On Thursday, April 23, over 120 attendees packed into the CU Denver Business School’s Jake Jabs Event Center for the 25th annual pitch competition for THE CLIMB. The evening event featured live pitch presentations from six CU Denver student teams, a panel of esteemed judges, and a supportive gathering of Denver’s business community. But unlike past years, the biggest question in everyone’s mind wasn’t just who would win the night’s top three prizes, but also how much.
That’s because this year’s competition allowed the judges, for the first time, to decide the cash amount to be awarded for each prize. First place could win anywhere between $10,000 to $20,000, and second could win up to $10,000. It would all come down to the quality of the pitch, the business’s needs, and the articulation of their financial ask.
It was no easy task! This year’s competition received 34 completed applications, from which six were chosen as finalists to compete at Pitch Night. Finalists were then given a little under a month to hone their presentation, refine their business plan, and be ready to present a four-minute pitch on stage, followed by four minutes of Q-and-A with the judges.
The first-place award, which earned the full $20,000, went to Renmira, a software-as-a-service (Saas) solution that enables hospitals to efficiently borrow and loan medications through a centralized digital platform. Founder Eugene Zhang, a current MBA student, was inspired to create this business concept based on the tedious challenges involved with medication sharing that he experienced working as a licensed pharmacist in hospitals.
“I’ve presented in front of a few people before, but this was the first time I’ve pitched on stage to a panel of judges and a large audience,” said Zhang. “Naturally, I was nervous. But I felt that THE CLIMB’s events, especially Pitch Market, where I practiced sharing my pitch with mock investors, prepared me well. … As someone with a healthcare background, I naturally focused on the operational and clinical problem [when talking about my business idea], but through THE CLIMB’s workshops, mentorship, and guidance from the Jake Jabs Center team and faculty, I learned and refined my business pitch to one that easily communicates the market opportunity, scalability, and business model.”
In the immediate future, Zhang plans to use the first-place award money to finish product development and secure pilot partnerships with hospitals. Beyond the funding, though, Zhang says it’s the momentum, support, guidance, and confidence he’s gained at THE CLIMB that will help propel Renmira forward.
“My biggest advice is to start early, practice often, and focus on telling a compelling story,” Zhang said. “If I could do anything differently, I would have spent more time simplifying and tightening my pitch earlier in the process. Every word matters when you only have a few minutes on stage!”
The $5,000 second-place award went to Ella’s Charm, a costumed character entertainment service based in Colorado Springs and founded by a daughter-and-mother duo, Mekella and Julie Butterfield. Both are MS in Entrepreneurship students who plan to graduate this May.
“My mom and I agreed that this was the best college experience we have ever had. Pitch Night was electric!” Mekella said. “I was nervous but also so overwhelmed with gratitude and joy for this experience. Receiving this award felt like recognition that people outside of my circle saw my vision and believed in what Ella’s Charm could be.”
“Even if you don’t win, taking the time to intentionally refine your business plan and think strategically about how you’ll build and grow it is so helpful,” she added. “There are so many amazing people who are here to help, and I think you can learn a lot from the process of applying.”
The $2,500 Mission-Driven Award went to Proactive Ethics, an ethics education and consulting firm driven by the personal story and lived experience of its founder. Sean Mueller, an MS in Entrepreneurship student, bases his keynotes, workshops, and compliance training on his 17 years in financial services leadership, 14 years of incarceration following a securities fraud conviction, and the disciplined journey of personal accountability that followed.
Mueller explained that the idea for Proactive Ethics came from a question he couldn’t stop asking: why did ethical failures in high-stakes, high-pressure organizations continue to happen despite the billions that are spent each year on compliance training and regulatory fines? Proactive Ethics was created to address that gap.
“THE CLIMB is more than a competition, it’s a community,” Mueller said. “From the staff to the founders to the audience, there’s a genuine investment in each other’s success. That environment is rare, and it’s a big part of what makes CU Denver’s entrepreneurship program stand out.”
The Mission-Driven Award is made possible by the generous sponsorship of Joanne Posner-Mayer of the Posner Center for International Development.
Pitch Night was hosted by Andy Rok Guerrero, an emcee who embodies the synergy that can happen when you combine business with creativity and passion. After graduating from CU Denver in 2006, Guerrero has led a diverse career as a musician, producer, founding member of the band Flobots, co-founder of the nonprofit Youth on Record, and senior instructor of performance and music business at CU Denver. In between pitches throughout the night, Guerrero shared tidbits of advice and stories from his experiences combining music with business.
The event’s panel of esteemed judges included the returning Joel Appel, serial entrepreneur and co-founder of Launch Pad and Zaidy’s Deli & Bakery; Ed Cerkovnik, founder and president of Breckenridge Holding Company; Leah Vriesman, executive director of health administration programs at CU Denver; and Alisa Wilson, founder of Foundwise and an entrepreneurship instructor at the University of Denver.
A variety of speakers welcomed the audience to kick off Pitch Night and rally the supportive energy of the business community. Dr. Madhavan Parthasarathy, the academic and executive director of the Jake Jabs Center, spoke about the competition’s 25-year history and the center’s 30 years of operations. Scott Dawson, dean of the CU Denver Business School, championed the collaborative and cross-disciplinary nature of the center’s programs and events. Provost Karen Marrongelle touched on the role of the center and THE CLIMB competition within Denver’s broader small-business and innovation ecosystem. Even Mr. Jake Jabs himself was kind enough to share a short video that was played to greet the crowd.
“Sorry, I can’t be at your Pitch Night; I’m going to miss all those great pitches,” Jabs said. “But I wish you all good luck, and I hope all of you are winners.”
About THE CLIMB | Jake Jabs Business Plan Competition
Since 2001, THE CLIMB has supported the growth of collegiate startups and innovative ventures across the Front Range.
Backed by the Jake Jabs Center for Entrepreneurship at the CU Denver Business School and infamous entrepreneur, Jake Jabs, THE CLIMB is an annual pitch competition and workshop series that helps students and future business owners transform concepts into viable companies. We strive to connect aspiring entrepreneurs with the network and resources they need to succeed, including mentorship, educational experiences, financial support, and real-world industry exchanges. With more than 600 mentor hours shared and $1.2 million awarded to date, the competition continues to grow and shape student experiences, local businesses, and the Colorado entrepreneurial community.
The Jake Jabs Center for Entrepreneurship is immensely grateful for the ongoing support from our sponsors, who help make this competition possible. We’d like to specifically thank our Title Sponsor, Mr. Jake Jabs and American Furniture Warehouse, and our Gold Sponsors, Joanne Posner-Mayer of the Posner Center for International Development and Joel Appel of Zaidy’s Deli & Bakery.
About the Jake Jabs Center for Entrepreneurship
The Jake Jabs Center for Entrepreneurship (JJCE) is a multidisciplinary resource center located in the University of Colorado Denver Business School. Emphasizing real-world experience, JJCE is dedicated to educating and empowering undergraduate and graduate students to think and act entrepreneurially. Through its academics, extracurricular programs, and events, the Center provides door-opening networking and mentorship opportunities for students of all backgrounds, whether they go on to launch their own startups or join existing organizations.
Media Contact
Sarah Beatrice Soenke
Associate Director of Marketing & Communications at CU Denver’s Jake Jabs Center for Entrepreneurship
NOTE: Photos and interviews with winners of THE CLIMB are available upon request.
