WMU News

Student finalists for $100K Cultivate 269 pitch competition announced

Contact: Paula M. Davis
March 30, 2026

KALAMAZOO, Mich.—Nine Western Michigan University students are about to go head-to-head for a shot at up to $100,000 to turn their dreams of entrepreneurship into reality. The finalists for Kalamazoo Forward Ventures’ inaugural Cultivate 269 pitch competition have been selected.

The finalists determined by community vote are: 

The finalists selected by judges are: 

Next up is the Cultivate 269 pitch night on Friday, April 10, from 5 to 7 p.m. at the WMU Student Center. Registration is open for the high-energy, high-stakes event, during which each finalist will get six minutes to convince the audience and a panel of judges to bet big on their budding business.  

Inaugural success

These finalists rose to the top from a pool of 49 applicants, who were evaluated by a selection committee comprising representatives from WMU, venture capital and technology companies, financial institutions, economic development groups, and community leaders. A simultaneous monthlong public vote period also drew in engagement from more than 2,000 Broncos—nearly 10% of Western’s student body.

“The response to the inaugural Cultivate 269 has been extraordinary,” says Dwayne Powell Jr., chief operating officer and main street managing partner of Kalamazoo Forward Ventures. “When thousands of students engage in the voting process and bold ideas rise to the top, it proves the next generation of entrepreneurs is already here. At Kalamazoo Forward Ventures, we believe ownership builds stronger communities and Cultivate 269 is helping ignite the next generation of builders in Kalamazoo.”

Cultivate 269, a partnership between Kalamazoo Forward Ventures and Western Michigan University, is Michigan’s largest student pitch competition where winners keep 100% of their equity.

“The inaugural year of Cultivate 269 absolutely blew me away!” says Marcel Fable Price, director of platform and programming at Kalamazoo Forward Ventures. “This truly was the lightning rod we hoped it would be, and we learned a ton about how to improve the process moving forward.”

The pitch night event caps off Western’s Research, Innovation and Creative Scholarship Week, which showcases the impressive research and exciting venture-building underway across campus.

“At Western Michigan University, we believe education is most impactful when students apply what they learn,” says Dr. Remzi Seker, vice president for research and innovation at WMU. “Through programs like Cultivate 269, our Broncos are empowered to move from ideas to real-world solutions.” 

Moving forward 

Each finalist is now receiving mentorship from A:LAB, a Michigan-based business consulting firm, which is helping to polish the contenders’ pitch decks and get their presentations ready for prime time. On pitch night at the student center, the finalists will each make the case for their unique business plan.

A panel of five judges will award the $75,000 grand prize for the best pitch from the committee’s top five finalists as well as a $25,000 prize to the best pitch from the four popular vote finalists.  

In addition to the competition, pitch night will also feature food from local vendors and a live DJ spinning a soundtrack for energized networking, giving all students the opportunity to share their ideas and make connections.

“One of the things I am most excited about—outside of seeing this process bloom and the pitch event on April 10—is that we will have a ton of our local entrepreneur support organizations present,” says Fable. “From grant-makers like United Way to coaches like Sisters in Business, Startup Zoo and Room 35, there will be resources available to help many of the 49 applicants get traction and possibly even seed funding. This is a bridge that will be unapologetically Kalamazoo, a long-overdue connection between community and campus, and most of all: It is going to be fun.” 

For more WMU news, arts and events, visit WMU News online.