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Western New England Students Win Big at Grinspoon Exhibition Contest

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Seniors win first place

Seniors win first place

(L-R) Joey Baurys, Nicolette LaPierre

Western New England University was well represented at the Grinspoon Entrepreneurship Awards Banquet, which took place on April 27 at the Log Cabin in Holyoke, MA. 

Judges identified 9 winning teams as Best Exhibitors, these were selected from a pool of fifty-six unique companies during the ‘trade-show’ portion of the evening, which featured the 2016 Grinspoon Entrepreneurial Spirit Award winners. 

Western New England University students, Nicolette LaPierre, a senior Biomedical Engineering major from Windsor Locks, CT, and Joey Baurys, a senior Biomedical Engineering major from Pittston, PA, (seen above) were 1 of 3 first place winners, taking home $600 for Hemoflux, their pre-natal genetic testing start up company. 

Students win second place

(L-R) Evan Choquette, Logan Carlson, Ryan Noon, Chris Urciuoli

Western New England University students Logan Carlson, a Biomedical Engineering major from Horseheads NY, Chris Urciuoli, a Mechanical Engineering major with a Five-year Bachelor/MBA from Victor, NY, Ryan Noon, a Mechanical Engineering major from Kutztown, PA, and Evan Choquette, a Computer Science major from Rocky Hill, CT, took home second place in the Best Exhibitors category for their start up business, AnyCafe, a travel mug that can brew K-Cups.

The live event featured student representatives from each of the fourteen participating local colleges; American International College, Amherst College, Bay Path University, Elms College, Greenfield Community College, Hampshire College, Holyoke Community College, Mt. Holyoke College, Smith College, Springfield College, Springfield Technical Community College, University of Massachusetts, Western New England University, and Westfield State University.

Over 450 faculty, students, and community leaders from western Massachusetts attended the annual banquet.