Use of the ChronicallyBrave mask (Photo courtesy of Katie Norris)

The Griggs Center hosted the Springboard Elevator Pitch competition on Nov. 12.

Winners were chosen from four categories: Overall, Innovative Product Design, Web/App Product and Social Entrepreneurial Venture. Each winner was awarded prize money.

According to the Griggs Center website, an elevator pitch describes the product or service, the market, the plan for making money, leadership team and any competition the product may have.

Competitors set up booths in the Hunter Welcome Center and judges walked around and asked questions. They then chose the top five products to pitch to a live audience for the overall winner title.

The overall winner was Katie Norris, a freshman marketing and management major from Houston.

“My idea was reversible, washable, and custom medical masks,” Norris said. “An idea inspired when my sister, Kalie Norris, began needing to wear medical masks for immune deficiencies and often got uncomfortable stares from strangers.”

Sample patterns of ChronicallyBrave masks (Photo Courtesy of Katie Norris)

She owns a business called ChronicallyBrave. The tagline is “Be confident, be comfortable, be unique, be ChronicallyBrave.”

“The elevator pitch was a fantastic experience for me because it gave me a chance to communicate with professional entrepreneurs and learn the best ways to gain the interest of potential investors,” Norris said. “It was also great getting to see the creative ideas of my peers and learn how to be a better presenter by watching their pitches.

“Overall it was an exciting and informational event that I would highly recommend to anyone who is even slightly considering going into a business degree of some sort,” Norris said. “It gives people the opportunity to be heard and to get constructive criticism for ideas and presentation.”

Products can be viewed or purchased at: www.chronicallybravemasks.com.