Robert Hitchcock
Aspiring entrepreneurs went head-to-head at Chapman University’s Panther Cage Pitch Competition as student founders and community innovators pitched their startups in a high-stakes, “Shark Tank”-style showdown hosted by the Ralph W. Leatherby Center for Entrepreneurship and Business Ethics on March 13.
Held at the Leatherby Center on Chapman’s Orange Campus, the premier annual event brought together more than 100 attendees, including investors, mentors and industry leaders, to watch 12 finalists present their ventures. Six student teams and six community startups delivered pitches to a panel of judges, competing for $3,000 in cash prizes and the opportunity to connect with angel investors and venture capitalists.
“Panther Cage is one of the most exciting events of the year for our entrepreneurship community,” said Cynthia West, Assistant Dean of Innovation and Entrepreneurship Programs. “It gives founders a platform to share their ideas, gain valuable feedback, and build connections that can help turn startups into successful ventures.”
Student Startup Winner
The top student prize went to Reelate, founded by Chapman students Brady Fisher and Zach Lipfield. The startup is a social-first entertainment discovery app designed to help users decide what to watch more quickly and confidently.
The platform allows users to rate and review movies and television shows, follow friends, create watchlists, and receive personalized recommendations based on their unique viewing preferences. By launching within dense campus communities, Reelate aims to build highly engaged social ecosystems before expanding to broader markets. The platform plans to monetize through a freemium subscription model and brand collaborations.
Other student finalists included startups led by Armaan Diwan (Ankura Solutions), Nathaniel Kim (FairShare), Nolan Tran (FlowShift), Jabir Sukkarieh (JARB) and Cole Morell (Layout).
Community Startup Winner
The community competition was won by emPATCH, founded by Karina Patel. The venture developed a topical patch designed to provide natural relief from premenstrual symptoms.
The latex-free, waterproof patch delivers up to 12 hours of relief and features a proprietary formulation that includes the South Asian plant shatavari. The company plans to sell directly to consumers while expanding through retail and e-commerce channels such as Amazon, Target, and Ulta Beauty.
Other community finalists included Kristen Del Dosso (Anti-na), Elias Morales (JiggyBank), Alexis Reeves (Psyche), Joseph P. Schramm (StrikeSure) and Bert Ankrom (UpZone Greenhouses LLC).
Keynote and Entrepreneurship Community
The event opened with remarks from entrepreneur Keith Pham, whose endowment funds the Panther Cage prize money.
Sports agent and author Leigh Steinberg delivered the keynote address, sharing insights on entrepreneurial resilience and discussing themes from his upcoming book The Comeback.
Attendees also heard from Innovation Grant recipients supported by California’s Accelerate California Hub, who demonstrated examples of successful startup pitches. Featured presenters included Reese Paddock and Jake diTargiani (The Portal), Venk Potula (Windblade Studios) and Nyleve Henry (Looks for Lease).
A Launchpad for Innovation
The event also highlighted additional entrepreneurs through rapid-fire 30-second pitches from applicants, showcasing the breadth of innovation emerging from both Chapman and the surrounding community.
Organizers noted that Panther Cage continues to grow as a key gathering for the university’s entrepreneurship ecosystem, bringing together students, founders, investors, and mentors each year to support new ideas and ventures.
With another successful competition in the books, Panther Cage continues to serve as a launchpad for the next generation of entrepreneurs, many of whom are already turning their ideas into real-world ventures.
