What I learned about entrepreneurship and college from StartUp Skidmore

Hey there, future entrepreneurs! I want to share my experience at StartUp Skidmore, a day full of innovation, networking, and valuable lessons for me as a first-year student at Skidmore College. 

StartUp Skidmore showed me Skidmore’s entrepreneurial colors, opened my eyes to the doors that Skidmore can open for me, and really gave me a whole different perspective on my college experience.  

Whether you’re thinking about attending Skidmore or just curious about entrepreneurship, here’s a behind-the-scenes look at how I spent a Saturday this fall. 

StartUp Skidmore took place in the Glotzbach Atrium of the Billie Tisch Center for Integrated Sciences. The atmosphere was buzzing as soon as I arrived around noon. 

There was amazing food (always a plus!) and the perfect energy to get inspired. My partner, Solayman Ararba’ 28 is Moroccan American and intends to major in chemistry and minor in management and business.  

We immediately got to work on our project, HandFit Pro, which is something we’ve been excited about for a while. It’s an ergonomic, custom-fit mouse, 3D-scanned and printed specifically for your hand. Not only is it comfortable, but it also helps minimize the risk of arthritis thanks to a small sponge inserted around the wrist of your hand. 

Dozens of students participated. In typical Skidmore fashion, the pitches were eclectic and included  Lungigani, a refurbished car business in Eswatini; Duende, an Afro-Caribbean inspired fashion business; and a company that manufactures and sells hockey gear designed to fit a woman's body. 

There was no time to waste, so Solayman and I worked on our prototype on the spot.  

Initially, our idea was to let people upload pictures of their hands online and print their custom mouse from there. After consulting with the mentors, we realized that wouldn’t work.  

One of the best pieces of advice we got was to rethink our process — camera quality varies too much. Instead, our mentors suggested we set up a popup kiosk in a mall where people can get their hands scanned, pick out their design, and then shop while the mouse is printed in under an hour. Brilliant, right?  

It made us think about how practical our idea could be in the real world – which we wouldn’t think of if we did not consult with five different mentors who are also Skidmore alumni and are successful entrepreneurs today.  

I learned so much from the alumni mentors we spoke to, like Max Walker ’13, founder of Piton Labs, and Mark Josephson ’94 P’27, co-founder and CEO of Castiron and former CEO of Bitly, who gave us game-changing feedback.

For example, they talked about branding and how we could create two versions of our product: HandFit Pro for Gen Z and HandFit Plus for older adults who also need ergonomic solutions. It’s important to target different age groups in ways that resonate with them, in order to create a productive marketing strategy — like using TikTok for a younger crowd. 

The mentors weren’t just offering advice; they were opening doors for future opportunities. We networked like crazy, swapped LinkedIn profiles, and left with emails of people who can help us in the future.

That’s one of the greatest parts of StartUp Skidmore — it’s not about winning first place (although that would be nice!). It’s about the advice, the feedback, and the connections we make. 

Now, let’s talk prototypes. Solayman and I didn’t have time to 3D-print our mouse cover. (We had only 20 minutes for the prototypes, and it takes around 35 minutes to print the mouse.) We improvised with an aluminum foil version of the prototype, thanks to Schupf Family IdeaLab Manager Darren Prodger, who helped us a ton in a short span of time. It was a rough prototype, but it did the job.  

What have I learned?

Always be prepared to show something — anything — because that’s how people really engage with your idea. Seeing a physical object, even in its early stages, can make a huge difference on improvements.  

After the presentations, there was a voting system where the audience voted on the pitches. That’s when I realized how important it is to have a solid support network. Seeing who shows up for you — whether it’s friends or classmates — makes a difference.  

Entrepreneurship isn’t just about working in isolation. It’s about showing up, connecting with people, and building that community around you. 

Prizes — including Skidmore-branded JBL speakers, mini projectors, Bluetooth headphones, and ear buds — went to projects voted the crowd favorite, most innovative, most likely to buy, best fail, and most likely to improve the world. 

By the end of the day, we got invaluable feedback that HandFit Pro is a feasible idea, and now, Solayman and I are seriously thinking about taking it to the next level. Plus, this whole experience lined up perfectly with the upcoming Kenneth A. Freirich Entrepreneurship Competition, which is another opportunity to put our idea to the test. 

Overall, StartUp Skidmore was a win in my book. It wasn’t just about pitching an idea; it was about learning, growing, and connecting.

Whether you’re into business or just curious about the entrepreneurial world, this event gave me the tools and insights to keep pushing forward with my ideas. And for anyone considering Skidmore — trust me, there’s so much support here for making your dreams a reality.