{"id":129478,"date":"2020-10-27T14:16:16","date_gmt":"2020-10-28T00:16:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/?p=129478"},"modified":"2024-03-15T13:31:37","modified_gmt":"2024-03-15T23:31:37","slug":"hawaii-cc-student-wins-business-prize","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/2020\/10\/27\/hawaii-cc-student-wins-business-prize\/","title":{"rendered":"Hawai\u02bbi CC<\/abbr> student wins $25K<\/abbr> grand prize in business competition"},"content":{"rendered":"Reading time: <\/span> 2<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>
\"Amanda
Amanda Gilroy<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> Community College student is the $25,000 grand prize winner of a local business plan competition.<\/p>\n

Amanda Gilroy<\/strong>, the entrepreneur behind Mermaid Mushrooms and a natural science student at the Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> CC<\/abbr>–P\u0101lamanui campus in Kona, was named the winner of the HI<\/abbr>plan Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> Island Business Plan Competition on October 24.<\/p>\n

“I still can\u2019t believe it,” Gilroy said after her win.<\/p>\n

Gilroy also won the student category and a one-year tuition scholarship. She will use her winnings to support her plan to grow gourmet mushrooms for local consumption.<\/p>\n

“I\u2019m thrilled to get this boost,” she said.<\/p>\n

The HI<\/abbr>plan competition began in 2016 and was held virtually this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The competition was conducted in three rounds, beginning with the submission of a business plan. Contestants with the top 15 plans advanced to the second round, which involved a seven-minute live presentation before judges. Eight competitors moved onto the final round.<\/p>\n

Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> CC<\/abbr> students participate each year, and the student winner is awarded a tuition scholarship. Gilroy is the first student to make it past round one.<\/p>\n

\"Amanda
Amanda Gilroy won the 2020 HI<\/abbr>plan Hawaii Island Business Plan Competition.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cOur winner clearly is helping to meet a need on our island that would transform the way that we consume, how we relate to our food, on island,\u201d said Meli James, one of the judges. “I think that was pretty outstanding.”<\/p>\n

HI<\/abbr>plan 2020 finals judges were Leanne Okamoto, Kamehameha Schools; Meli James, Mana Up; Steve Sakoman, Sakoman Inc.<\/abbr>; Ashley McShane, Blue Startups; and Pam Chasuta Anukoolthamachote, Elemental Excelerator.<\/p>\n

“The process is really what\u2019s special,” said HI<\/abbr>plan organizer Jim Wyban. “They learn how to organize their thoughts into a coherent business plan, with a lot of feedback from us. Then, in practice sessions, they learn how to communicate clearly. I\u2019ve seen people who have gone from barely able to talk about their business, to get up here and give a two-minute pitch that just knocks your socks off.”<\/p>\n

The HI<\/abbr>plan competition is sponsored by Kamehameha Schools, the Edmund C. Olson Trust II<\/abbr>, Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> CC<\/abbr>, Ulupono Initiative and the County of Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Mermaid Mushrooms is the big winner.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[29],"tags":[498,61,568,435,660,71,1626],"class_list":["post-129478","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-people","tag-business","tag-hawaii-community-college","tag-natural-science","tag-palamanui","tag-student-recognition","tag-uh-community-colleges","tag-women-of-uh","entry","has-media"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t