Carly MurphyThe Panther Cage Match is designed to mimic the high-stakes environment of popular television pitch shows, providing participants with a real-world platform to showcase their ventures. Finalists selected through a rigorous application process will present their pitches in front of distinguished judges, including seasoned entrepreneurs and investors, who will evaluate each presentation based on innovation, viability, and impact.
Chapman University’s Leatherby Center for Entrepreneurship and Business Ethics invites innovative minds and curious individuals to the Panther Cage Match, a dynamic pitch competition on April 12 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Participants, including students, alumni, faculty, staff, and community entrepreneurs, present their startups, products, or ideas to expert judges for cash prizes and invaluable feedback.
Highlighting the event, Colleen Schwab, Global Digital Innovation Lead in the Cloud Innovation Programs at Amazon Web Services (AWS), will kick off the pitch competition with a talk on Amazon’s Culture of Innovation at 10 a.m. Attendees will learn about the principles driving Amazon’s success and how these strategies can be applied to their own entrepreneurial endeavors.
“Amazon’s journey from a simple online bookstore to a global powerhouse is a testament to the power of innovation and an unwavering commitment to customer satisfaction,” said Colleen Schwab. “I’m excited to share how Amazon cultivates a culture of innovation that encourages bold ideas and relentless customer focus.”
Cynthia West, Director of the Leatherby Center for Entrepreneurship and Business Ethics, emphasized the importance of such events in fostering a spirit of innovation in the community. “The Panther Cage Match is more than a competition, it’s a celebration of innovation and a testament to the entrepreneurial spirit that thrives at Chapman University. We are proud to provide a platform where aspiring entrepreneurs can shine, learn, and grow.”
The #1 winner of the Panther Cage Match competition in 2022, Eli Schecter, was running Safe Title as a senior attending Chapman University. After his win, Schecter has since raised $500,000 for his company and attracted a CEO from the Tesla Foundation to assist him.
The event is open to all— The Panther Cage Match welcomes all participants, transcending boundaries set by academic disciplines or professional backgrounds. This competition extends its reach beyond the campus, inviting individuals from across Orange County to join in.
Event Details:
Panther Cage Match Pitch Competition
Date: April 12
Time: 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Location: Chapman University, 549 W. Palm Ave. Orange, CA 92868 Leatherby Center for Entrepreneurship and Business Ethics
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About Chapman University’s Leatherby Center for Entrepreneurship and Business Ethics
The vision of the Leatherby Center for Entrepreneurship is to inspire, educate, and empower the next generation of talent to have an entrepreneurial mindset. To teach students how to innovate and take risks, whether they are starting their own venture, or working inside a corporation. Through our curriculum and our incubator, we provide hands-on experience to the next generation of talent, teaching them how to develop, scale, and launch their own ventures as future global citizens in the world economy. Learn More: Ralph W. Leatherby Center for Entrepreneurship and Business Ethics | Chapman University
About Chapman University
Founded in 1861, Chapman University is a nationally ranked private university in Orange, California, about 30 miles south of Los Angeles. Chapman serves nearly 10,000 undergraduate and graduate students, with a 12:1 student-to-faculty ratio. Students can choose from 123 areas of study within 11 colleges for a personalized education. Chapman is categorized by the Carnegie Classification as an R2 “high research activity” institution. Students at Chapman learn directly from distinguished world-class faculty including Nobel Prize winners, MacArthur fellows, published authors and Academy Award winners. The campus has produced a Rhodes Scholar, been named a top producer of Fulbright Scholars and hosts a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa, the nation’s oldest and most prestigious honor society. Chapman also includes the Harry and Diane Rinker Health Science Campus in Irvine. The university features the No. 4 film school and No. 60 business school in the U.S. Learn more about Chapman University: www.chapman.edu.
Media Contact
Carly Murphy, Public Relations Coordinator | carmurphy@chapman.edu | Desk: 714-289-3196 | Mobile: 714-497-9683
