May 9, 2014

Drexel students Dan Eberhart (LeBow College of Business) and Jonathan McDaniel (College of Engineering) were named the winners of the 2014 Ian J. Berg Business Plan Competition for their mobile application, Kegg, a networking and events service.

The app is designed to connect college students to local events created by their peers, on both their own campus and others in the surrounding areas.  The app is only available to college students, which creates a private, secure, and safe environment for all users. The team won $3000 for finishing first. 

“All of the competitors did an outstanding job in effectively presenting their ideas and being quick on their feet by answering tough questions from the judges,” says Baiada Institute for Entrepreneurship Interim Director Chuck Sacco. “While it was very close, Kegg stood out as having a solid grip on their business model and what they need to do in order to move forward with their idea.”

A trio of students from Drexel’s Westphal College of Media Arts & Design – William Lindsay, Erica Stone, and Lindsay Alexander – won second prize for their creation, Surpl. Available both as a mobile app and on the web, Surpl is a concert ticket overstock vender that connects concertgoers with events in their area, sortable by both convenience and cost-effectiveness. 

The third place finisher was SAVE Simulation: Surgical Aid via Visual Experience, created by Parth Panchal of Drexel’s School of Biomedical Engineering, Science, and Health Systems. SAVE is a learning tool for physicians and medical professionals.

“For over a decade, the Baiada Institute’s programs, mentoring, competitions and events have been the conduit between the curriculum and the commencement of opportunity for Drexel students,” Sacco says. “Events like this competition provide the chance for all Drexel students to demonstrate that they are self-directed, ambitious and intent on gaining real-world experience as a pathway to leadership.”