CSE student wins University of Minnesota BizPitch Competition
BizPitch is an opportunity for undergraduate students to give a 90-second pitch on a new business idea.
MINNEAPOLIS / ST. PAUL (01/26/2024)— Brian Balquist, a Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geo- Engineering undergraduate, won the University of Minnesota BizPitch Competition in December 2023.
BizPitch is a University-run competition where undergraduate students have an opportunity to present a new business idea to a panel of entrepreneurs and investors. The catch–the presentation has to be 90 seconds–very similar to the TV show, “Shark Tank.”
Balquist’s new business idea is Salamander Life System, a company that would provide automated wastewater monitoring for livestock. This idea is very similar to monitoring wastewater in cities to monitor trends in viruses.
A recipient of CSE's Adolph A. Sommerfeld Scholarship in Civil Engineering, Balquist won two categories in the competition: Most Innovative Idea and the Overall Grand Prize, which came with a check for $2,000.
Watch a video about Balquist's business idea to help livestock farmers.
Read the full story on the Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geo- Engineering website.