Business School Hosts First-Ever Hawk Tank Competition

Students in Bill Nicoletti’s business management classes got the chance to put their entrepreneurial skills to the test in the University’s first-ever “Hawk Tank” competition this past fall.

Just like the aspiring business owners on the hit show “Shark Tank” speaking in front of potential investors, Saint Joseph’s University students presented their ideas to a panel of Haub School of Business faculty and staff.

The winner, Ava Culver, BS ’25, received a $1,000 scholarship for her pitch for Fantasma Mexicano, which she describes as “a Mexican-inspired speakeasy and fast-casual kitchen.” 

“I went for a fast-casual dining experience paired with a bar because both have higher profit margins than industry averages due to low operating costs, the long shelf life of liquor and high markups,” Culver explains. “I also chose Mexican-style cuisine because it’s one of my favorites and Mexican fare only makes up around 4% of all Philly dining cuisines.”

Nicoletti and the other judges noted Culver’s professionalism and attention to detail. 

“From a creativity point of view, which is definitely part of entrepreneurship, she had that base covered, and her business plan just blew us away,” says Nicoletti, an adjunct professor. 

Culver felt prepared for the challenge from her time in business classes at SJU, including her capstone, Business Strategy with Tim Swift, PhD, professor of management. 

“That class helped me the most because our course-long case study taught me the buzzwords and research best practices I needed to make a compelling pitch in front of a panel of experts,” she explains. 

The judges, including Joseph DiAngelo Jr., BS ’70, EdD, dean of the Haub School of Business, were so impressed with several of the presentations that they reached out to a donor to double the scholarship money available. An additional $1,000 was split amongst other leading presenters. Runner up Claudia Perez, BS ’26, pitched a concept to help promote mental health, and teammates Bobby Kuzy, BS ’26, and Brayan Vergara Reyes, BS ’26, outlined a plan for a company that plants a tree with the purchase of every t-shirt. 

“All of the presenters were formidable and easily could have won,” Nicoletti says.

The idea for the event was born out of an in-class viewing of an episode of “Shark Tank.” After seeing the interest of the students in both of his classes — Introduction to Entrepreneurship and Social Enterprise — Nicoletti suggested organizing a competition of their own. 

While class activities can teach the principles and pillars of entrepreneurship, Nicoletti hoped this event would give students a glimpse into the real world of business, from pitching an idea to dealing with scrutiny while real money is on the line. 

“The students had to convince us that the concept was real and worth doing — that it was sustainable to keep the business going over time,” Nicoletti says. “There was a practical component and a financial component.”

With the event’s success, Nicoletti plans to make it a yearly occurrence with the support of business school faculty and donors.