University of Wisconsin Oshkosh senior William Dorsett, of Pine River, took home the grand prize of $1,000 in seed funding and a guaranteed spot in the upcoming Business Model Competition at the recent 90-Second Elevator Pitch Contest for his idea about new firefighting equipment to assist rural firefighters. Dorsett is a mechanical engineering technology major.

Second place went to first-year student Eliana Acosta, a social science education major from Grafton, for an exciting new condiment based on a family recipe. She won $350.

First-year student Shane Kinson, a music industry major from Elkhorn, was awarded $100 for his pitch about  headphones to assist those who experience sensory overload and auditory processing issues.

Hosted by the Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation (CEI) and Collegiate Entrepreneurs’ Organization, the contest is designed to be low-barrier and provide students with an opportunity to pitch their idea in a welcoming environment.

Guest judges for the competition were Kathy Fredrickson, Digital Marketing Clinic director; Brittney Racine, owner of Escape Oshkosh; Dayne Rusch, CEO of Vyper Industrial; and Jessica Solano, CEO of iSense Data.