Madison Kollar/The Mossy Log
On Nov. 18, the Bates Center for Entrepreneurship and Leadership hosted “Ideas on Tap: Pitch Night,” which occurred in the Council Chambers from 4-5:30 p.m. According to the event posting, teams of students were invited to pitch their businesses to an audience and panel of judges including professors from Lewis & Clark.
Teams of students had up to three minutes to pitch their creative ideas, identifying key aspects such as the business idea, who would use it, what value or money it would generate, and how much it would cost. After presenting, teams had 30 seconds to answer a question from the panel of judges.
While audience members enjoyed free pizza and drinks, 10 teams presented their pitches, including: FoodLOCK, Crystal Coat, Pillove, HandSteady, Atlas Campus AI, The Commons, Remco, Luca + Isa, WaveWatch and Page Ping. Each pitch addressed a unique problem, from noise pollution to overcrowded surf beaches, with some teams even presenting prototypes of their product, including a hand stabilizer and an app.
Outside of the $50 given to the first ten teams to sign up, participants also competed for the first place and audience choice awards, which each came with a $300 reward. After teams completed their pitches, audience members submitted their ballots for their favorite pitch, while judges deliberated privately and ranked their top three picks.
Catarina Hunter, associate director of the Bates Center, spoke throughout the event, promoting the Bates Center and Winterim, an event offered in late winter by the center. Between pitches, Hunter also answered questions about Entrepreneurial Leadership and Innovation courses offered next spring.
After judges took time to deliberate on their decision, Hunter announced the two winners: Crystal Coat won the audience choice award and Pillove won first place.
Students Jazmin Contreras ’26 and Alondra Olea ’26, who pitched Crystal Coat, spoke to The Mossy Log about their reasons for entering the competition.
“When we first signed up for this, it was when the SNAP/EBT cutbacks came out. So our first initial thought was, ‘wow, $300 would be really nice for Friendsgiving dinner,’” Contreras said.
Their pitch, which proposed a fog and oil-resistant glasses spray, was inspired by both of their own experiences as glasses users.
“Well, both of us actually wear glasses, and we were like, what (is something) we could actually think of? One thing I’ve been saying a lot because it rains a lot here in Portland is that I wish I had windshield wipers for my glasses. And that’s kind of how it originated,” Contreras said.
The pitch that earned first place, Pillove, pitched by Shubhika Baral ’27 and Mia Marinović ’25, presented an idea for a noise-canceling pillow. The concept aimed to help people sleep more soundly in loud environments like dorm buildings. The concept combines noise-canceling technologies that reduce external noise without the discomfort of sleeping with headphones or earplugs.
According to Marinović, preparation for the competition was a major part of the team’s success.
“Leading up to the event, we spent several days refining our concept, creating a slide deck, building a simple prototype and practicing a timed script so every team member had a clear speaking role,” Marinović said.
She noted that their early brainstorming was centered on identifying real, everyday problems that students face.
“Before deciding on a product, I’d say the crucial point was starting from problems we could identify in everyone’s lives,” Marinović said.
That process eventually led to the development of Pillove, the pitch that won the competition.
“The concept combines tiny perimeter microphones, an ANC (active noise-canceling) module, and soft internal speakers embedded within memory foam,” Marinović wrote in a follow-up statement to The Mossy Log. “The pillow quietly reduces external noise without the discomfort of headphones or earplugs.”
Marinović also emphasized that the team’s presentation ultimately stood out because of how much effort went into shaping their delivery.
“I’d say the energy we brought, and the time we spent working on our script was what helped us a lot,” she said.
For those who could not attend Pitch Night, the Bates Center offers more opportunities for students interested in entrepreneurship and professional development. From Jan. 11-16, the center is offering Winterim, a fast-paced immersive week designed to develop entrepreneurial and leadership skills. Students interested in participating in Winterim can still apply, no experience required, through the Bates Center website. Students with questions about the Bates Center and their initiatives can email entrepreneurship@lclark.edu.
Additional reporting by Kendall Pantano
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