Bond alumnus Joseph Marcus has called on some star power for the Australian final of the Duke of York’s Pitch@Palace competition for entrepreneurs in Brisbane this afternoon.
His AirBands training device restricts blood flow to build muscle strength and he hopes his pitch to the Duke will get him through to the global final later this month.
On Wednesday the Duke urged him to get someone on stage to demonstrate the AirBands while he pitches. Enter Olympic hurdler Michelle Jenneke.
“I worked with a mentor yesterday and really feel that I have fine-tuned my pitch and framed it in a way the general audience can understand what I’m trying to get across,” Mr Marcus said.
“I’ve got quite a good model to come across, Michelle Jenneke, she has been very generous with her time, she is training up in Brisbane, she said she was more than happy to model the AirBands product.
“She was training up on the Gold Coast and through the same running circles we got in touch with each other.
“Quite a generous favour, I was quite taken aback when she said yes.”
Master of Architecture student Emma Sommerville is pitching her ethical, sustainable Folktribe clothing label.
Ms Sommerville said the Pitch@Palace experience had proven extremely worthwhile.
“It’s definitely given me a lot more confidence in business and talking about it in general, it’s really allowed me to go out there and meet people and instead of just talking to them and being a bit reserved, I can go out there and really try and get those connections.”
While Ms Sommerville said it had been a little bit harder for her to network as there were not many people from the fashion industry present, the people she had met with had all been good connections.
“Everyone’s been really good to chat to, whether they’re directly related to something that can help us, or it might be completely irrelevant, they’re just really good people to know in business.”
She said she’d had a couple of brief chats with the Duke of York, describing him as “really helpful and trying to make sure you feel confident.”
Bond University Assistant Professor of Aboriginal Health Clinton Schultz is pitching his Sobah no-alcohol craft beer.
“I’m feeling good, by this time it is what it is,” he said. “I can only go up there and control my part of it and hopefully there are a few people in the crowd who are interested in what we are doing.
“Our socials have been going crazy for the last few days. There is a lot of movement there.”
Judging takes place this evening.