Two HCU International students won first place in the McNair Center for Entrepreneurship and Free Enterprise’s PitchFest, a Shark Tank-like competition that allows student entrepreneurs to pitch their ideas to a panel of judges with a chance to win funding to bring their ventures to life.
Siblings Ruth and Deborah Ortega put their thinking caps on last fall to pitch a business idea, called Oportunilab, a job training and preparation service to equip individuals in their native country of Honduras with skills for in-demand jobs. The pair won first place in the competition and received a $1,500 check to fund their idea.
“The issue in our home-country, Honduras, is that there are many companies offering job opportunities and there are many individuals looking for employment; however, there is a gap between the labor market demands and the preparation that many Hondurans have,” said Ruth, an HCU junior, pursuing a degree in business management.
Her sister, Deborah, an HCU freshman, is pursuing a degree in finance. The enterprising duo are no strangers to entrepreneurship. Their parents run multiple family businesses, including a screen-printing business that services one of the biggest clothing brands in Honduras.
Held in the fall and spring, PitchFest is open to all HCU students, with nine teams participating this year, each vying for a chance to turn their vision into a viable business.
Entries were judged on several key criteria: clearly identifying a problem, proposing an effective solution, demonstrating the potential impact, evaluating the business’s chances for success and delivering a compelling presentation.
Sarah Hickman, Program Coordinator for the McNair Center, called this year’s pitch competition “a huge success.”
“All the teams that participated did a great job and we’re really proud of everyone,” said Hickman.
But the Ortega sisters sealed the deal with the judges with their idea of improving the lives of job seekers in their native country and presenting a polished business plan and concept.
“I was in-shock when they said our names,” said Deborah, “but at the same time I felt very grateful to God that all the hard work that we put into our project had paid off!”
Ruth valued the comments received from the panel of judges which included Elizabeth Lewis, former Program Coordinator of the McNair Center, Ed Borges, Asst. Provost for Student Affairs and HCU senior, Ciro Calderon.
“We received great feedback. Our judges liked our project and presentation. They liked that our company was founded on Ephesians 2:10 and the purpose of helping our home country,” shared the HCU junior.
“Their preparation and enthusiasm made a lasting impression on the judges, ultimately earning them the top spot,” said Hickman.
For Hickman, PitchFest achieved its goal of empowering students to explore their entrepreneurial potential and provide them with the resources and encouragement needed to pursue their aspirations. Her hope is that every participant walked away with renewed confidence and a sense of possibility that they too can turn their entrepreneurial dreams into reality.
The HCU international students look forward to launching Oportunilab to help jobseekers in their native country. The pair currently have their eyes set on completing their degrees in finance and HR and establishing careers in those fields with future plans to use the knowledge and skills they gain to help with their family’s businesses.
The McNair Center has plans to host upcoming entrepreneurial initiatives this spring, including the spring PitchFest on a date to be announced and a Pop-Up market on April 3.