Global Startup Battle winners
UD students and alumna win statewide startup contest, progress to nationals
2:34 p.m., Dec. 2, 2014--University of Delaware alumna Kiersten Jones Schwendeman and current students Matt Chen and Davis Pfund worked with a team of design professionals to attain statewide victory at the Global Startup Battle in Wilmington, Delaware.
The team worked through the weekend of Nov. 23 to develop Schwendeman’s idea of working to improve resources for people with eating disorders across the country. They created a business plan, functioning website, survey and presentation in just 54 hours for a project they call “The Aster Center.”
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As the winners for the state of Delaware, the team has been entered into the national competition. The national winner, decided largely by popular vote, will receive over $250,000 in seed funding for their project.
Also on the team were Pauline Rubin, graphic designer for First Ascent Design; John Himics, web developer for DuPont; and Delaware College of Art and Design student Tristan Campos.
UD students Chen and Pfund, both entrepreneurship and technology majors in the Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics, became involved with the competition through the college’s Horn Program in Entrepreneurship.
“Our goal is to use technology to educate the public about eating disorders and connect those suffering with already existing resources,” said Schwendeman, who currently works as an office manager.
In the long term, the group hopes to “create the first eating disorder treatment center in Delaware, then eventually spread this community-oriented, intensive, outpatient-focused treatment model to other underserved communities across the country,” she said.
The Aster Center team needs help from the community in order to win the national competition. Voting closes at 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 3. To vote for the team and view the informational video produced by the group, visit their website here.
The site also provides resources for those who are currently struggling with eating disorders.
“We greatly appreciate your support and hope to win for Delaware at the national level to raise awareness about eating disorders, decrease stigma and educate the public about lacking treatment resources,” said Schwendeman.