Each spring, the Lubar College of Business brings together some of its most creative student entrepreneurs for the LaMacchia New Venture Business Plan Competition, an annual event that helps transform promising ideas into real-world ventures. The competition awards seed funding to students who demonstrate strong business concepts, thoughtful planning, and the determination to bring their ideas to life.
“The LaMacchia Competition highlights what is possible when talented students pair innovative ideas with disciplined business thinking,” said Steve Michael, Karl A. and Lillian Bostrom Professor of Innovation and Entrepreneurship. “It’s rewarding to see our students develop ventures that not only show strong potential but also address meaningful opportunities in the marketplace.”
The 2026 competition highlighted a wide range of ventures – from consumer products to financial technology – reflecting the entrepreneurial spirit that continues to grow across the Lubar community.
First prize ($15,000) went to Olivia Wegner, creator of KittyGo, an all-in-one cat carrier and litter box designed to make traveling with cats cleaner, safer, and less stressful. The product addresses a common challenge for pet owners by combining thoughtful design with practical functionality.
Second prize ($7,500) was awarded to sisters Joyce and Luna Penterman for De Dames Ice Cream, a Dutch-inspired ice cream venture rooted in their family’s dairy farm and cheese factory in Thorp, Wisconsin. The sisters plan to begin producing ice cream on the farm using milk from their family’s cows, building their brand locally before expanding to Milwaukee.
Third prize ($5,000) went to Mark Deutschmann for MoneyMate, a digital personal finance and portfolio analytics platform designed to help everyday consumers better understand and manage their finances. By translating complex financial data into simple insights, the platform aims to boost financial confidence and literacy.
Two ventures received honorable mention awards ($1,000). Maia Scurry and Andjela Kresanovic were recognized for Hroshi, a fintech platform that allows employers to offer Bitcoin contributions as part of employee benefits. Devon Grohall earned recognition for Eyes Won’t Wait, a mobile optical service designed to bring vision care directly to communities across the Milwaukee area.
Together, this year’s winners demonstrate how Lubar students are turning innovative ideas into ventures that address real-world needs – one startup at a time.
The following served on the panel of judges for the competition:
- Alan Katz, President, Katz Consulting, and Founder of Katz Bagels
- George Satula, Vistage (TEC) Chairman, Vistage Worldwide
- Kyle Stephens, Vice President of Operations & Strategy, CanSource; and Co-Founder, President, Craft Beverage Warehouse LLC
In the months preceding the competition, the following served as mentors to the venture teams, providing valuable guidance for formulation and presentation of their business plans:
- Jude Anders, Consultant (Retired), Shoreline Concepts, LLC
- Kevin Baumgart, President, Set Sales: Sales and Management Expert
- David Irwin, CEO, gThankYou!, and General Partner, Hiawatha
- Melanie Manuel, Small Business Consultant, America’s SBC
- Girish Shah, Owner, TechGenba
- Mark Ship, Principal and Business Advisor, Sandler & Ship
At the outset of the process, the following individuals presented workshops on developing effective new venture business plans to interested students:
- Greg Martin, Director, UWM Small Business Development Center
- Melanie Michael, Assistant Professor of Practice in Marketing, Marquette University