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<\/a><\/p>\nTen years. Sixty teams. Nearly $600,000 invested and countless ideas sparked into reality.<\/p>\n
The Louis H. Stumberg Venture Competition, Trinity University\u2019s signature two-part startup pitch contest, has spent the last decade fueling student innovation and entrepreneurial ambition. Each spring and fall semester, the competition gives Trinity students the chance to pitch their ventures, compete for mentorship and funding, and discover where they fit within the fast-moving startup ecosystem.<\/p>\n
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Sign up for The Recap<\/strong>, a newsletter rundown of the most important news, delivered every Monday and Thursday.<\/p>\n On Tuesday, October 14, from 5:00-7:30 p.m., the competition will mark its milestone 10th anniversary with another high-stakes final round, where a $25,000 grand prize is at stake. But the real story lies in its lasting impact: fostering innovation, opening doors, and launching the next generation of entrepreneurs, innovators, and professionals, many of whom have moved beyond their startups into broader careers.<\/p>\n Across its history, 119 student finalists have secured funding and mentorship through the competition, changing the trajectory of their lives and careers.<\/p>\n Hear from alumni spanning this decade, whose journeys all began with a Stumberg Competition pitch. And see how their lives and careers were transformed by the competition\u2019s enduring potential to unlock something more important than funding: lifelong connections, contagious confidence, and boundless creativity in the face of any odds.<\/p>\n Chris Stewart From designing a motorcycle turn signal to managing multimillion-dollar portfolios, Chris Stewart has built a career around problem-solving and relationships \u2014 skills first sharpened in the Stumberg Competition.<\/p>\n \u201cI loved that Stumberg gave me the chance to learn how to register a business, 3D print a prototype, and pitch our idea,\u201d Stewart said. \u201cThose are all skills I still lean on today.\u201d<\/p>\n After LuxTurn, Stewart rotated through lending groups in real estate, small business, corporate, and private banking before landing on his current team at Amegy Bank, where he now manages a $40 million loan portfolio. \u201cThe connections we built with some of the experts the University brought in \u2014 I\u2019m still in contact with them,\u201d he noted. \u201cEvery day\u2019s a challenge, and I like that. My goal is to keep building my network.\u201d<\/p>\n For Stewart, the Stumberg Competition also underscored the power of community. <\/p>\n \u201cEven a big city like San Antonio gets a lot smaller if you have the right connections. You run into a lot of the same people, and you need to know how to build those ties,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n And sometimes those ties come full circle \u2014 one of Stewart\u2019s clients today is his former LuxTurn partner, Bobby Magee.\u00a0<\/p>\n Wren Ramos For Wren Ramos, Stumberg meant more than a competition \u2014 it meant creating a future. While still a student, Ramos co-founded New Works SA, a nonprofit theatre company that continues to thrive today. Now, she juggles two full-time roles: raising funds for Trinity University and leading New Works SA.<\/p>\n \u201cI actually wouldn\u2019t have gotten my job at Trinity without New Works,\u201d Ramos said. \u201cI didn\u2019t possess the qualifications on paper, but the experience I gained running a nonprofit through Stumberg proved I could do the work.\u201d<\/p>\n For Ramos, the most powerful part of Stumberg was the opportunity to build something real. <\/p>\n \u201cInstead of just filling an internship role, I got to start something of my own,\u201d she said. \u201cYou get paid by Trinity to launch and run a company \u2014 that\u2019s a unique opportunity most schools don\u2019t offer.\u201d<\/p>\n The competition also unlocked new confidence. <\/p>\n \u201cStumberg taught me everything about starting a business, and it was exciting to have professionals and professors tell me I had the ability within me to succeed,\u201d Ramos said.<\/p>\n Ramos believes that\u2019s why the program leaves such a lasting mark. <\/p>\n \u201cWhether or not their companies still exist, Stumberg changes people. It definitely changed me.\u201d<\/p>\n Ten years in, the Stumberg Competition is proof of what makes Trinity stand out: hands-on learning that pushes students beyond the classroom, paired with big-school entrepreneurship resources in a small, liberal arts setting.<\/p>\n Come see the next generation of problem-solvers and critical thinkers take the stage at the 10th Anniversary Stumberg Venture Competition Finale on Tuesday, October 14. Doors open at 4:30 p.m., with the program to follow from 5:00-7:30 p.m.<\/p>\n
Startup: LuxTurn
Now: Assistant Vice President, Amegy Bank<\/strong><\/p>\n
Startup: New Works SA
Now: Fundraising Professional, Trinity University; Executive Director, New Works SA<\/strong><\/p>\n