The 2021 edition of DelVal’s Spark Bowl competition didn’t have TV’s “Mr. Wonderful” (Canadian entrepreneur Kevin O’Leary) in attendance. Nonetheless, it had plenty of wonderful ideas. 

Spark Bowl teams comprised five pairings of local business leaders and undergrad student advisors: 

• Philly Esports, Philadelphia (online gaming) 
• B-Comfee, LLC, Hilltown (animal grooming) 
• Pippy Sips, Philadelphia (baby care) 
• GrowFlux Inc., Philadelphia (horticulture technology) 
• Xenoil, LLC, Southampton (green manufacturing/renewable waste) 

COVID-19 restrictions reshaped the competition. The university limited the audience and live-streamed the pitches. 

Xenoil, LLC, was the big winner of the night. It walked away with both business-level and student consultant awards. The company’s oil-recycling technology earned it a $12,000 infusion of capital. The student consultants, Bridgette Schoultz and Javon Speid, got $3,000. 

GrowFlux and Pippy Sips took the number two and three spots, respectively. 

“Spark Bowl is the outcome of a unique and innovative cooperation between The Central Bucks Chamber of Commerce and the Department of Business and Information Management here at the University,” said Dr. Tanya Casas, dean of DelVal’s School of Business and Humanities. 

“The competition helps local entrepreneurs have the support they need to innovate and grow and gives our students at DelVal the valuable experience of working with start-ups.” 

More information — and a video recording of all presentations — is on the DelVal website.