Student Entrepreneurs to Pitch Creative Ideas in ‘Quaker Tank’

WILMINGTON — As much as $1,000 in prize money will be up for grabs when Wilmington College debuts Quaker Tank at 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 24 in Heiland Theatre.

Based on the popular, Emmy Award-winning ABC television series, “Shark Tank”, seven budding entrepreneurs selected from video auditions submitted by WC students will pitch their ideas for successful businesses or social movements before a panel of five judges from the local community.

Each contestant will have three minutes to present their idea followed by five minutes of answering questions posed by the judges, who will evaluate the presentations based upon the conception, creativity and feasibility of business plans that could work without financial investors.

During an intermission, complimentary Subway products will be available for the audience and copies of this year’s student/faculty and staff literary magazine will be available for purchase.

Dr. Timothy Burgoyne, assistant professor of management and the College’s Entrepreneurship course instructor, is coordinating Quaker Tank. He staged successful collegiate versions of Shark Tank five times at previous institutions.

“It’s drama, it’s theatre and it features the audience in an active role,” he said, noting the judges will present their findings in the second half of the program. “They’ll put the money where they want to put it — it could be split between all seven, given to two or three, or one contestant could win it all.”

Quaker Tank is free and open to the public.