Winners Announced for UBalt’s ‘Rise to the Challenge’ Business Pitch Competition Four winners emerged from the 2025 “Rise to the Challenge” Business Pitch Competition on May 1, each receiving several “big checks” and a portion of the $30,000 in prize money. Three finalists were chosen for the evening’s top prize, with the $15,000 “Most Promising Business” award split between Dorien Murphy, founder of Cheffin, Ayanna Roberts, founder of Pretty Kitty Wax Studio LLC, and N’Kobe Turner, founder of Grandma’s Southern Pies. Roberts also earned the top vote for “Existing Business Ventures,” capturing a $5,000 prize, and took home the $1,000 Crowd Favorite award. Turner also won the Baltimore Fund Award, a $1,000 prize awarded to the entrepreneur who best exemplifies the University’s commitment to Community and Civic Engagement, and the new “Most Spirited Entrepreneur,” a $1,000 prize. Murphy also earned the $1,000 “Hustle Award,” provided by Jason Tagler, founder of Pitch Creator. Shakkearra Sykes, founder of Brève, took first place in the “Aspiring Business Ventures” category, netting $2,000. Our keynote speaker was Aasha Mikha'El, founder of Uniquely in Place (U.I.P), a hair salon/ barbershop servicing children and adults with autism and other behavioral challenges, and the 2024 winner of the “Most Promising Business” and Crowd Favorite awards. Other finalists in the competition included Mary-Elizabeth Baccus, founder of Digii Digital LLC, which is set to revolutionize graduation ceremonies by fusing traditional cap customization with interactive digital technology; Cai Davis, founder of Tipsy Trips, a mobile app that connects users with exclusive happy hour specials at local restaurants and bars; and Maxwell Lawson, founder of WigglyFix, a hands-free, reusable wig installation device designed to simplify and enhance the wig-wearing experience. As part of UBalt’s Centennial Celebration, we recruited a judges panel of all-alumni entrepreneurs, representing a wide range of backgrounds and industries: • Ateet Ahuja (MBA ’09), a serial entrepreneur and Founder, Indian Destination Wedding • Nicole Mighty (BS ’22), CEO/Head Designer, Spiked Orchids • Naa D. Nyanin (MBA ’07), Founder/CEO NDN International LLC • Michael Tager (MFA ’15), Founder, Mason Jar Press The “Rise to the Challenge” competition, sponsored by UBalt’s Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, is designed to generate awareness of emerging and established innovative business ventures nurtured by the UBalt community. Learn more about the “Rise to the Challenge” Business competition on the Center's webpage: www.ubalt.edu/cei.