Staff report

The finalists have been announced for Youngstown State University’s Penguin Shark Tank competition Thursday.

The event takes place 5:30 p.m. in the Williamson Hall Auditorium. The event is free and open to students, faculty, staff and the public. Doors open at 5 p.m.

The event offers students the opportunity to compete for up to $10,000, with top prizes awarded for best business idea and best established business. There also is a prize for the audience-selected fan favorite.

Finalists for best business idea are:

• Sai Teja Reddy Bokka, a mechanical engineering graduate student, who is building Vigyus, a platform for STEM education.

• Jan Harter, a junior business analytics and economics major, who is developing a piece of climbing equipment.

• Nabayt Kibreab, a junior computer science and economics major, who is developing Velora, a stock-trading platform.

Finalists for best established business are:

• Alexis Gaetano, a senior marketing major whose business is ACG Media Marketing.

• Hailey Bonner, a junior marketing major who started Coastavida Jewelry.

• Cadence McStowe, a freshman nursing student whose business is Tallowtalk Skincare.

Stacy Howlett, CEO of Howlett Logistics, will provide the keynote address before contestants make their final pitches to the judges.

The panel of judges includes Howlett, Linda Barton of Sweet Memories Vintage Tees, Patrick Burgan of Burgan Real Estate, Mark Lamoncha of Humtown Products and DeShawn Scott of The D5 Group.

The event is funded in part by a grant from Burton D. Morgan Foundation. Additional prize money includes the John D. Burgan Entrepreneurship Prize.

For more information, contact Cynthia Manofsky at 330-941-2358 or ccmanofsky@ysu.edu.