Research, Innovation & Impact

Dec. 2, 2024

University of Missouri students in business, data science, education, engineering, journalism, sports management, and textile and apparel management recently competed to win thousands of dollars from Entrepreneur Quest (EQ) for their businesses.

They pitched ventures with  a wide range of offerings  including smart sensors, online games, virtual assistant services and streetwear featuring work from local artists. In the end, a panel of business leaders awarded a $30,000 prize pool to three teams.

• First place: Fynch Interactive, founded by Lucas Crow, a senior in business administration in the Robert J. Trulaske, Sr. College of Business and computer science in the College of Engineering from Nixa, Missouri, and Noah Fouts, a senior in computer science from Jefferson City, Missouri.
   
• Second place: Soundcheck, founded by Kiley Grimes, a senior in business administration from Springfield, Illinois.
   
• Third place: The Melt Masters, founded by Kobe Messick, a senior in secondary education from Independence, Missouri, and Connor McHugh, a junior in strategic communication in the Missouri School of Journalism and economics in the College of Arts and Science from Chicago, Illinois.

Other EQ winners were Bishop Athlete Representation, founded by Jack Bishop, a sports management major in the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources who won $2,000 as the audience favorite at an earlier event, and OptiChart, founded by Paul Schuler Jr., a master’s student in health data science and analytics in the Mizzou Graduate School who received $1,500 from the Graduate Professional Council.

"The students in EQ are truly exceptional,” said Greg Bier, executive director of entrepreneurship programs. “Their creativity, determination and passion for innovation inspire us all, and many continue building their businesses after graduation.”

EQ helps students transform their ideas into viable startups ready for investor funding. The students accepted into this year’s semester-long program attended workshops, conducted market research at Ellis Library, worked with the School of Law's Entrepreneurship Legal Clinic and received coaching from business experts before participating in the final competition. Hawthorn Bank, U.S. Bank Foundation and the employees of Veterans United Home Loans sponsor EQ.

“The top teams have already taken significant concrete actions to establish their customer base and generate revenue,” Bier said. “They’ve made remarkable progress, and they are still full-time Mizzou Tigers!”

Read on to learn more about the winning businesses.
 

First place: Fynch Interactive, founded by Lucas Crow and Noah Fouts

EQ investment: $15,000

Crow and  Fouts create online games and branded experiences for players on the Roblox platform. They have already launched one game called “Work at a Firework Tent” and are negotiating the rights to use a popular cartoon character in their next game. Like-minded peers in EQ inspired them.

“The biggest thing I got out of this experience was just so many connections,” Crow said.

“We partnered with Mizzou Esports to playtest our game, and we worked with a marketing class in the Trulaske College of Business. We are so honored because the EQ cohort is just ridiculously talented, innovative and passionate.”
 

Second place: Soundcheck, founded by Kiley Grimes

EQ investment: $10,000

In October, Grimes opened Soundcheck, a fully equipped bookable space and recording studio on Orr Street in Columbia, Missouri, that musicians can use for practice, jam sessions and lessons. She said Bier and Kelly Mattas, senior program manager in the Griggs Innovators Nexus, helped her vet ideas and plan ways to expand the business beyond one brick-and-mortar location.

“EQ was super valuable because it taught me how to talk about Soundcheck after it had been open,” Grimes said. “Part of the beauty of EQ is the people running it.”
 

Third place: The Melt Masters, founded by Kobe Messick, left, and Connor McHugh

EQ investment: $5,000

The Melt Masters, a mobile smash burger food truck, offers students, faculty and staff a quick, low-cost meal on and near the Mizzou campus. Messick and McHugh, who plan to expand the business to other universities, say guidance from EQ experts helped them rapidly develop new business skills.

“It has been an incredible experience,” McHugh said. “Every single EQ participant was so incredible. We just feel honored, blessed and privileged that we were among the top three.”