
2023 WVB Finals
April 28th, 2023 @ 12:45 PM
Sticht Lecture Hall
Click below to relive the final round!

Nine teams competed for their share of over $25,000!
How it works
Each team advancing to the finals made it through a rigorous round of review by independent reviewers, who scored the teams’ pitches based on criteria such as their solution to a real problem, their forecasted costs & revenue, and their unfair advantage.
Each team pitched to a panel of judges. Presentations were 8 minutes long, followed by 6 minutes of Q&A.
The Competitors

Athletes After
A sports recruitment platform designed to help give high school athletes the power and information they need.
Justin Demild ’24
Max Muncy ’24

Bridge
A creative media and networking platform for those in the music industry.
Elliot Eyre ’24
Caleb Warrick ’24
Maura Donatelli ’24

Cliqz
A social network designed to take people from bored in their apartments to out and doing things in as few clicks as possible.
Joe Gray ’24

Folded Hands
An application that allows members of a congregation to connect with other members of their church and their pastor to engage in prayer.
Dillon Werstiuk ’23
David Kraus ’23
Avalon Parsons ’23

Just Pause
An accountability and companion app for individuals living with Bipolar Disorder.
Luke Gilligan ’24
Mark Wilhelm ’23

PrayReal
A faith-based social media that connects you with your Christian friends when you respond to a daily, spontaneous notification to pray.
Grace Anne Shaw ’24
Cade Voller ’26
Jack Bowery ’26
Ally Gaines ’25
Sarah Anderson ’25

Sabbatica
Provides a 3 to 5 day micro-sabbatical program that aims to rest, refresh, & rejuvenate burnt out employees and pastors.
Jake Botkin ’23
Grant Baierl ’23
Rachel Goetz ’24

Songbird
A gamified education app that teaches music to students with special needs.
Jenna Knepper ’25
Zach Warrick ’26
Rachel Petschke ’26
Aliyah Shelatz ’25
Addison Byers ’24

Virtual Clarity
Virtual reality technology for behavioral health units and those experiencing depression.
Anna Ortiz ’24
Emma Ruby Whiteford ’24
Results
How much $$$ did each team walk away with?
Songbird: $6,050 +$500 Fan Favorite
Just Pause: $4,240
Bridge: $4,100 + $500 Fan Favorite
Athletes After: $3,650
Cliqz: $2,760
Virtual Clarity: $1,900
Folded Hands: $1,600
PrayReal: $1,520
Sabbatica: $300
Junior Judges Program
This year, we welcomed 50 students from 14 different high schools to join us at the battle as Junior Judges.
These students each had the opportunity to award a $20 prize to the team that they felt deserves their vote.

Thank you to our Reviewers!
Our reviewers faced the difficult task of narrowing the field of competitors down to the nine finalist teams.
Freddie Bremble ’80 |
Allyson Sveda ’88 |
Dean Faklis |
Bob Baierl |
Liam Krut ’14 |
Winifred McGee ’77 |
Alan Mesches ’71 |
Jennifer Gilliland |
Alissa Sgro ’96 |
Lesley Winfield ’92 |
Rob Wright ’04 |
Paul Marshall ’78 |
Edward Huttenhower ’76 |
Scott Brainard ’76 |
Chris Botting ’83 |
Brad Dearborn ’78 |
Tiffany Bicek ’18 |
Kim Ford ’72 |
Melissa Jacobs ’92 |
Evan Lowe ’89 |
Scott McDowell ’87 |
Ronald Miller ’75 |
John Romain ’85 |
Steve Wickman |
Lindy Hitzel ’19 |
Toby Basalla ’98 |
Steve Solman ’96 |
Frances Baldwin |
Sandy Frederick |
Glenn Grossman |
Kim Marks |
Chloe Sayers ’15 |
Ron Emery |
Brian Gongaware ’92 |
Warren Poschman ’98 |
Craig Creaturo ’92 |
Scott Inderbitzen ’10 |
John Holt ’84 |
William Messner ’96 |
Ruth Entwistle ’07 |
Beth Lepore |
Brian Montgomery ’96 |
Robin Parsons |
Dianne Ruhl ’89 |
Tim Tobitsch ’03 |
Joshua Weatherstone ’15 |
Curt Given ’84 |
Alex Graham ’67 |
Bob Keller ’73 |
James Will ’98 |
Patricia Premick ’84 |
Barbara Johnson ’79 |
Charles (Bob) Scott ’72 |
Andrew Ellison |
Collin Foster ’12 |
Don Lockhart ’67 |