{"id":35,"date":"2020-09-08T09:25:00","date_gmt":"2020-09-08T09:25:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/poole.ncsu.edu\/magazine\/?p=35"},"modified":"2022-03-02T21:27:16","modified_gmt":"2022-03-03T02:27:16","slug":"meet-poole-entrepreneurs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/poole.ncsu.edu\/magazine\/meet-poole-entrepreneurs\/","title":{"rendered":"Meet Our Entrepreneurs"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

NC State and Poole College of Management offers hands-on, real-world experience for entrepreneurs through a wealth of programs and initiatives that turn ideas into reality. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The following start-ups have been chosen to complete the 2020 Andrews Launch Accelerator<\/a>, a 14-week summer program designed to help NC State entrepreneurs take their startups to the next level. The Accelerator also allocates equity-free seed capital to startups that complete the program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alumnus Robert \u201cChip\u201d F. Andrews III \u2013 who earned his bachelor of arts in economics from the university in 1966 and is a current member of the Board of Trustees \u2013 and his wife Lyn have committed $1 million to establish the NC State Acceleration Fund<\/a>, which will award grants annually to student startup companies.<\/p>\n\n\n

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321 Coffee employees<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n
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Lindsay Wrege, CEO of 321 Coffee pictured with her team members<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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One of 321 Coffee’s 21 baristas working with intellectual and developmental disabilities<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/section>\n\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n\n

321 Coffee<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

CEO Lindsay Wrege grew up watching her friends with IDD struggle to find meaningful employment opportunities and she made it her mission to work towards lowering the unemployment rates for adults with disabilities. 321 Coffee is a nonprofit coffee shop that employs individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) located and is a staple vendor at the State Farmer\u2019s Market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAdditionally, we provide individualized and supportive training to develop our employees’ professional skills. I continue to be amazed by their growth and dedication. We are creating a space for society to recognize the unique value and strengths of individuals with IDD,\u201d Wrege says. \u201cUltimately, we hope to grow 321 Coffee into a brand that promotes employment of this community across multiple industries.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The coffee shop now has 21 baristas \u2013 all individuals with disabilities \u2013 being payed above minimum wage. Their executive team is looking to the Andrews Launch Accelerator program to guide them through modifying retail operations in the wake of COVID-19.<\/p>\n\n\n

More about 321 Coffee \u00a0 <\/svg> <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Malik McCray (middle) and his Simpliworks teammates<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n\n

Simpliworks<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Recent Poole College graduate Malik McCray applied his previous experience working as an Amazon reseller for manufacturers when founding Simpliworks, a company that aims to make effective online advertising accessible to businesses of all kinds and sizes. Simpliworks utilizes smart-technology to help Amazon sellers launch scalable advertising campaigns with the capability of getting their products in front of thousands of customers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since Simpliworks\u2019 conception, McCray teamed up with fellow NC State classmate Udeh Onwuka, the current computer scientist and lead developer of Simpliworks, to develop and algorithm to test in live markets. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThrough the [Andrews Launch] Accelerator, we hope to acquire the knowledge, skills and resources necessary to bring our beta product to the mass market,\u201d McCray says. \u201cIt will provide a great opportunity to gain valuable experience and stress test our business model.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n

More about Simpliworks\u00a0 <\/svg> <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Irina Perdew, founder of Vetletics<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n\n

Vetletics<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Vetletics was born from doctorate of veterinary medicine candidate Irina Perdew\u2019s idea of pneumatic compression device designed specifically for horses. The company, a research and development organization of veterinary products for the medical and athletic sectors, has now created and patented its flagship device with the help of NC State\u2019s Office of Research Commercialization.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Perdew also collaborated with Lauren Schnabel, associate professor of equine orthopedic surgery at NC State; Matthew Breen, NC State professor of genomics; and Oscar J. Fletcher, professor of comparative oncology genetics at NC State. All three are now a part of her start-up team. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAnyone can start a business, but it is a challenge to develop and sustain a successful one,\u201d Perdew says. \u201cThe Accelerator program is a once in a lifetime opportunity to network and learn from experts as we structure and plan our business \u2013 and I know it will help us avoid common pitfalls so that we don\u2019t waste our opportunity to impact these veterinary sectors.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n

More about Vetletics\u00a0 <\/svg> <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Niki and Rikita Shamdasani closing the Sani runway show.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Niki and Rikita Shamdasani, co-founders of Sani.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n\n

Sani<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Sani, a clothing brand offering South Asian inspired fashion for a new generation, is a true family affair with co-founding sisters Niki and Ritika Shamdasani running the show. The two women realized the lack of modernization and style when shopping for an Indian wedding and went to work designing their first mini collection in 2017. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Shamdasani sisters\u2019 success continued when Sani became the first South Asian brand on the Rent the Runway platform, an online service that provides designer dress and accessory rentals. Rikita is now managing her time between the company and completing her bachelor\u2019s degree in fashion textile management at NC State. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sani is also one of the four out of five Andrews Launch Accelerator startups for 2020 that are women-led.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe are so grateful and excited to participate in this year\u2019s program,\u201d Ritika Shamdasani says. \u201cWe hope to soak up and act on as much as possible from the weekly sessions; and we\u2019re looking forward to building a community of our fellow founders, the incredible accelerator staff, and other mentors.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n

More about Fashion Forward\u00a0 <\/svg> <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n

Related: A Conversation with Chip Andrews<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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