The Tiger Cage

First place, receiving $40,000 in startup capital, went to  Sophie Snyder, founder of Sophie Sweets, a student-run bakery located within Auburn University’s on-campus food court, Hey Day, offering a modern and convenient way for students, faculty, and guests to enjoy freshly made desserts.

Second place, receiving $30,000 in startup capital, went to Side Kit. Led by Bass Ninas, a junior at the Harbert College of Business, majoring in Business Administration, Side Kit brings hunting back to its roots—simple gear, honest craftsmanship, and time spent where it matters most. Side Kit keeps essentials organized, dry, and within easy reach. 

Third place, receiving $20,000 in startup capital, went to Builder Help. Led by Wesley Stallings, a Junior in the College of Architecture, Design and Construction majoring in Building Science, Builder Help is more than project management software, it’s an AI-powered construction assistant built to run a job, not just track it. Builder Help automates scheduling subcontractors, sending punch lists, tracking material deliveries, reviewing plans, and paying invoices.

Fourth place, receiving $15,000, went to Glory EV Charging Solutions, led by Olkaris Marandu, a senior in the Harbert College of Business majoring in Business Management. Glory EV is a turnkey electric vehicle charging network operator that offers end-to-end solutions for hospitality/hotel owners to gain more visibility and revenue from online travel agencies through EV charging amenities.

Fifth place receiving $5,000 went to SCAP ATHLETICS, led by Adam Cardini, a Sophomore at the Harbert College of Business, majoring in Business Management. SCAP Athletics is a sports recovery company dedicated to helping athletes move and perform pain-free through filling the gaps in athletic recovery tools and medical devices. Their flagship product, the SCAP Stick, is a 5-foot, portable recovery tool featuring a precision recovery ball on one end designed specifically to target deep subscapular tension. 

First place, receiving $30,000 in startup capital, went to Protector Innovations. Led by Sophia Aulisio, Harbert College of Business junior, majoring in Accounting, Protector Innovations offers a new volleyball knee pad, which unlike the traditional pad, allows for better mobility, stays in place, and truly delivers on the “one size fits all” model because it is adjustable. It is also made of highly durable material. The product is patentable, and the design differentiates from other pads because they all stick to the traditional look.

Second place, receiving $20,000 in startup capital, went to Planet of Snacks. Co-Founded by Liam Heary, sophomore in the Samuel Ginn College of Engineering and Harrison Rainer, Sophomore majoring in Apparel Merchandising, Planet of Snacks is in online retailer designed to meet the growing demand for international snacks, candies, and drinks in the United States. Many international students with diverse backgrounds who are studying in the U.S. lack access to their favorite snacks from abroad, particularly at affordable prices and with original ingredients from each country.

Third place, receiving $15,000 in startup capital, went to Tradition Apparel. Founded by Harrison Irby, Harbert College of Business junior, majoring in Finance, Tradition Apparel is built on creativity and emerging fashion trends to deliver the special apparel that fans love. We all have a deep-rooted need to be a part of something bigger than ourselves. This need materializes in different ways with different people; in the South and increasingly across the nation, this need materializes in the form of college football. Unfortunately, the current collegiate apparel market is antiquated and boring.

Fourth place, receiving $15,000 in startup capital, went to Polar Docks. Founded by Vince Visser, Samuel Ginn College of Engineering sophomore, majoring in Industrial & Systems Engineering, Polar Docks provides liquid cooling to docks across the southeast through strategically placed misters. Docks, patios, and wood surfaces can get up to 150 degrees burning feet, paws, and radiating heat in the summer. Polar Docks provides relief from this extreme heat allowing people to spend more time out on the dock.

In first place, receiving $30,000 in startup capital, was AbGlo. Led by Holli Michaels and Courtney Montague of the Samuel Ginn College of Engineering and Marianne Madsen, AbGlo is a fitness device that corrects lumbar position during core strength exercises through visual and sensory feedback. AbGlo strengthens muscles deep within the core to significantly alleviate low back pain and improve fitness outcomes.

Second place receiving $15,000 in startup capital went to Mammoth Super Sod. Led by Chera Howard of the College of Agriculture, Mammoth Super Sod is a natural grass that can stand up to drought, contains an efficient irrigation system that can reduce up to 70% in water usage, serve as a fire barrier for homes, and produce safer sod for players. The environmental benefits of super sod include carbon sequestration, oxygen production, groundwater replenishment, and pollutant filtration. Mammoth SuperSod was also the recipient of the Burr & Forman legal services in-kind award in the amount of $5,000.                                                         

Third place receiving $10,000 in startup capital went to Early Bird. Led by Thomas Lester of the Samuel Ginn College of Engineering and Eugene Asante, a graduate of the College of Liberal Arts, Early Bird is a groundbreaking product with a user-friendly side-mounted push-point that activates rapid interior heating. It is a single-use canned beverage (coffee, tea, or hot chocolate) that heats up faster than a Keurig and is more affordable than a coffee shop.  Early Bird was also the recipient of the Thomas Walter Center for Technology Management special award in the amount of $5,000 that will be used for hardware/software prototyping.

Fourth place receiving $5,000 in startup capital went to ROME.  Led by Alex Washburn, Jordan Snyder, Emily Glaze, Mandy McCutchin, and Madie Robinson of the Samuel Ginn College of Engineering, ROME,“Roller to Optimize Material Efficiency,” is an innovative solution addressing the labor-intensive and physically tolling task of laying materials in diverse industries. The flagship product, the CowPaw, is an ergonomic device specifically designed to streamline the process of laying paper in poultry farms.

Focus Friends was named as the winner of the Social Impact Award in the amount of $10,000. Led by Abby Stansell of the Harbert College of Business, Focus Friends is a membership-based platform designed to address the underserved adult ADHD and ADD community. Focus Friends aims to revolutionize ADHD support by empowering individuals, fostering community, and providing a one-of-a-kind platform to enhance the lives of adults with ADHD and ADD.

PALS Palettes was named as the winner of the Exemplary Undergraduate Award in the amount of $5,000. Led by Luke Dixon of the College of Architecture, Design and Construction, PALS transforms the way the public perceives and uses discarded pallets, addressing the current problem of millions of pallets ending up in landfills each year.. Pals Palettes will transform discarded pallets into beautiful, functional art that makes a positive impact on the world.

In first place was Dropplel who received $25,000 in startup capital.  Led by Parvin Fathi-Hafshejani,  Samuel Ginn College of Engineering, Dropllel is a diagnostic tool that provides accurate, rapid, and cost-effective detection of virus’ thereby successfully lowering the possibility of large-scale spread.

Second place, receiving $12,000 in startup capital, went to Rodopto, led by Scott Rowe, Harbert College of Business. Rodopto is an agricultural company dedicated to sustainable crop production utilizing advancements in drone technology. 

Third place, receiving $8,000 in startup capital went to OMNIS, led by Zakariya Veasy, and Evan Henley, Samuel Ginn College of Engineering.  OMNIS is 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.

Fourth Place, receiving $5,000 in startup capital went to Archangel Defense, led by Shay Pilcher, Samuel Ginn College of Engineering. Archangel Defense is 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.

Click here to learn more about 2023's Tiger Cage Business Idea Competition

In first place was IGNTE who received $25,000 in startup capital. Led by Jacob Cordero, business administration, and Emmett Deen, Computer Science, IGNTE is a platform that gives organizations a means of showing their sponsor’s ads on Twitch.

Second place and $12,000 in startup capital went to The Best Roping Dummy. Led by Will Jordan, Agricultural Communications, The Best Roping Dummy is an autonomous team roping training system that reduces the need for live cattle and improves practice capabilities. 

A tie for third place, and splitting $15,000, went to Toft by 2153 and Feature Finder. Led by Jesse Stewart, Software Engineering, Studio Art; Brooke Hopton-Jones, Computer Science; and Sydney Pham, Software Engineering, Toft by 2153 is a game development studio specializing in next-generation, cross-platform, multiplayer games.  Led by Zane Barbao, Management and Entrepreneurship and Luke Matthews, Professional Flight, Feature Finder is a social music platform designed to revolutionize the entire music industry.