ABERDEEN, S.D. – Two Northern State University students have been named finalists in the South Dakota’s Governor’s Giant Vision competition.
Ty Dillabough and Olaf Hanson both qualified to compete for a $5,000 prize at the event, which is being held Thursday, April 12, at the Sioux Falls Convention Center.
Dillabough, a sophomore business marketing major from Cochrane, Alberta, Canada, is the creator of Tiny Knight, a keychain that allows caregivers to monitor individuals with special needs or disabilities using a smartphone app.
Hanson, a senior finance major from Fargo, N.D., is the creator of Wolves Wheels, a bicycle sharing system that could serve as a transportation option for students on the NSU campus.
Originated with Honors Entrepreneurs Program
Wolves Wheels – an idea that originated as Hanson’s application to the NSU Honors Entrepreneurs Program – would be helpful for students without vehicles, particularly international students, he said. It could also offset parking congestion on campus and in nearby neighborhoods.
Hanson has been working with Kelly Weaver at the Small Business Development Center, who helped him write his business plan and develop a financial pro forma. At the April 12 competition in Sioux Falls, Hanson said judges will walk around and observe, then pull out competitors one by one to present for 10 minutes.
“This is definitely the biggest project I’ve ever undertaken,” he said. “It’s pretty exciting. There are a lot of different components involved – everything it would take to start a business.”
Idea came from NSU Pitch Competition
Dillabough came up with his idea at last year’s NSU Pitch Competition, though it originally started as a product to be used as a “panic button” to help make the college experience safer.
“If I never entered the Pitch Competition I would have never even considered being an entrepreneur, so NSU and specifically the School of Business has been extremely supportive of my entrepreneurial pursuits,” he said.
Unfortunately, Dillabough has to withdraw from the Governor’s Giant Vision competition because he has a meeting in Pierre that day for Tiny Knight. But he participated in the event last year and said he learned a lot, gaining excellent feedback from business professionals.
“At the end of the day no matter what happens with my business, I will consider it a success because of the vast experience and real life knowledge I've gained in the pursuit of being an entrepreneur,” Dillabough said.
NSU Provides Connection to Business Community
Hanson said NSU has helped him on his path toward success in entrepreneurship.
“The opportunities that I’ve gotten at Northern are ones that you just can’t find at bigger schools and bigger communities because I have a pretty close relationship with a lot of my professors and advisors, and that’s helped me get connections in the business community in Aberdeen,” he said. “This has given me internship and business opportunities that I otherwise don’t think I could’ve gotten in a big school.”
A member of the Wolves football team, Hanson has had internships with Aberdeen Development Corp. and Dacotah Bank and said he is planning on staying in the Aberdeen area after he graduates in December.
“I really like Aberdeen. I’ve enjoyed my time here,” Hanson said. “I like the community and I have a lot of business connections that I’ve grown over the years.”
Hanson is one of about 16 students in NSU’s Honors Entrepreneurship program. At least once a month, the group meets at The Workshop on Aberdeen’s Main Street – which houses NSU’s Center for Creativity and Entrepreneurship – to bounce ideas off each other and help each other with business ideas.
“That really helps because it’s a lot of other upperclassmen honors students who are leaders in their schools and in their circles,” he said. “It’s a good group of people to work with.”
For more information about Honors Program opportunities at Northern, visit the NSU Honors Program webpage.
About Northern State University
Northern State University is a regional university that offers outstanding academics and exceptional extracurricular activities at an affordable price on a safe, welcoming campus. Northern State recently announced its Educational Impact Campaign, with a goal of raising $45 million for a new South Dakota School for the Blind and Visually Impaired, new athletic and recreation fields, and an on-campus regional sports complex. Once the campaign is complete, NSU will be the recipient of more than $100 million in privately funded building projects and scholarships within a decade. To learn more, visit NSU Admissions.