Xavier Launch-a-Business Contest Winners Get Free Accounting and Tax Advisory Services

CINCINNATI, OHIO--Ten startup companies that have been named winners of the Xavier Launch-a-Business Competition will receive free accounting and tax advisory services from Decosimo Certified Public Accountants, a Top 100 accounting and business advisory firm with a Cincinnati office. X-LAB, a pioneering economic development program, honored the 10 winners during a August 30 event. 

Now in its second year, X-LAB 2011 received 146 applications, and picked the winners using a rigorous evaluation process that included in-depth questionnaires and interviews. Faculty, MBA students and business executives, including Brad East, Rob Kramer and John Murray from Decosimo's Cincinnati office, selected the winners.
 
Among the winners are businesses that offer products and services that would make dental visits shorter, entertain fans at sporting events, educate investors about the stock market and provide consumers with healthier food. There’s even an innovation in underwear that would make it easier for boys to use the restroom.

The winners and their businesses are:

• Courtney Tudor of Madeira; Mr. Bigshot, an online stock market game.
• Adam Treister of Norwood; Student Designed, connecting students with real-world work.
• Dr. David Croop of Anderson Township and Don Carter of Erlanger; DC2 Technologies, advanced dental instrument.
• Mary Fennell of Independence; Easy Peez, innovative boys’ underwear.
• Doug Moormann of Kenwood, Chip Gerhardt of Anderson Township and Jim Benedict of Oakley; Development Strategies Group, economic development consulting.
• Djibril Thiaw of Reading; Senfacture, an online method for paying overseas bills.
• Brett Elkins of Miami Township, Clermont County and Mike Buob of Union Township Clermont County; GameDay Advantage Technologies, mobile device applications for sports teams.
• Candace Klein of Over-the-Rhine; SoMoLend, peer-to-peer lending technology.
• Brad Rogers of Madeira; Urban Harvest, high-yield farming in cities.
• Brendan Cmolik of Lakewood, Ohio, Wyatt Link of Bryan, Ohio and Sean Zavoda of Strongsville, Ohio; Green City Cuisine, locally grown organic food truck.

More information about X-LAB is available at www.xavier.edu/xlab.