and creatives that provides unparalleled experiences, unforgettable connections and unmatched service.”
"While Ascendant operates online, the true value comes from in-person connections, which is why the club revolves around travel. It's designed to help members easily meet and connect with one another during their travels. In addition, Ascendant will organize exclusive trips where small groups of members can vacation together. These trips will feature all the glitz and glamour that successful young entrepreneurs seek, with each one taking place in a unique and exciting location."
Q&A with Reed:
How did the entrepreneurship specialization help you in developing your business?
The entrepreneurship specialization was beneficial for me because it pushed me to think through my business in greater detail and build it out in a more structured and organized form. Instead of winging it and rolling with punches along the way, I now have a strategic plan in place. The program also helped me identify key elements I might have overlooked if I hadn’t been guided through the process.
What was the highlight of this experience for you?
The highlight of Gustavson Business Start Up Competition was the chance to meet and connect with Andrew Wilkinson from Tiny. It was an incredible opportunity to gain some insights from someone with such extensive experience in the start up space. I’m looking forward to connecting with him again soon for advice on both business and life.
Do you plan to continue with your business? What are the next steps for Ascendant?
Yes, I plan to continue growing Ascendant. In the coming months, I’m looking to host events in Tokyo and Dubai to expand our presence and gather content that will strengthen our brand.
Finalist: CycleSyncs
Presented by: Madelyn Waldhaus & Karina Nina-Marcu
From the founders: “CycleSyncs offers a gummy vitamin for the four phases of the 28-day female menstrual cycle. Created to make cycle syncing women's diet to their cycles, easy and delicious.”
Q&A with Madelyn/Karina:
How did the entrepreneurship specialization help you in developing your business?
The entrepreneurship specialization helped us validate our idea for CycleSyncs with steps like market validation and has provided us with the knowledge and skills to the point where we are ready to develop our product.
What was the highlight of this experience for you?
Pitching CycleSyncs at the Gustavson Business Start-Up Competition was such a valuable experience for us. The highlight was interacting with the panel of judges, who offered insightful feedback and gave us clear next steps. Their expertise and advice were invaluable.
Do you plan to continue with your business? What are the next steps for CycleSync?
Yes, we plan to continue with CycleSyncs. Our immediate focus is on securing the necessary resources to develop our first batch of gummies.
Want to learn more about entrepreneurship at Gustavson? Check out our entrepreneurship specialization.