UTech, Jamaica Student Team Medija Traditions Wins National Business Model Competition
Team Medija Traditions: UTech, Jamaica students Shantay Siddo (left) and Shasantay Jennings (right) of the Joan Duncan School of Entrepreneurship, Ethics and Leadership (JDSEEL), COBAM are winners of the National Business Model Competition 2022.
Team Medija Traditions comprising University of Technology, Jamaica, students Shantay Siddo and Shasantay Jennings impressed the judges with their natural wound healing product innovation to emerge winners of the 7th National Business Model Competition. The winners were announced at the finals held via Zoom on Friday, April 8, 2022 following spirted competition over the last two days among the 12 final teams drawn from tertiary institutions UTech, Jamaica, The University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona, College of Agriculture, Science and Education (CASE), Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts and the University of the Commonwealth Caribbean (UCC).
Medija Traditions will receive the winning trophy and have earned for themselves the first place cash prize of $2 million. The team also earned for their University, the prize of $300,000 which is awarded to the winning university by competition organizers Private Sector Organization of Jamaica (PSOJ) in partnership with the Development Bank of Jamaica (DBJ).
The University Community joins in heartily congratulating winners Medija Traditions and the members of the other three UTech, Jamaica student teams who demonstrated the true spirit of the UTech, Jamaica Knight in their outstanding performance in presenting the final pitch of their innovative ideas to the panel of judges. UTech, Jamaica team PayaLynk and Tutoring One-on-One were awarded 4th and 6th place respectively, with fourth place team members awarded $200,000. Team Augmented competed at the semi-final round on Thursday, April 7, 2022.
Dr. Carol Nathan, Associate Professor, Faculty of Education and Liberal Studies (FELS) and Chairperson, UTech, Jamaica Business Model Competition (BMC) in reacting to the win by UTech, Jamaica’s Medija Traditions, noted that “Today marks a very remarkable and exciting one for Business Model Competition (BMC) at University of Technology, Jamaica. We have been staging this competition for the past eight years and now in the 9th year of staging, University of Technology, Jamaica has made their mark on the national stage, winning for the first time in 7 years, first place. We have waited long for this. It has been hard work and serious dedication for the BMC Committee. We are very happy and excited for these students who have worked hard to make today a reality. The COVID-19 pandemic brought additional challenges for BMC but it also offered significant opportunities and our UTech, Jamaica students have all risen to the challenges and have all done well,” she said, adding, “So, today we are proud of our UTech, Jamaica placements in the NBMC 2022.”
Dr. Nathan also expressed sincere thanks to the hard-working team comprising Head of School, JDSEEL, Mr Nigel Cooper, Ms Novelette Cooke, Mr Kirkland Rowe, Mrs. Simone Scott-Rhone, Mr. Frederick Mills, Mr Taje James, Ms Kadian Edwards, Dr Andrew Lamm, Ms Gillian Mignott, Ms Trecia Williams along with Professor Paul Golding and Dr Andrea Sutherland who all were mentors, coaches, trainers and on campus judges. “We will continue to raise high the vision of the UTech, Jamaica Business Model Competition as we foster and facilitate strong entrepreneurial pursuits within the student body as many excellent ideas and projects come from our students and they need this BMC outlet to develop these ideas,” Dr. Nathan said.
Chief Judge, Mr. Dennis Chung, Chartered Accountant, in congratulating all the participating teams, noted that “the winner today was the best team today,” but emphasized to the other students that this does not mean that their business ventures will not be successful, encouraging them to seek to execute their entrepreneurial ideas which were presented in the Business Model Competition. Mr. Chung disclosed that the winning trophy and cash prizes will be presented in May 2022.
Team Medija Traditions’ Shasantay Jennings reacts with delight to the announcement of her team’s first place win in the National Business Model Competition finals held via Zoom on Friday, April 8, 2022.
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Contact:
Michelle Beckford (Mrs.)
Corporate Communications Manager
University of Technology, Jamaica
Telephone: 876 970-5299
Email: mbeckford@utech.edu.jm