Student Entrepreneur Takes Second at Statewide Business Plan Competition

MELBOURNE, FLA.—Mark Moyou, a Florida Institute of Technology doctoral student in systems engineering , was among student entrepreneurs from Florida universities and colleges who recently presented their business plans to a panel of judges at the Florida Venture Forum Statewide Collegiate Business Plan Competition, held in Orlando, Fla. Moyou, who has been refining his ideas in the university’s Nathan M. Bisk College of Business Student Business Incubator, took second place honors.

Also competing were University of Florida, Florida State University, University of Miami, University of Central Florida, University of South Florida, Rollins College and Florida Gulf Coast University.

Moyou pitched a plan for a company concept of Moyou’s called Collaborate, which would develop medical communication software. The company would use video, audio, text and file-sharing between doctors and nurses at hospitals to save time, improve communication and increase efficiency.

“Mark did a fantastic job and we are very proud of him,” said Scott Benjamin, Florida Tech assistant professor in the Nathan M. Bisk College of Business and director of the university’s Student Business Incubator.

Moyou, who is working on his doctoral degree, will likely put his winning business idea on hold while he finishes these studies.

“This is our first year of participating in this event thanks to a sponsorship by an alumnus. We can also credit Dr. Benjamin for making this happen,” said Ann Becker, dean of the Nathan M. Bisk College of Business.

Florida Tech alumnus and board member of the Florida Venture Forum Ed McCarthy provided financial support for the Florida Tech entry and encouraged the university’s participation. “I was pleased to see the university represented at this forum. There is no greater mission than the encouragement of entrepreneurship and the development of innovative ideas,” he said.