Baruch Entrepreneurs Excel at Pitch Competitions

June 4, 2026

Baruch College entrepreneurs demonstrated their innovative mindset and business acumen at two startup showdowns this semester.

At the CUNY-wide Baruch CEO Pitch Competition—co-hosted by the Lawrence N. Field Center for Entrepreneurship and the Baruch Collegiate Entrepreneurs—21 students and alumni competed on campus, presenting their business plans before judges and industry professionals who provided feedback. They advanced from simultaneous semifinal rounds to the main stage, where three winners took home the top prizes.

First Place: $5,000 Popped Up!

My Anh Phan (BBA, Accounting ’28) created Popped Up!, an app that helps brands run smarter pop-up events with real-time insights based on foot traffic and engagement, while making events easier for attendees to find.

Second Place: $2,000 BluoPrint

This app, developed by Harshdeep Singh (MS, Finance ’25), aims to improve a student’s college experience by bringing communication, deadlines, notes, campus updates, and collaboration tools onto a single platform.

Third Place: $1,000 Reshufflr

Taye Holder (BBA, Entrepreneurship ’26) founded this business which allows music listeners to create customized playlists on the Spotify app and only hear their favorite songs through shuffle mode.

Singh said the experience was invaluable on many levels

“This event helped refine how we communicate our vision clearly and confidently by strengthening our pitching, storytelling, and ability to simplify complex ideas,” he explained. “It also pushed us to collaborate more effectively as a team under time constraints.”

Singh, who works as an assistant vice president at JP Morgan Chase, added that this competition affirmed the broader relevance of the team’s idea, given strong interest from both students and professionals.

CUNY Clash Ideas Competition

Held at midtown Manhattan’s Amazon office, the fifth annual CUNY Clash Ideas Competition featured 14 participants, with Baruch students accounting for nearly half of the finalists and two among the top three winners.

First Place: $10,000 – Phan’s Popped Up!

Third Place: $2,000 – Sun Nest

Created by Aurora Kerluku (MS, International Marketing ’26), Sun Nest is a wellness cabin harnessing the power of the sun to deliver physical and mental health benefits—even in cold weather.

Watch: View highlights from the 2026 CUNY Clash Ideas Competition.

An Entrepreneurial Hub

Baruch College is a hub of entrepreneurship within CUNY.

In 2023, the Zicklin School of Business launched the Department of Entrepreneurship and Innovation, offering undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degree programs. Many of the programs are offered in collaboration with other departments and centers at the College.

Established more than 30 years ago, the Lawrence N. Field Center for Entrepreneurship offers a unique blend of education and outreach for students, alumni, and local businesses with an eye toward growth and innovation.

Learn more about the Department of Entrepreneurship and Innovation.

Explore the Field Center for Entrepreneurship.