Guise Medical LLC won first place in the 2022 J Terrell Brown Venture Challenge for their patented MED-pal device; these decorative covers disguise syringes and help alleviate the stress of needles during children’s medical visits. Their first-place finish came with an $18,000 award.
LSU Health Shreveport students Zachary Connelly, Ross Rieger and Evan Falgoust are the student founders behind Guise Medical. They are the first team from outside the flagship campus to enter the contest.
The J Terrell Brown Venture Challenge, held by the LSU Stephenson Entrepreneurship Institute, is an annual business plan pitch competition open to all on-campus students in the LSU system. Students must submit an application and a two-minute pitch video explaining their existing business or idea for a new venture. Entrants selected to move to the next round prepare an executive business plan. Following evaluation of the business plans, three finalists are chosen to pitch live to a panel of judges. This year the total prize pool was $30,000.
The second-place finish and $10,000 went to Chckup, a two-sided platform for veterinary clinics and pet owners that reduces friction when scheduling online appointments. Vibrant Entertainment Group, a full-service event planning company, finished third, earning $2,000.
“We are committed to economic development through entrepreneurship,” said Jared J. Llorens, dean of the E. J. Ourso College of Business. “The J Terrell Brown Venture Challenge showcases innovative problem-solvers representing many disciplines across the LSU system. We are proud of the work of the Stephenson Entrepreneurship Institute and are grateful to everyone who supports student entrepreneurs through this competition.”
Past Venture Challenge successes include Debtle in 2021, Revibe in 2019, International Pumps and Parts in 2018, and Performance Mods in 2017, among several others.
The competition was sponsored by Jones Walker and GMFS.
For more information about the J. Terrell Brown Venture Challenge, visit lsu.edu/business/venture.
About Stephenson Entrepreneurship Institute
The mission of the Stephenson Entrepreneurship Institute is to promote and foster entrepreneurial practices through education, outreach, and research. An integral part of LSU’s E. J. Ourso College of Business, the SEI utilizes its various programs and other means to address the challenges of entrepreneurship and positively impact students, the regional economy, the state of Louisiana, and the nation. A generous donation by LSU alumni Emmet and the late Toni Stephenson made the continued development of the college’s entrepreneurship institute possible. For more information, visit the SEI website or call 225-578-0313.
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