We were #RowanPROUD to celebrate Rowan University's centennial during the Rohrer New Venture Competition and Expo. The daylong program highlighted entrepreneurship, creativity and innovation over the decades.

In addition to the competition and expo, the event featured a lineup of distinguished speakers, including Julian Doroteo ‘22, Founder of Shears Hair Studio; Gianna Intile ‘19, Founder of Feelin’ Blue; Brian Ruiz ‘08, Founder and CEO of Strategic Billing Enterprise; and Fred Hodge ‘06, President and Co-Founder of Clearview Washing. Each speaker shared insights about their business and how Rowan impacted their entrepreneurial journeys.

A highlight of the day was the presentation of the inaugural Rohrer Innovator Award by Ms. Linda Rohrer presented to Kayvon Jahanbakhsh ’19 and Mike Lombardo ‘18, co-founders of Halfday Iced Tea. This award, named in honor of William G. Rohrer, a true innovator and entrepreneur, recognized Kayvon and Mike for their outstanding innovation, creativity, and pioneering spirit. Their journey from a class project in Dr. Michael Dominik's Entrepreneurship and Innovation class in 2017 to a thriving business with 22 employees showcases their remarkable progress and success.

Today, Halfday is sold in nearly 7,000 stores and has partnerships with major retailers including Whole Foods, Target, Wegmans, and Wawa. In fact, Whole Foods named Halfday as part of their 2024 National Trends List. Their success earned them spots on Forbes' 30 Under 30 list in 2023 and they remain active in supporting current student startups at Rowan.

Learn more about the day's activities and participants here.

2024 AccelerateRU Program

AccelerateRU runs over Summer 2024 from June 21 through August 30th. Students can earn seed-funding for their companies and will participate in virtual, topical webinars. The program will end with a two-day, in-person bootcamp.

Applications are due by 11:59pm on May 19th. Apply here.

2024 Think Like an Entrepreneur Summer Academy

Applications are open for Rowan's 8th annual Think Like an Entrepreneur Summer Academy for high school students. Rising juniors and seniors will learn how to conceive, develop, prototype, and sell their ideas, all while earning three college course credits. Thanks to the generous support of the TD Charitable Foundation, participation in the academy is free of charge!

Applications are due by 11:59pm on June 2nd, but apply by 11:59pm on May 24th for priority consideration. Apply here.

Jerah Siegel '21, founder of Biodome, is committed to eradicating food deserts and improving transparency in fruit and vegetable production. This month, Jerah was named to New Jersey's Innovate100 list, acknowledging his innovative work with Biodome and his contributions to the community. He was also featured on the Sustainiacs Podcast this month, where he shared how his company is advancing the field of indoor farming. Congrats Jerah!

Healthcare executive, Rowan University alumnus, and Entrepreneur in Residence Joseph C. Cosgrove '00 was appointed to the University’s Board of Trustees during its April 10 meeting. In recognition of his accomplishments, Cosgrove will accept an honorary Doctor of Entrepreneurship degree at this year’s Commencement on May 4. Read the full story here.

Aiden Tahmazian (Mechanical Engineering '26), co-founder of Circlez, was named to the Philadelphia Business Journal's 2024 Inno Under 25 list. This recognition celebrates individuals who are making a positive impact in the Greater Philadelphia startup ecosystem through innovation. Learn more here. Congrats Aiden!

This month, Peter Barberie, the curator of photography at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, shared insights with students about the role of a curator in a museum. He was also invited to select one distinguished work from the stARTup Gallery, which showcased over 100 student photographs curated by the Creatives 230 team. 

Congratulations to Siena Rampulla '23, M '25 for being chosen as one of four finalists in the SubSummit pitch competition. Siena will be competing for non equity seed funding for her mobile app, PULLATracker. Best of luck, Siena!

Megan Steckler (Entrepreneurship / Marketing '24) has made history as the first-ever Rowan Radio member to receive two Gracie Awards. Serving as the public affairs director of Rowan Radio, she hosted "A Community Affair," a show where she interviewed local experts on tri-state area issues. Read the full story here.

Season 4 of the Entrepreneurship at Rowan podcast is now available for streaming on all podcast platforms. Tune in on the go and get inspired by the stories of Rowan alumni and current student entrepreneurs! Listen here.

Kayvon Jahanbakhsh ’19 and Mike Lombardo ‘18, co-founders of Halfday Iced Tea, recently shared their founder journey in an interview on Good Day Philadelphia. Watch here.