Philander Smith and Southern University win 6th annual Moguls in the Making entrepreneurial pitch competition

PRNewsfoto/Ally Financial
PRNewsfoto/Ally Financial

Philander Smith and Southern University win 6th annual Moguls in the Making entrepreneurial pitch competition

Ally and Thurgood Marshall College Fund gathered 50 students to compete for over $200k in scholarships and prizes

Two teams tied for first place, each student receiving a $20,000 scholarship and guaranteed internship

Ally's CEO Michael Rhodes and government leaders spoke with students and shared perspective on economic mobility and the work being done to revitalize Detroit

DETROIT, PRNewswire -- Philander Smith University and Southern University students took top honors in the sixth annual Moguls in the Making entrepreneurial pitch competition, where 50 students from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) developed innovative and impactful solutions to address economic mobility challenges in Detroit.

The competition, held October 2-6, was hosted by Ally Financial (NYSE: ALLY) in collaboration with the Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF), the largest organization exclusively representing the Black college community. This year's event took place in Detroit at The Icon building, home to the state's only HBCU, and the nation's only design-focused HBCU, Pensole Lewis College.

The Jennifer Hudson Show had something special prepared for the students early in the week. Everyone is encouraged to tune in on October 25 to see the surprise.

"These Moguls stand out among their peers – they're hungry for new experiences, to learn about potential career paths, and to make a big impact in the community," said Reggie Willis, chief diversity officer at Ally. "They always bring insightful ideas and perspectives to showcase in their pitches, and it's exciting to see their growth in just a few short days."

Fifty students – 10 teams with five students each – toured Detroit, Ally's headquarters, to learn about the city's rich heritage and community challenges with stops at Orchestra Hall, Motown Museum and Detroit Pizza Bar. They were then assigned industries and asked to develop a concept to support economic mobility in Detroit, creating business plans to put those ideas into action.

The five-day program included motivational messages from Michigan Lt. Governor Garlin Gilchrist II and Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, workshops, fireside chats and mentor engagement.

On the final day, each team presented their business plan to a panel of judges who awarded prizes to the top four teams based on the pitch. Members of those top teams each received a scholarship for the 2025 school year, guaranteed offers of a paid internship at Ally for summer 2025, and other prizes to support their education.

The 2024 top four teams and their pitch concepts were:

First Place Tie: Philander Smith University and Southern University, $20,000 scholarships for each student.

Philander Smith University

Their idea, Little Genius, is an AI-Powered platform for K-5 students providing personalized learning to enhance literacy, numeracy, and science. The platform uses AI to create unique learning pathways that meet the needs of all students on an individual basis. Little Genius also includes gamified interactive assessments with voice recognition and offline functionality.

Kenna Agbugba, junior computer science student from Abuja, Nigeria

Angel Balogun, sophomore computer science student from Lagos, Nigeria

Zara Duruji, sophomore computer science student from Abuja, Nigeria

Jennifer Obinwanne, sophomore computer science student from Lagos, Nigeria

James Owolabi, senior computer science student from Abuja, Nigeria

Southern University and A&T College

Their Electric Meets Opportunity app revolutionizes transportation for low-income communities by providing affordable, eco-friendly access to clean energy vehicles. Designed for seamless convenience, it empowers drivers and passengers to reach essential destinations like work and healthcare, all while tapping into the future of smart, sustainable mobility.

Megan Abraham, senior marketing student from Baton Rouge, La.

Taylor Curtis, senior elementary education student from Houston

Jazmon DeRousselle, senior mass communications student from Houston

Rashard Grace, senior computer science student from Madison, Miss.

Nalone Sumo, senior finance student from Baton Rouge, La.

Second Place: Hampton University, $10,000 scholarships for each student.

The team's Gov On the Go project addresses the lack of access to public services and job opportunities in Detroit's underserved communities by engaging directly with residents, creating personalized pathways, and tracking success to drive economic mobility and reduce poverty. They plan to expand efforts through targeted outreach, adding resources like more vehicles and broader initiatives to maximize impact.

Third Place: Spelman College, $5,000 scholarships for each student.

All other students who competed received a $1,000 scholarship for their participation.

"The Thurgood Marshall College Fund is incredibly proud to extend our relationship with Ally for the sixth year," said TMCF President & CEO Harry L. Williams. "Ally's continued investment in the innovation and entrepreneurial talent at HBCUs highlights its commitment to empowering students to improve their socioeconomic standing—benefiting not only the students but also their communities and society as a whole."

Since the program's inception in 2019, more than 300 students have participated. Ally has employed 46 of the former Moguls as interns and hired 15 as full-time employees across a variety of functions, including technology, marketing, product design and corporate services. To date, Ally has awarded more than $1 million in scholarships and prizes through Moguls in the Making.


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