UIC team reaches finals at University Pitch Madness

During the DePaul’s University Pitch Madness competition July 19, UIC student startup, Buddie-Up, reached the final round of competition. During the event, participating universities throughout the Midwest showcased their best student entrepreneurs, who pitched their businesses in front of an audience for a chance to win prize money. Recent grad Hamza Ali represented UIC at the event.

Buddie-Up fine-tuned its idea through the UIC Innovation Center’s EXD course during the 2022-2023 academic year and most recently during the Campfire Lab: EXD’s Student Startup Accelerator this summer. Buddie-Up also took second place at the UIC Pitch Challenge in April.

Buddie-Up is an application designed for college students to find and walk with others who have a similar destination, providing a safer environment. It aims to help students who feel uneasy about walking alone during odd hours by connecting them with fellow students.