Entrepreneurs at The University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business will again have a chance to hatch their ventures with another swim in the Shark Tank.
The popular show held auditions exclusively for Wharton students in June 2016 at Huntsman Hall on Penn’s campus.
It’s not the first time that the school’s students have had the opportunity to compete. Since its inception in 2009, Shark Tank has awarded prizes to six Wharton grads. In 2013, MBA graduate Jordan Lloyd Bookey received $250,000 toward the development of her company, Zoobean.
Director of Alumni Relations, Engagement, and Planning Rose Laden said of the auditions, “It’s really exciting for Wharton right now — with a huge focus on entrepreneurship — to be able to offer this opportunity.” The show also held closed auditions geared toward students at Temple University’s Fox School of Business, and open casting calls for the public in South Philadelphia.
The advantage of the closed audition was that potential contestants were afforded guaranteed time in front of the casting team. Renee Mazer, a 1985 graduate of Wharton and 1989 grad of Penn Law, was one potential contestant.
She said, “I pitched the idea for centers for relationship recovery for anyone going through any type of breakup, either a divorce or just a bad relationship, and services and products that would go with that.”
Another potential contestant, 1989 Wharton grad Beth Rosen, presented her idea for a film, animation, and television investment fund. Her goal was to raise $10 million over three years to back the numerous projects that her company already has under development.
Of her venture, she said, “We already have access to some of the networks and studios, and we have award-winning writers attached… We have an open door to pitch to one of the big studios.”