{"id":12517,"date":"2024-04-11T16:39:18","date_gmt":"2024-04-11T16:39:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.golive.clarku.edu\/news\/2024\/04\/11\/student-entrepreneurs-make-a-splash-at-wootank\/"},"modified":"2025-05-19T09:25:44","modified_gmt":"2025-05-19T13:25:44","slug":"student-entrepreneurs-make-a-splash-at-wootank","status":"publish","type":"story","link":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/2024\/04\/11\/student-entrepreneurs-make-a-splash-at-wootank\/","title":{"rendered":"Student entrepreneurs make a splash at WooTank"},"content":{"rendered":"\n \n

Clarkies lead the way in business-pitch competition<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n Sophie Lee presents her wares at the Clark Collective Pop-Up in Red Square.\n

 <\/p>\n

The setting was Worcester’s venerable BrickBox Theater, but the Clark University student entrepreneurs who pitched their businesses in the April 2 WooTank<\/a> intercollegiate competition took every opportunity to step outside the box.<\/p>\n

Their efforts paid off — literally — when they came away with the night’s top honors and largest cash awards.<\/p>\n

\"Owen
Owen Chase sells microgreens at a recent Clark Collective Pop-Up in Red Square.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

After listening to a series of presentations by students from Clark, Holy Cross, WPI and Nichols College, the judges awarded $4,000 to Sophie Lee ’26, owner of Sophremacy<\/a>, which sells gothic and punk-inspired jewelry and accessories. Lee, who was the only woman in the competition, received the largest individual award of the night.<\/p>\n

Lee’s fellow Clarkie, Owen Chase ’26, owner of Just for Fun Farms<\/a>, which specializes in growing nutrient-dense microgreens for direct sale to students, was awarded $3,000 by the judges. Chase and Lee were the only competitors to be awarded by all three judges.<\/p>\n

The Clark students’ combined total of $7,000 surpassed that of any other college in the competition.<\/p>\n

WooTank involved students pitching their business ideas to a panel of industry leaders in technology, sales, and marketing in a format modeled on the popular show “Shark Tank,” which also serves as the inspiration for Clark’s annual Clark Tank event.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"Ana
Ana Gabriela Santana ’26, winner of the Clark Tank marketing pitch competition, receives her check from Debra Harrsch ’80, president and CEO of Brandwidth Solutions.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>\n

<\/h3>\n

Clark Tank 2024<\/h3>\n

On April 4, the annual Clark Tank competition made cash awards for business and marketing presentations. The winners were:<\/p>\n