Reviewed by: Patience Itson
Meet the Auburn students behind 3 innovative startups
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At Auburn University, student entrepreneurs are transforming their ideas into game-changing startups with the help of the school’s New Venture Accelerator. We met with three entrepreneurs to learn why its such a big deal.
See how Auburn’s New Venture Accelerator propels student-led startups
At Auburn University, students gain invaluable knowledge and skills that will help them confidently take their next step in life. However, some students at Auburn don’t wait until graduation to start pursuing their dreams.
Jointly managed by the Harbert College of Business and the Auburn Research and Technology Foundation, the New Venture Accelerator is a space for students, faculty and recent graduates to flex their entrepreneurial muscles. At the New Venture Accelerator, entrepreneurs can test new ideas, workshop solutions and potentially turn their startup into a thriving business with access to:
- State-of-the-art workspaces and facilities available to entrepreneurs at no cost
- Coaching from experienced entrepreneurs + the opportunity to collaborate with other participants
- The chance to win funding
We met with the students and entrepreneurs behind three game-changing startups to learn how the New Venture Accelerator has helped their organizations grow.
Meet the students behind these 3 startups
Connor Lewis, Class Cash
Class Cash: Email | Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | LinkedIn
Co-founded by recent Auburn graduates Connor Lewis, Grant Dammicci and Parker Roan, Class Cash is a new mobile app that pays students to go to classrooms, student centers and libraries.
How does Class Cash work? By partnering with local businesses in Auburn, Class Cash allows students to utilize their laptops as mobile advertisements at specific spaces on campus. In return, students earn cash for every second their laptop is open—something they were already doing!
“Auburn’s New Venture Accelerator has helped Class Cash grow by connecting us with local business owners in town and other entrepreneurs that have experience building businesses. The people here have helped me create marketing materials, refine my pitch and connect Class Cash with valuable resources and opportunities.”
Connor Lewis, Co-Founder and COO, Class Cash
Zakariya Veasy, OMNIS
A recent winner of Auburn’s 4th Annual Halloween Pitch Competition, Zakariya Veasy is the Founder and CEO of OMNIS—a financial services app that helps the unbanked and underbanked gain access to capital while building credit. Zakariya, a senior majoring in software engineering, founded OMNIS as a resource for individuals with limited credit history to help pay their bills.
Rather than rely on payday loan services with extremely high interest, individuals can utilize OMNIS to lean on the support of friends and family in their network at an agreed-upon, mutually-beneficial interest rate.
“Before I came to the New Venture Accelerator, my company was struggling with its sense of direction—in fact, it wasn’t even OMNIS! With the help of the staff and other entrepreneurs, we were able to do market research and realize that this concept—lending circles—is practiced all over the world. The New Venture Accelerator has helped OMNIS become the company it is today.”
Zakariya Veasy, Founder and CEO, OMNIS
Brooks Fuller, Room2Room Movers
Room2Room Movers: Email | Website | Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn
College kids moving college kids—that’s what Room2Room Movers is all about. After years of seeing moving companies charge outrageous fees to help students move in and out of their dorms at Auburn, recent graduate Brooks Fuller decided to create a solution: Room2Room Movers. Room2Room Movers employs Auburn students and offers affordable moving solutions to students (and others!) in the town, no matter how big or small.
“To me, the New Venture Accelerator means ideas. It means content creation. We have geniuses in here leading companies of every stage, from the spark of an idea to the full-fledge startup stage. I love working in the New Venture Accelerator knowing that I’m around like minds that are motivated to grow their company and building their brand, just like Room2Room Movers.”
Brooks Fuller, Founder, Room2Room Movers
See how the New Venture Accelerator can help your startup blast off
Auburn University’s New Venture Accelerator can help put your startup on the path to success, just like Class Cash, OMNIS and Room2Room Movers. Click here or reach out to the program’s leaders below to learn more.
- Lou Bifano, Director, New Venture Accelerator: 334.844.7498 | ljb0022@auburn.edu
- Ward Swift, Communications Director, New Venture Accelerator: 334.844.7497 | rws0022@auburn.edu
Follow along as Class Cash, OMNIS, Room2Room Movers and other student-led startups grow by following the Harbert College of Business on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube and LinkedIn.
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