After weeks of preparation, Pashion CEO Haley Pavone and CTO Tyler Unbehand put the Pashion Footwear business plan to the ultimate test: competing in the Cal Poly Innovation Quest Competition. The presentation covered all things Pashion - the high-heel phenomenon, our customer archetypes, market size, price point projections, market entry strategy, competitive analysis, a proof-of-concept prototype demonstration, and more. The 10-minute "Shark Tank" style pitch represented Haley & Tyler's first attempt to articulate the goals and potential of Pashion Footwear to a board of experienced investors and professionals, and we are so proud to say that our founding women walked away with first prize in tow!
Winning over a panel of 15 extremely experienced judges was no small feat, especially with 12 impressive fellow student-startups to compete against. This is a huge validation for the Pashion Footwear concept and our team as a whole. We could not be more excited, honored, and humbled by this award!
The $15,000 of equity-free award money is going to be essential in helping Pashion reach the next level. We plan on directing the funds towards obtaining our utility patent, hiring on an engineering consultant, and maybe (if we are economical enough!) developing our first round of wearable prototypes. This award is the next big step in the right direction for Pashion Footwear, and we can't wait to get our first designs out into the market and directly onto your feet!
For more information on the Cal Poly Innovation Quest Competition, click here.
Be sure to stay tuned for more updates on Pashion Footwear as we navigate through the exciting stages of running a start-up!