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Photo of Best Dam Tape products in a hockey rink

Hockey, Sticking

Hockey, Sticking

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Question: What do hockey and entrepreneurship have in common?

Answer: Logan Cuvo, a lifelong hockey player and junior Entrepreneurship and Innovation major in the Chambers College.

Those two passions are why Cuvo started Best Dam Tape, a hockey tape distributor that’s sold over $50,000 of product since its establishment in 2023.

“In the past year, Best Dam Tape has achieved major partnerships with teams like the Anaheim Ducks and Ohio State,” Cuvo said. “We have also started to introduce new, innovative tape options and eco-friendly wax. Having expanded across North America, the brand has become a trusted name for players of all levels."

His success was made possible by his passion for hockey, his education at WVU and the support he received from Chambers College outreach center Vantage Ventures, which gave him the tools needed to grow.

“Vantage Ventures provided essential capital, mentorship and strategic guidance to scale operations and expand the brand’s reach,” Cuvo said. “They also facilitated key introductions and helped create a scalable growth strategy which supported our market success.”

Do you have an entrepreneurial idea you want to pursue? Apply to the spring cohort of Vantage Ventures’ startup accelerator by December 15!

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The Gavel Strikes 20

2023 marks the 20th year of law firm Steptoe & Johnson’s participation in the FAFE (Forensic Accounting and Fraud Examination) graduate program’s Moot Court exercise. This capstone experience puts students’ skills to the test by having them investigate mock cases based on real-world financial crimes, culminating in a trial where they must testify as to their findings.  

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The Future is Innovative Females

In an effort to reach innovative and entrepreneurial females throughout the state, the WVU Morris L. Hayhurst LaunchLab hosted its Second Annual Women Innovate Pitch Competition. Ten women entered the virtual competition in October in hopes of winning prizes up to $5,000 to turn their idea into a reality. The contestants had to consider every aspect of their pitch – everything from production to advertising – and field questions from the all-female panel of judges. First place went to Anna Cummings, a business management major and entrepreneurship minor from Ashburn, Virginia, whose pitch identified an unaddressed need for a device to help earring-wearers attach their earring backtracks. “The Women Innovate Pitch Competition is an important opportunity for women entrepreneurs,” said Carrie White, executive director of the Morris L. Hayhurst LaunchLab. “The LaunchLab is here to provide support to all student innovators. However, historically we have seen fewer female clients as compared to male. This event is designed to level that field. The first year we held it, we saw our female entrepreneurs increase by 20 percent. We want to provide encouragement to all WVU students who wish to create something new!” 

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Take Stock

Worried about a looming recession and what to do with your money? Hold steady on those investment plans, advises Alexander Kurov, professor and Fred T. Tattersall research chair in finance. In an article penned for The Conversation, Kurov writes “Stick to your long-term plan and ignore day-to-day market fluctuations, however frightening they may be. Don’t take my word for it. The tried and true approach of passive investing is backed up by a lot of evidence.” To dive into the full article, go to go.wvu.edu/kurov.

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I Scream, You Scream

Move over cones and milkshakes, there is a new way to enjoy ice cream – rolled! Marketing student and Morgantown native Tyler Lalka is bringing rolled ice cream to the hills of Morgantown and nearby cities with his business Rolling Hills Ice Cream. Lalka originally saw the concept being done in larger cities and thought to himself, “Mountaineers need this,” and opened his ice cream truck in April 2021. Not only is the ice cream mixed with toppings on top of a negative-five degree plate and rolled into pieces, but his truck also allows him to roll to birthday parties, weddings, farmer’s markets, fairs, office gatherings and more. “It was a dream of mine to bring this to Morgantown and I decided to go mobile because it would give me the opportunity to meet my customers where they are,” he said. The signature menu (which ice cream lovers can get any time) includes salted caramel pretzel, Oreo, peanut butter cup, s'mores and Nutella banana. On top of those flavors, individuals can add other sweet or savory ingredients. Lalka will graduate with a degree in marketing in December 2022. 

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It Merits a Mention

Some students find their purpose in college. Others find it long before they set foot on campus. 

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