A few dozen seats filled with noisemakers, nametags and the chatter of excitement can mean only one thing- another 5 Across is about to happen. While children, college students and adults alike shuffled into Awesome Inc, there was an overwhelming sense of promise, inspiration and a hint nervousness.

Sure, everyone had their vague descriptions of each business on a small slip of paper, but seeing the entrepreneurs in action would show how great these businesses truly are. The murmurs quickly quieted as each entrepreneur prepared to make their pitches in front of the 100+ audience.

First up was Enepret, a business that provides a substitute for common oils found in medicine, cosmetics and other personal care products, such as shark liver oil and olive oil. With this, co-founder Chase Kempinski and his colleagues designed a new type of oil that serves the same purpose, but can be geared toward a variety of markets.

“We were always interested in the applications of the oils we’ve engineered our organisms to produce,” Kempinski said. “I love science, but I also believe it should serve a purpose.”

Next was BinerWorks, a duo who aim to take an ordinary biner and turn them into multi-faceted, unique designs. The first variation Kelly Moore and Matt Able presented was a combination of a biner and lighter. The second was a safety biner, which contains a blade among other tools to help in case of an emergency.

Introducing a substitute to traditional charcoal were high schoolers of Bio-Char, Sam Newman and Andrew Gazzaroli. Bio-Char is made of paper and sawdust compacted into charcoal-like bricks and allows proficient grillers to maintain the smoky taste they love dearly, without the carbon monoxide. With their presence, mannerisms, and confidence, you would think these teenagers were seasoned entrepreneurs.

The second half of the event brought John Mahoney, the founder of Moby. Using a mobile device, Moby helps to eliminate identity fraud and allows businesses to properly identify anyone, anytime.

To cap off the night was Hummingbird Nano, who presented a microfluidic chip that combines the flexibility of 3D printing with the efficiency of injection molding. Co-founder Scott Stephens describes it as, “a component used in chemical analysis systems for detection in everything from drug discovery to forensics to disease diagnostics.”

Once each team wrapped up, the judges migrated into the conference room where a decision had to be made. The vast variety of ideas pulsed through the room as the audience waited, antsy to hear the verdict.

As the judges emerged, Bio-Char was brought to forefront only to not be announced the winner. While they won crowd favorite through the awesomevote app, the two teenagers received personal donations from each judge for the first time ever in 5 Across history, which encouraged them to continue on their entrepreneurial journey.

At long last, after an inspiring night full of fresh ideas, Enepret walked away with the $500 grand prize and declared the winner of 5 Across August 2017.

“The next few months are important for us and I hope I’ll have good things to report on when I come back to 5 Across in December!”

Join us next time on October 25 for another inventive and exhilarating event.