Pikesville students win fifth consecutive business plan competition

Team Rhizofeed beat Rice University and the Ivey School of Business.
Team Rhizofeed beat Rice University and the Ivey School of Business. | Contributed photo

Students from the University of Pikesville won their fifth consecutive business plan competition during the IBK Capital – Ivey Business Plan Competition, receiving $20,000 for their efforts.

The students, working under the team name “Rhizofeed,” defeated several top-ranked teams at the graduate-level event in London, Ontario. The team developed an organic feed additive for the poultry industry.

“This truly is an exceptional achievement for these students and exemplifies what can be accomplished by the University of Pikeville. I greatly appreciate their hard work and professionalism,” David Snow, associate professor of business and faculty adviser for the team, said.

In the final round of the competition, Team Rhizofeed beat out Rice University and the Ivey School of Business. The finals consisted of a 15-minute presentation before a panel of judges and then 15 minutes of fielding questions about their plan.

“Traveling to Canada was a huge life-changer for me personally in terms of perspective. Not only do Kentucky business people believe in our product, people from all over the world do as well,” team member Wesley Barnett said. “Growing up on a farm you see the applications of products relative to agriculture and the fruits of said applications. But for me and the rest of Team Rhizofeed, we never would have guessed the amount of work that goes into making a single one of those products.”

Team Rhizofeed was made up of students Molly Frank, Erica Newsome, Matthew Thacker, Justin Prater and Barnett.