Syracuse Sun

Five University students from the Couri Hatchery Student Business Incubator at the Whitman School of Management have advanced to the regional level of the New York State Business Plan Competition. The students will be competing for up to $100,000 in cash prizes to support their ventures at the upcoming statewide competition in Albany, New York.

Tosin Alabi G’25 (MBA) is one of the students competing with her business venture DiabeTech, an electronic bandage designed for diabetic foot ulcers. Alabi expressed gratitude for the support she has received at the Hatchery, especially as an international student, stating, "International students are already dealing with acclimating to both the culture and the rigors of the education here...DiabeTech is not just a business idea for me. It’s helping people have a better life, even those in my own family who are diabetic."

Natasha Brao ’22 (College of Visual and Performing Arts (VPA)), G’23, G’24 (MBA) shared her journey of creating Shooka, a spiced tomato sauce that promotes creative cooking. Brao highlighted the support she has received at the Hatchery, mentioning, "I have weekly meetings with the advisors at the hatchery and that has kept a fire under me to keep progressing week to week."

Frank Marin ’23 (College of Engineering and Computer Science), G’24 (MBA) is working on Marhold Space Systems LLC, a business opportunity focused on debris removal in space. Marin emphasized the importance of the Couri Hatchery in helping him stay on track with his entrepreneurial endeavors, stating, "The Couri Hatchery has been a place for me to talk with like-minded, entrepreneurial people...I hope that one day my ideas can make a difference in people’s lives."

Jessica Grace McGhee ’19 (VPA), G’24 (VPA) is entering her business venture Sacred Art of Rising (SAOR) in the competition, aiming to engage survivors of chronic and complex trauma through various platforms. McGhee reflected on the support she has received, saying, "Syracuse University and the people at the Couri Hatchery have rooted for me and done their best to uplift me and help me reach my dreams."

Motolani Oladitan ’24 (A&S), a psychology major, has created Tà Beautie, an online marketplace for African entrepreneurs to sell their beauty products collectively online. Oladitan expressed appreciation for the mentors at the Couri Hatchery and the Blackstone LaunchPad, stating, "Traci Giesler, Indaria Jones, Linda Dickerson Hartsock and all the mentors at the Couri Hatchery...are always ready to help me practice my pitch or offer recommendations on how to tackle the things I’m facing."

The Couri Hatchery, led by Program Manager Indaria Jones, is dedicated to assisting students in preparing for entrepreneurial competitions like the NYBPC. The Hatchery is named after John Couri ’63, co-founder of Duty-Free International and president of the Couri Foundation.