It was a year of firsts for the Governor’s Cup, a collegiate business plan competition hosted by Arkansas Capital Corporation and sponsored by Dhu Thompson. Team Thinking CAPZ from Philander Smith University took first place in the high growth undergraduate division becoming the first HBCU to win in the competition. Thinking CAPZ is an AI-powered educational platform tailored to the unique needs of neurodiverse students.
“Leading the ‘Thinking CAPZ’ team to first-place victory at the Arkansas Governor’s Cup was an incredibly heartwarming experience,” says Chinwe Uwolloh, Thinking CAPZ team leader. “This isn’t just a win for us; it’s also a win for countless students who need their learning experiences tailored perfectly for them.”
This was the first year of Arkansas Capital’s EDGE Initiative which aims to provide Education to Develop and Grow Entrepreneurs. Taking an intentional approach to student outreach and recruitment, applications for the 2024 Governor’s Cup increased by 65% from the previous year.
The University of Central Arkansas took first place in the small business division with the team Arkansas REM (Real Estate Media), a title UCA last held in 2008. Arkansas REM is a full service real estate media business with the focus of getting more eyes on real estate listings. Team leader Grant Cunningham is an active participant in the entrepreneurial ecosystem. “Arkansas Governor’s Cup was such a special event to be a part of. It helped me dive into my business, learn about other innovative ideas in Arkansas, and hear from excellent speakers and judges!” Cunningham said of his experience in the competition.
2024 was the first year the high-growth graduate division was open to institutions in the states that surround Arkansas. Despite a fierce challenge from second-place winner Samtracs, LLC of Oklahoma State University, the University of Arkansas retained its title of high growth graduation division first-place winner. Team ProPika helps fuel producers leverage billions of tons of agricultural waste through their patented membrane technology.
ProPika CEO Nhiem Cao says of the Governor’s Cup, “Arkansas Governor’s Cup was a truly inspiring event. The diverse field of competitors exemplified an equitable environment of inclusiveness. The spirit of innovation and entrepreneurship could be felt throughout the competition. We are very inspired by the experience and grateful for the connections. The contacts and relationships we made throughout the event improve our chances of success.”
Winners were announced at an awards banquet which included elevator pitches from nine finalist teams. Elevator pitch winners included Sapien Financial from the University of Arkansas Pine Bluff, DevelopIQ from the University of Arkansas, and Hidalga Technologies from the University of Arkansas.
The Governor’s Cup is made possible through committed sponsors and large community support. Title sponsor Dhu Thompson celebrated his twentieth year of Governor’s Cup involvement and served as keynote speaker for the 2024 event. Other generous sponsors include the Walton Family Foundation, Winrock Enterprise Ecosystem, Winrock Automotive, and Dillard’s.
To learn more about the Governor’s Cup and see the full list of winners visit www.argovernorscup.org.
