University at Buffalo School of Management

4 Buffalo Business | BUSINESS ANALYTICS SOCIAL IMPACT OF MANAGEMENT BUSINESS OF CLIMATE CHANGE INNOVATION, ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND LEADERSHIP Startups Team says "cheeze" to win UB entrepreneurship competition The creators of a plant-based, cheese- alternative sauce took first place April 18 at UB's Henry A. Panasci Jr. Technology Entrepreneurship Competition. The winning team, first-year MBA students Matthew Mullens and Neharika Korati, received $25,000 in startup capital and in-kind services valued at $40,000 for their company, Empasta, which produces what the team calls "cheeze" sauce — a healthier, tasty cheese alternative. Mullens was inspired with the idea in 2019 and wanted to create a product that has a low impact on the planet while being accessible and satisfying to those who have adopted a plant-based diet. He says the team was able to apply several concepts from the past two semesters of the MBA program. "Even though I founded Empasta before coming to UB, our pitch was so much more refined because we had a better understanding of the language of busi- ness and how to communicate the value we are adding to people who engage with our product," he adds. The second-place team, Dominic LaVigne, a mechanical engineering student in the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, and Daniel Chan, a School of Management student, will collect $10,000 for Exergi, which develops and deploys a solar energy generator for residential and small commercial buildings. Selected from 31 first-round pitches and 12 semifinalists, six teams of finalists delivered 5-minute pitches to a panel of judges and other viewers, and were evalu- ated on how well they described the feasi- bility and marketability of their venture, proved the need for their product or service and presented potential sources of capital. Panasci TEC was created in 2001 by the UB School of Management and the UB Office of Business and Entrepreneur Partnerships, and is funded with a $1 million endowment from the late Henry A. Panasci Jr. Hosted by UB's Startup and Innovation Collaboratory powered by Blackstone LaunchPad, the event brings together UB students from science, technology, business and other disciplines to maximize their potential and create viable businesses in Western New York. 2024 Panasci winners, Empasta: Neharika Korati and Matthew Mullens. Photo illustration: Douglas Levere

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