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UMD Shark Tank
2019 competition date to be announced
This event is open to all UMD Students who have an innovative business idea. Entrepreneurs are able to pitch their idea to a panel of Duluth Business Professionals with the opportunity to win money to help fund their business idea.
First Place: $1,500
Second Place: $875
Third Place: $650
Audience's Choice: $300
Second Place: Jacob Armstrong - a mobile app to help roofing contractors create damage reports for insurance adjusters
Third Place: Antonio Davis and Andrew Weisz - Bold and Brash Bandanas, a business that specializes in bandanas for cancer patients
Audience's Choice: Emma Kesler and Peter Schmitz - Rent Report, a business that connects the Duluth renting community
The UMD Shark Tank Competition is powered by Labovitz School of Business and Economics (LSBE) and the LaBounty Center for Entrepreneurship.
About the Center
The Labovitz School of Business and Economics (LSBE) established the LSBE LaBounty Center for Entrepreneurship in 2008 as a result of a generous gift provided by Roy E. LaBounty, founder of LaBounty Manufacturing and a long-time supporter of UMD.
Administered by the Labovitz School's dean's office, the new Center promotes entrepreneurship and business development initiatives throughout Northeastern Minnesota.
Roy LaBounty was an entrepreneur and prominent business leader in Northeastern Minnesota for many years. He was the founder and former president of LaBounty Manufacturing in Two Harbors, Minnesota. In 1999 he received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the annual Joel Labovitz Entrepreneurial Success Awards event. Mr. LaBounty died in November 2007.
The current initiatives include sponsoring a student internship at the Center for Economic Development, sponsoring faculty research in entrepreneurship, and the UMD LaBounty Entrepreneur Competition.