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Price College graduate student Blaine Stansel (second left) receives the 1st place trophy for the Perpetual Pharmaceuticals group from Governor Brad Henry (center) Thursday evening at the Oklahoma Donald W. Reynolds Governor’s Cup Awards Dinner, held in Bricktown, Oklahoma City. On stage for the presentation, from left to right, is i2E CEO Greg Main, Blaine Stensel, Gov. Henry, Price College graduate student Pauline Stein, and advisor Lowell Busenitz. The Governor’s Cup is a tri-state competition for undergraduate and graduate college students that judges technology-baswed business startup plans.

Abstract:
Two OU teams took first place in their divisions at the 2008 Oklahoma Donald W. Reynolds Governor's Cup Thursday night. Another team took second, and one student received a scholarship at the event.

OU business students win $20K in competition

Norman, OK | Posted on April 25th, 2008

Business graduate students Pauline Sein and Blaine Stansel of Team Perpetual Pharmaceuticals took first place in the Business Cup graduate division. They won $20,000 and will compete in the 2008 Business Cup Tri-State Competition in Las Vegas next month. The tri-state competition winners will take home $25,000.

"Perpetual Pharmaceuticals developed an intelligent insulin that minimizes complications of diabetes," Stansel said.

He said he intends to invest some of the money and use the rest for living expenses in New York, where he plans to continue working with the company.

Sein said she would also invest some of the money, but said her recent engagement will absorb most of the award.

The Synthesized Nano Coating team took first place for the undergraduate division. They received the $20,000 award from Gov. Brad Henry and won a place at the tri-state competition.

The team created and patented a nanotechnology-based fabric that enhances the treatment for cotton, making it waterproof. Ben Ikard, entrepreneurship, accounting and finance senior, said the technology wraps around individual cotton fibers to maintain comfort and feel.

"With the treatment, the cotton will be better protected from stains and repel water fairly well," he said.

OU's Team Nantiox took second place in the undergraduate division for its work advancing research for the company of the same name. The team won $10,000 and will also go to the tri-state competition.

Nantiox Pharmaceutics developed a nanoparticle for treating age-related blindness.

John Woodson, chemical engineering senior, said the team created a business plan for the technology, which an OU professor developed.

"We wrote the grants [and] contacted the FDA. It's been a lot of hard work, but it's been worth it," he said.

Eddie Coates, a business senior and member of the Fusion Recruits team, won $5,000. His team developed a social-networking Web site for coaches trying to recruit athletes. He said they designed the Web site to transform college recruiting to a smoother process.

All participants began developing their business plans last year and presented them to three rounds of judges. The judges selected six finalists for each division. The top three teams recieved awards, but only the top two advance to Las Vegas.