FSC Student Banks Additional Funds for Invention

Brooke Lierman ’24 won $10,000 at the TD Bank Business Plan Competition for her invention of OverTheShoulder. The competition took place in the auditorium at the Carole and Marcus Weinstein Computer Sciences Center the afternoon of March 23.  

“This is absolutely surreal,” Brooke said, holding an oversized check for $10,000. “I worked really hard on this and spent a lot of time preparing, so it is cool to see the hard work pay off.”

The competition, hosted by the Barney Barnett School of Business and Free Enterprise, consisted of eight finalists, all Florida Southern students, who presented their business plans. The finalists included Gabriella Aranguiz, Claire Henry, Zachary D’Onofrio, Vijay Rajamanickam, Zayne Loftin, Rafael Jorge, Henry J. Alemany, Brooke Lierman, Levi Constant, Luka Prostran, Thomas Lamo, and Jimmy Paganis.

This is FSC’s first major business plan competition and the $10,000 will become seed funding for the winner.

Brooke, who launched OverTheShoulder, LLC and has two prototypes, plans to use the money toward product development.

OverTheShoulder is a runner alert device that creates a safe running experience for anyone by using smart sensor technology. As an avid runner and member of the women’s lacrosse team at FSC, Brooke came up with the idea when she experienced feeling unsafe while out on runs.

“I was always tripping over myself because I was constantly looking behind me,” she said.

Brooke previously won $4,000 and the title of Daveler Scholar at the University of South Florida’s Frank and Ellen Daveler Entrepreneurship Program competition.

The innovative ideas and business plans presented by the eight finalists are a testament to FSC’s business program.

Erich S. Maschhoff, regional vice president of TD Bank, joined as one of the judges for the competition and shared his excitement for the creativity and professionalism exhibited by FSC’s students.

“I love the passion and the presentations,” he said. “Keep that passion going; that is why we are here.”

Here is the list of the other finalists and their business plans:

Futura – Gabriella Aranguiz: A pharmaceutical company that reduces arthritis, muscle pain, and anxiety for patients using certified CBD products.

Purple Panda Creamery – Claire Henry: An ice cream company that creates unique experiences for customers using an Asian influence.

Cottage House – Zachary D’Onofrio and Vijay Rajamanickam: A recording studio and production company that provides assistance to local artists through music promotion, songwriting, and overall production.

Alc-Patch – Zayne Loftin: An all-natural product that reduces alcohol withdrawal symptoms using a transdermal patch.

eMarketing – Rafael Jorge: A software as a service company that facilities operations and sales for digital marketing agencies using proprietary systems and processes.

ORYN – Henry J. Alemnay: A short-term rental company that provides monthly accommodations for remote workers to address the looming affordability crisis in a post-pandemic economy.

Constant Culture - Levi Constant, Luka Prostran, Thomas Lamo, Jimmy Paganis: A ringworm culture kit that saves time for veterinarians and clients using a proprietary process of increasing incubation periods.