Keiser University recently recognized student Peter Franco as the winner of its 2021 SEAHAWK TANK Pitch Contest.

The Fort Lauderdale campus marketing major who presented the concept for his IT and marketing consulting firm is now one step closer to his vision of bringing the idea to life, thanks to the challenge and the $4,000 in prize money he was awarded out of a total cash prize pool of $10,000.

“The judges found Peter’s business idea, OS Media, to be particularly interesting because of the creative way his software and consulting service will make it easier for users of social media to enhance their online businesses and, in many cases, become influencers,” said George Stamas, professor of entrepreneurship and finance at Keiser University’s Flagship Campus and director of the pitch competition.

Held virtually due to the coronavirus pandemic, the pitch competition provided students the opportunity to present their ideas to a panel of industry judges in hopes of winning cash prizes. The sixth annual system-wide event welcomed seven budding entrepreneurs from Keiser University‘s Flagship, Melbourne, Fort Lauderdale, and San Marcos, Nicaragua campuses.

The other contestants finished as follows:

• 2^ndPlace: James Huggins, Keiser University Flagship Campus

Business Idea: Fitness Xpress, a mobile fitness gym on a 20-foot box truck

$2,500

• 3^rdPlace: Scarleth Beltran and Ixy Acevedo: Keiser University San Marcos, Nicaragua Campus

Business Idea: Frutilicious, provider of dehydrated, nutritious tropical fruits not

commonly found in Nicaragua.

$1,050

The additional finalists who received $500 each include:

• ColtonTakis, Flagship Campus, U-Stream
• Foreste Lacroix, Melbourne Campus, Lacroix’s Haitian Café d’Art
• Michela Tjan Sakti Effendie, Flagship Campus, Libur
• Haakon Syrrist and Niklas Nyblom, Flagship Campus, BookSpace

Keiser University would like to thank the judges, who all have extensive small business venture experience:

• Philip Crowley, Managing Partner, Crowley Law LLC
• Brad Gies, Managing Partner, Bradley Gies P.A
• Christopher Losquadro, Managing Director, Quantum Realty Advisors
• John Dobson, Associate Professor of Entrepreneurship at the Graduate School of Management at Clark University and an adjunct professor of entrepreneurship at Harvard Business School

The university is also grateful to the Keiser Mills Foundation and an anonymous donor for their support in providing the $10,000 cash prize pool. To learn more about Keiser University’s Bachelor of Business Degree in Entrepreneurship please click here.

Keiser University is a private, not-for-profit university, serving nearly 20,000 students and employing 2,900 faculty and staff members. Co-founded in 1977 by Chancellor Arthur Keiser, Ph.D., and Evelyn Keiser, the university currently offers more than 100 degrees at 21 Florida campuses, as well as online and at two international sites. Keiser University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges as a level VI institution to award certificates and degrees at the associate, baccalaureate, masters, specialist, and doctoral levels.