2025 EDWARD K. ALDAG, JR.
STUDENT BUSINESS PLAN COMPETITION
STUDENT BUSINESS PLAN COMPETITION
GRAND PRIZE COMPETITION GROUP
$50,000 – Grand Prize: Dak Dynamics
$5,000 – First Place: Quad Marketplace
$3,000 – Second Place: Roehrs Diamonds
$2,000 – Third Place: Boost
NEW IDEA GROUP 1
$2,500 – First Place: Aerosole
$1,500 – Second Place: Coast
$1,000 – Third Place: Fresh Press
ESTABLISHED CONCEPTS GROUP
$5,000 – First Place: Low Tide Poke
$3,000 – Second Place: TappedIn
$2,000 – Third Place: HighTide Hydration
NEW IDEA GROUP 2
$2,500 – First Place: Guardian Food Systems
$1,500 – Second Place: SoHara
$1,000 – Third Place: Dystropomin
ALABAMA POWER FOUNDATION INNOVATION TECHNOLOGY AWARDS
$5,000 – First Place: Ingenuity Consulting
$3,000 – Second Place: AI VLAB
$2,000 – Third Place: SoHara
NASA PATENT AWARDS
$2,500 – First Place: MechChair
$1,500 – Second Place: Guardian Food Systems
$1,000 – Third Place: Aerosole
THE BOB AND JEAN MERRITT REPURPOSE AWARD
$10,000 – First Place: Quad Marketplace
DR. MARK WEAVER NON-PROFIT | SOCIAL ENTREPRENEUR AWARD
$2,000 – First Place: The Rising Legends Program
UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA ATHLETIC ENTREPRENEUR AWARDS
$2,500 – First Place: MoCura
$1,500 – Second Place: Guardian Food Systems
$1,000 – Third Place: Beyond Barriers Swim School
ADDITIONAL AWARDS
$500 – Best Teamwork: Boost
$500 – Best New Idea: Wellspring Therapy
$500 – Crowd Favorite: Low Tide Poke
$500 – Social Entrepreneur: Rough Riches
$500 – Wild Card: OneFlyp
A Note from the AEI Team:
Dear Competition Participants,
Thank you for participating in the 2025 Edward K. Aldag, Jr. Student Business Plan Competition! We are so happy that you decided to pitch your amazing ideas with us. Congratulations to those who won, and we look forward to seeing many of you at next year’s Edward K. Aldag, Jr. Business Plan Competition.
Best,
The AEI Team
Thank you to all of our Judges, Coaches, Competitors, and Other Supporters!
FACILITATORS & JUDGES
- Justin Bass
- Gavin Baum-Blake
- Bobby Bragg
- Justin Brown
- Lesley Bruinton
- Jeffrey Capili
- Jackson Carpenter
- Jennifer Dempsey
- John Fahrner
- Heather Falls
- Barkley Garrett
- Lindsay Hackney
- Brad Hayes
- Caroline Junkins
- Kevin Kaye
- James Leitner
FACILITATORS & JUDGES
- Gene Lewis
- Pete Ludovice
- Tesha Maddox
- Lane Mahoney
- Bob McLean
- Garey Morrison
- Tiffany Myles
- Bobby Napiltonia
- Sue Parker
- Robin Phillips
- George Rovegno
- DiLeep Sahu
- Frederick Spight
- Devin Stein
- Karl Stingily
- Biancia Tauriac
- Kelvin Welbourne
AEI TEAM
- Dr. Theresa Welbourne
- Sabrina Anderson
- Earl Evens
- Kim Smalley
- Jenni Miesse Whinery
- Dr. Joshua White
AEI STUDENT INTERNS
- Aiden Barry
- Toby Guo
- Luke Gustafson
- London McClure
- Payton Offerle
- Megan Renzi