The Grant program awards grants up to $3,000 to individuals or teams to launch sustainable enterprises that create commercial, artistic, social and/or scientific value.
If you are interested in applying visit our Entrepreneurial Grant Application page.
Fall 2013
Abdi Musse ’15 (Computer Science & Art Studio), Patrick McWilliams ’14 (Management Studies & Sociology/Anthropology), and James Marshall ’14 (Management Studies & Music)
Project: Bookdem
Bookdem is an online platform that allows students to buy and sell used items from their college classmates. Bookdem is the quickest and easiest way for college students to buy and sell used and unneeded items like textbooks, electronics, dorm room decor, and furniture.
Ben Carlson ’16
Major: Economics and History
Project: Jolly Fly Fishing
Jolly Fly Fishing provides guided fly fishing trips and fly fishing instruction, as well as maintaining a website and blog that keeps fly fishing community members updated on the happenings in the Midwestern fly fishing world. The key to this Midwestern fly fishing world is diversity. Unlike many typical fly fishing operations in the east and west United States, the Midwest has a huge variety in fishing options, including location, species, type of water, and access to water (boat, wade). The key to gaining credibility in the Midwestern fly fishing world is to provide clients with options to better tailor a unique fishing experience for them. This credibility will lead to more clients, and drawing a larger demographic client base.
Jasper Kozak-Miller ’16
Major: Individual Major
Project: Over The Boards Hockey
Over The Boards LLC is a North American media outlet focused on the development of hockey players and the sport itself, as well as college hockey and amateur hockey news. It is divided into Over The Boards, a typical advertising model news site with a focus on amateur hockey and college recruiting, and OTB Elite, a subscription ‐ based scouting service designed for hockey professionals and interested fans. The two sites share player and hockey information, and that reciprocal relationship betters both products.
Spring 2013
Joseph Adetola Adedigba ’14
Major: Chemistry/Pre-Med
Project: Saki Water Well
As a native Nigerian, Joseph Adetola Adedigba chose to make a significant impact in his native country by constructing a water well
in the community he grew up in. Joseph’s venture funded the construction of the Saki Water Well; this water well will not only improve access to clean water in Saki, but also provide employment to women in this Nigerian community.
Keenan Gladd-Brown ’16 (Biology) and Adithya Balaji ’16 (Economics and Psycology)
Project: Off the Hill Designs
Off the Hill Design is a consignment-based website selling the products and services of college artists and performers. In addition to sales, Off the Hill Designs will also offer microloans to participating artists and performers.
Matthew Job ’14
Major: Economics and French
Project: Holdbar
Holdbar is the solution to many of the frustrations suffered by bunk bed users. Matthew Job has designed and built a bunk bed tray that provides a large usable surface, is built of sturdy high-quality materials, and is easy to use.
Carina Lofgren ’16
Major: Media Studies
Project: Carina Lofgren Photography
Carina Lofgren Photography’s mission is to meet each customer’s needs by capturing valuable moments and the magnificence in the everyday.
Carina provides affordable high-quality photography services to college students, local businesses, and other members of the community.
Fall 2012
Sudip Bhandari ’14
Major: Biology and Political Science
Project: The Anne Frank Project
Working with the Anne Frank Project in Amsterdam and select schools in Nepal, Sudip designed an educational display and workshop to educate Nepalese youth about the consequences of compromising democracy in order to support an extremist leader. The touring curriculum accurately portrays the history of Germany, Hitler and the Holocaust, something the current Nepalese curriculum does not currently address.
Erik Brust ’14 (Econ. , Statistics), Andrew Sather ’14 (Economics),
Connor Wray ’14 (Econ. & Comp. Sci.) and Kilian Wald ’14 (Econ. & Political Science)
Project: JonnyPops
Made by Oles for Oles, JonnyPops, the frozen gourmet treats being sold on campus and in downtown Northfield, are a product of the time, energy, and ambition of four budding entrepreneurs. Sophomores Erik Brust, Connor Wray, Andrew Sather, and Kilian Wald bonded as first-year students through their self-formed investment club, and in 2010 they decided to start a business that would combine an alternative dessert with locally available ingredients.
Kyle Hanson ’13
Major: Economics and Russian Area Studies
Project: EntwinedWeb Solutions
EntwinedWeb Solutions is a web services consulting company that works with businesses to deliver customized services to solve businesses’ technology problems as well as developing our own software products with a focus on open-sourced technologies and transparency. Our first product, ConnectedEatery (name pending), powers restaurants with easy-to-use table based menus with support for hostess table management.
Corey Ruder, Lyla Amini, Emily Hoar and Sudip Bhandari
Project: Ole Thrift Shop
The Ole Thrift Shop is a student-led initiative that is committed to increasing the sustainability of St. Olaf College by extending the lifecycle of goods that would normally be discarded. Started by Corey Ruder, Lyla Amini, Emily Hoar and Sudip Bhandari, Ole Thrift Shop is dedicated to empowering students with the knowledge of how their purchasing choices can be both environmentally conscious and economical. It strives for a paradigm shift in the cultural, social, and ethical practices of our community members, and aim to establish responsible consumerism as a practice that is continued by students throughout their lifetime.
Spring 2012
Risa Piper ’15
Major: Pre-med, Anthropology, Biomedical Studies
Project: Bling for a Cause: Sparkle that Matters
Bling for a Cause is an organizaiton that partners with the St. Olaf Bookstore to advertise, embellish, and sell St. Olaf apparel or personal apparel. All profits will be donated to the Hope Center in Faribault, MN
Darin Steffl ’13
Major: Economics with emphasis in Business Management
Project: Minnesota WiFi LLC
Minnesota WiFi is a wireless internet provider whose primary mission is to provide affordable, reliable, and fast high speed internet to consumers and businesses. Service will start at the grain elevator in Kasson, MN and will be able to reach over 1,000 households from this one location. In smaller towns that have weak competition, we will provide service in town as well as the rural areas outside the town. To strengthen rural coverage, rural AP locations will be placed on grain silos from farmers who are willing to trade free space for internet access.
Christian Weeks ’13
Major: Physics
Project: Christian Viggo Furniture
Woodtheory is dedicated to producing heirloom quality furniture and household goods primarily out of hardwoods and steel. Woodtheory’s general design philosophy follows that of clean, minimalist form with influences predominantly drawn from Danish Modern, Mid-Century, and Contemporary styles. Woodtheory welcomes custom jobs and requests.
Florian Weil ’15
Major: Exercise Science Major, Management Studies Concentration
Project: Münchner Freiheit
Münchner Freiheit stands for luxury tours with excellent customer service, magnificent roads, hotels, meals and in general experiences of a lifetime. Münchner Freiheit will provide guided tours through Europe.
Nicholas Kang ’12, Julia Coffin ’12, John DeFrance ’12, Rachel Buchmeier ’13, Anne Brooker ’13, Sudip Bhandari ’14, Juan Francisco Yanqui ’14, Isaac Rysdahl ’14, Steven Wett ’15
Project: STO Talks: Ideas and Innovation for Social Change
A one-day conference shaped around a series of short, entertaining pres. from the most inspired Olaf professors, students & alumni who are passionate about sharing their best ideas with the greater comm. The talks facilitate a new level of connectivity throughout the St. Olaf academic comm. through the sharing of ideas and innovations of how our critical thinking & unselfish ideals are preparing us to make a positive impact on the comm. around us.