Entrepreneurs Kickstart Their Creativity at BASE Camp 2024

Every year, the University of Denver invites all DU students and alumni to apply to the intensive entrepreneurship incubator program known as BASE Camp. This year’s cohort included teams of teachers, engineers, poets, athletes and students from across the DU community. 

Highlights from BASE Camp 2024 included on-site visits to alumni-owned businesses, Mountain Crust Pizza and Bruz Beers, and workshops and classes led by a variety of alumni, faculty and entrepreneurs. BASE campers worked with faculty mentors from the Daniels College of Business and the Department of Media, Film and Journalism Studies and heard presentations from alumni entrepreneurs including Kevin Materi of FeelingHealth, John Winsor of Open Talent and Chennelle Diong of GoodLove Foods.

Held from July 26 to August 29, BASE Camp taught campers how to develop a go-to-market plan, the importance of being able to pivot your business when needed, and how to master the art of pitching their startups to potential customers and investors.

Here are the innovative ideas that campers came up with and showcased at the Final Pitch on Aug. 28.

Backswing Buddy

Finance student Jack Cambruzzi pitched his golf training aide, the Backswing Buddy—a perfect tool for the 20% of golfers that over-rotate their backswing. When placed between a golfer’s feet, the Backswing Buddy corrects their stance and swing.

For Cambruzzi, the product is about more than a longer drive. The increased performance, he says, also increases enjoyment, allowing people to fall in love with the game and avoid the frustration of over-rotation.

The Ritter

Looking to tap into the market of millions of podcast listeners across the country, Stella Corso (PhD ’24) and Leah Nieboer (PhD ’24) are putting their literary expertise to work with their podcast The Ritter. Seeking to offer listeners an alternative to the major voices that dominate the podcast world, Nieboer and Corso serve up witty and entertaining literary analysis and cultural commentary in every episode. And it goes beyond the recording studio—with plans to host live events including a live taping at DU this fall. 

Classopoly

Understanding personal finance can be challenging. What’s even more challenging? Teaching middle schoolers about personal finance. That’s why Joi Lin (PhD ’24) and Kristel Seibert created Classopoly, a  classroom management app that allows teachers to provide students with an understanding of important fiscal skills, from budgeting and taxes to saving for retirement. 

Denver Dumplings

Sam Fordyce is no newbie to the DU foodie scene. His previous venture, Briskets for Betterment, raised money for local charities and was a student favorite among the campus lunch options. At BASE Camp, he and business partner Bryson Timper started with a venture called SizzlePig Sausage, but after cooking up dumplings for lunch one day and realizing their potential, the pair pivoted and set their sights on revolutionizing the frozen meal section at your local grocery store with Denver Dumplings. 

Flauntabra

Named after the Greek goddess of confidence, media studies student MK Barlow’s startup, Flauntabra, is making customizable, asymmetric bras that provide a perfect fit for all. Based on conversations with friends, Barlow noticed a lack of options for asymmetric bras on the market and spent her summer developing prototypes and diving deep into market research.

RacePace

When Zach Bayler (BSEE ’24) was competing on DU’s swimming team, his parents couldn’t travel to watch his meets. Sometimes, a livestream was available, but the low budget, single-camera angle was often a lackluster viewing experience. That’s why he started RacePace, a data-enabled, customizable livestreaming service for collegiate swim teams. RacePace combines real-time swimmer data with computer vision to highlight the viewer’s preferred athlete. But it’s not just for parents—swimmers and coaches can utilize the video streams and data to improve performance.