Advancing teams, listed in alphabetical order are: 

• AbGlo - A physical fitness device that provides visual feedback to correct lumbar posture that can be used in gyms, rehab centers, personal training sessions, and at home use. (Holli Michaels, Marianne Madsen, Courtney Montague; Samuel Ginn College of Engineering)

• Archangel Defense – A provider of customized equipment for any combat situation imaginable, designed for peak mission performance, and above all to make sure everyone who defends our country makes it home. (Shay Pilcher; Samuel Ginn College of Engineering)

• Atlas Esports - Founded to exploit their expertise in the Esports industry focusing on program growth, team development, production quality, and sponsorship. (Dalton Counter; Harbert College of Business)
• Dream Mentorship– Provides mentorship specifically for women in communities around the world. (Mac-Jane Crayton; College of Liberal Arts)

• Dropllel – Accurate, rapid, and cost-effective detection of virus’ successfully lowering the possibility of large-scale spread. (Parvin Fathi-Hafshejani; Samuel Ginn College of Engineering)

• Hyper Transport - A software service that will automate the process for truck drivers to find a load. (Justin Cook and Deon Wise; Samuel Ginn College of Engineering)

• Menu Match – A mobile application for people with varying types of dietary restrictions (Jessica Bloodsworth; Harbert College of Business)

• OMNIS – A peer-to-peer social platform that allows individuals to borrow money through the community with short-term, micro-loans that meet their immediate needs. (Zakariya Veasey, Evan Henley, Nnamdi Ikenna-Obi; Samuel Ginn College of Engineering)

• Rodopto – An agricultural company dedicated to sustainable crop production utilizing advancements in drone technology. (Scott Rowe; Harbert College of Business)

• Snake Pudding – A paste formulated as a skin protectant and treatment of skin irritations (Will Jordan, College of Agriculture.)

“We are delighted with the diversity of startup ideas and the quality of the student-teams participating in this year’s competition,” said Lou Bifano, Director, New Venture Accelerator, at the Harbert College of Business. “Every year we see better ideas and better presentations. The collection of presentations this year may have been the best yet.”

In its eighth year, the Tiger Cage business pitch competition discovers and rewards early-stage products, services or business concepts that emerge from Auburn University students. Recent success stories include, Vulcan Line Tools, Room2Room Movers,  IGNTE, SwiftSKU, Flashtract, Yellow Card, and Tennibot.

The Tiger Cage final round – featuring the four teams that advance from the semifinals – will be held on March 31 in the Broadway Event Space and Theater located in Horton-Hardgrave Hall. There, teams will compete for $54,000 in early-stage startup capital.

Special recognition and appreciation go to the judges who supported the quarterfinal round:

• Kristin Cooper, Solutions Architect, SHL
• Tim Denison, President, GDI LLC.
• Parker Duffey, Co-Founder, Tailgate Guys & PRE Event Resources
• Ben Finley, Managing Partner, The Finley Firm, P.C.
• Larkin Jones, Alabama Small Business Development
• Mark Ledbetter, Senior Vice President, Solutions Engineering
• Khiari McAlpin, Founder, Vinehouse Nursery
• Luke Oeding, Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Auburn University
• Ralph Runge, RSquare Consulting, Inc.
• Jason Wilson, CEO, Coldwater Mountain Brewpub

Please contact Lou Bifano to learn more about the Tiger Cage business pitch competition as well as the broad array of services provided by the New Venture Accelerator that are available to those who may need help starting a new business or growing an existing one.