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For many ����ɫ��ҹ University students, college is about more than just getting a degree. It is about building something meaningful to take with them beyond graduation. Sometimes it’s a well of knowledge; sometimes it’s their first stream of revenue. Student entrepreneurs across campus are turning ideas into income.  

From upcycled fashion to cybersecurity apps, student entrepreneurs are transforming dorm-room ideas into scalable businesses. Whether they are navigating the journey independently or utilizing the university’s robust support system, these students are proving that at ����ɫ��ҹ, an education is the ultimate startup capital.

This entrepreneurial spirit is nurtured by a culture where high-quality academics combined with award-winning student support provide access to distinctive programs and professional-grade resources. ����ɫ��ҹ ensures that students are not just earning a degree, but are building the career readiness and industry connections necessary to thrive in a global economy.

LaunchNET Helps Students Prepare

LaunchNET is an ideation and advising service open to all ����ɫ��ҹ students, faculty, staff and alumni. For some students, their entrepreneurial journey was aided by the help of these resources.  

“We’re open to anyone in the ����ɫ��ҹ University community that has an idea for a business or a current business,” Zach Mikrut, director of LaunchNET, told ����ɫ��ҹ Today. "Anyone can come in for one-on-one advising on their business idea, and we can help them come up with a plan or connect them to other resources.”

No matter what stage of business students are in, LaunchNET makes it possible to gain advice at every step of the way.  

“There are a lot of students that maybe thought of an idea this week and wanted to come in and bounce it off of us,” Mikrut said. “We meet with students who have a business they started in high school, and they are looking to refine it. And we have others that have side hustles.”

Mikrut encourages students who are questioning whether they want to make their business idea a reality to visit the LaunchNET office on the second floor of the Design and Innovation Hub. From there, the LaunchNET team will help students–like the ones below–launch their ideas.

DICEVICI

Fifth-year transfer student with fashion design and finance double majors, Emily Dicevicius, started her business, , completely by accident. The concept started at her previous university before Dicevicius chose to continue her education at ����ɫ��ҹ.  

“At John Caroll, I started DICEVICI in my junior year unintentionally. They have a LaunchNET program there, similar to ����ɫ��ҹ,” Dicevicius said. “So, I went in with absolutely no idea what to say and with zero plan at all, all I knew was that I was very interested in fashion.”

After researching more about the fashion industry and teaching herself the basics of sewing, Dicevicius began experimenting with creating her own pieces. Her first project was creating 10 handbags she has made from upcycled jeans.  

“Impulsively, I decided to create an Instagram account and marketed these bags on there just to introduce this fashion journey I was beginning,” Dicevicius said. “But, within seconds, I had people DMing me begging me to sell them, so I figured why not.”

By the end of the day, Dicevicius had sold every single bag she made that day.  

“I was in complete shock,” she said. “This was in 2023, and that was the moment I knew I needed to push this further.”

Throughout her journey at ����ɫ��ҹ, Dicevicius has been able to grow academically while growing her business.  

“Throughout the classes and assignments I had due for school, I was simultaneously using the skills I was learning to create more upcycled handbag collections for DICEVICI in my free time. The more I created, the more I got noticed,” she said.  

LaunchNET helped her take her ideas to the next level and broaden her audience. Not only is Dicevicius relevant on campus, but she is branching out beyond campus as well.  

“I got invited to business competitions and even became a vendor for events in Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Los Angeles and Michigan. Opportunities started to pop up constantly for me, and I was beyond excited,” Dicevicius said. “It felt like I was living the dream I've had since I was a little girl.”

Now, with DICEVICI in its third year, Dicevicius has curated more than 150 handbags, 50 clothing items, and other accessories as well. She is an active vendor in different school events and across numerous states. She has been interviewed for the and has been invited to speak to Solon high school students about entrepreneurship twice now. In the Fall 2025 semester, she even partnered with a group of ����ɫ��ҹ marketing students to complete a semester-long marketing project about DICEVICI.  

LunaCase

Junior aerospace engineering major Ben Windt spends most of his time at Starbucks when not in class. Apart from the food and drink, Windt enjoys the great free Wi-Fi that the coffee shop offers.  

“Like a lot of engineering students, most of our studying happens on public Wi-Fi in coffee shops and campus spaces. We kept asking how much information our laptops are constantly broadcasting on these networks, and why do we never really think about it,” Windt said.

That question led to , a student-run startup that Windt and senior aerospace engineering major 

 began developing in 2025 through ����ɫ��ҹ’s John S. and Marlene J. Brinzo Center for Entrepreneurship and LaunchNET programs.  

“LunaCase is a snap-on laptop case designed to reduce how much wireless signal a laptop leaks into its surroundings. Lots of people have phone and computer cases, and this one protects your device and data,” Windt said.  

The project is currently developing patent-pending status and in an early testing phase.

“The goal isn’t to make students paranoid. It’s to give people a simple, physical way to take back control over their privacy while studying in places like coffee shops, libraries or airports,” Windt said.  

The Pancake Patch

The Pancake Patch is a mini pancake stand that serves fresh, bite-sized pancakes. Founded and run by senior entrepreneurship major, Carly King, serves at markets, festivals and private events such as parties, fundraisers and campus functions.

“Customers get to build their own pancake trays with toppings like Nutella, fruit, chocolate chips, and bacon bits, all made fresh on the griddle. Our pancakes are quick, fun, and easy to eat, making them perfect for all ages and ideal to serve at any time of day,” King said.  

King explains that customers enjoy The Pancake Patch because of the experience.

“People love watching the pancakes cook and come fresh off the griddle while choosing their own toppings,” King said. “We’ve already tested this concept at events and are ready to grow.”

King started her business as part of her entrepreneurship major, which requires students to start and operate their own business. With the help of her past and current professors, Denise Lee and Mary Heidler, she's been able to bring this idea to life.  

“I am also a new member of LaunchNET. While I’m still early in my involvement, it has already been a great resource for talking through ideas and connecting with helpful contacts to move my business forward,” King said.  

King is in the process of securing events around campus, looking for special events like Sibs Weekend to gain exposure and brand awareness.  

Defensive Women

Beyond creating a product or service, Mira Khatun, a sophomore computer science major and member of the Honors College, created a service that she feels customers need.  

“Defensive Women is a platform where people experiencing online abuse could share their problems and receive support from us,” Khatun said.  

The service is a cost-free, youth-led social-impact organization dedicated to protecting women and girls from cyber harassment, online abuse and technology-facilitated violence. The organization works directly with schools, colleges and community groups to raise awareness about digital safety, responsible internet use and the real-world consequences of online harassment.

“The business and entrepreneurship ecosystem at ����ɫ��ҹ has played a significant role in helping me grow my business. Through access to structured programs, mentorship and hands-on learning opportunities, I was able to better understand how to turn an idea into a scalable and impactful venture,” Khatun said.  

Since starting its work in 2022, Defensive Women has raised awareness among over 40,000 school and college-going students through seminars, campaigns, workshops and other community-based initiatives.  

LaunchNET has been a significant partner for Khatun.

“All of the mentors were incredibly supportive and knowledgeable, and they provided guidance from every aspect of building a startup, from idea validation to customer discovery and long-term vision,” Khatun said.  

The organization focuses on prevention, advocacy and education by collaborating with schools, colleges and local communities to address cyberbullying, online harassment and digital safety, helping young people build confidence and resilience in today’s digital world.

“Since 2022, we solved 37 cases which were about scams, phishing, online harassment, bullying and personal data hacks,” Khatun said. “Our organization solved these problems and provided them with a proper solution.”

Some students do it on their own  

While many find their footing through formal university programs, other students are fueled by pure DIY grit. These independent creators leverage their classroom knowledge and digital savvy to build brands from the ground up, proving that the entrepreneurial spirit at ����ɫ��ҹ is as diverse as the student body itself.

Anything and Everything Creative

Some student entrepreneurs enjoy the more creative aspects of business; this includes first-year general business major Faith Logsdon. What started as a creative pastime for friends and family blossomed into an outlet for creative commission pieces.  

“Last year around this time, I was making pieces of art, like paintings and drawings, as gifts for my family, and I always loved the thought of doing commissions and vendor table events at craft shows,” Logsdon told ����ɫ��ҹ Today.

Drawing inspiration from small businesses across social media, especially TikTok, Logsdon was heavily inspired to take a leap of faith and create her business.  

"My business started from the very, very bottom. I started with a rough logo and the name ‘Creative Commissions,’ but as I grew better at graphic design, I wanted to expand my business,” Logsdon said.  

After some trial and error of learning the graphic design process, Anything and Everything Creative was born.  

"It was not easy,” Logsdon said. “I had to research a lot about starting and growing my business, and the most challenging part is getting yourself out there to new people and growing your audience on social media.”

With the support from her business courses at ����ɫ��ҹ, as well as help from family and friends, Logsdon was able to grow her business even further.  

"Just this past year alone, I've built my portfolio with all the custom commissions I have taken in and completed,” Logsdon said. “I’m proud of how far I’ve come just in the last year, and I’m so happy I decided to work for myself and create beautiful pieces of art for other people.”

These stories represent just a fraction of the innovation happening across campus every day. Whether a student arrives with a fully-formed business plan or just a "what if" scribbled in a notebook, the ����ɫ��ҹ ecosystem provides the mentorship, tools, and community needed to turn a spark of creativity into a professional reality. At ����ɫ��ҹ, the next big thing isn't just a possibility—it’s currently in production.

Learn about how LaunchNET can help support students.