Southern Illinois University Edwardsville alumnus Jeffry Harrison is one of 20 winners in the 2013 Arch Grants Global Startup Competition. The winners were announced at a press conference Tuesday
afternoon at Polsinelli in downtown St. Louis.
The global business startup competition provides $50,000 non-dilutive grants to early stage ventures. Arch Grants created the competition to help grow businesses and create a more robust entrepreneurial culture and infrastructure in St. Louis.
Harrison’s RoverTown concept gives more than 2,000 businesses direct access to 1.4 million college students through their mobile devices. RoverTown’s student discount program allows actively enrolled students at nearly 70 institutions to earn exclusive discounts and rewards at rovertown.com.
“The Arch Grants winners are the best of a terrific group, and are exciting young companies,” said Jerry Schlichter, co-founder and president of Arch Grants. “Arch Grants’ vision has become a reality.We are building an entrepreneurial ecosystem and have great partners who, through their support of Arch Grants, have put St. Louis on the international map as a great place for entrepreneurs.”
This year’s competition attracted 707 applicants from 15 countries and 40 states. The 20 grant recipients will receive $50,000 each in funding and free support services. Starting in July, the out-of-town companies will relocate to St. Louis and begin immersing themselves into the entrepreneurial community.
A Redbud native, Harrison arrived at SIUE as a result of the Homer L. & Helen L. Cox Scholarship from the School of Business. He earned a bachelor’s in finance and entrepreneurship in 2012. Harrison served as the SIUE student trustee for the SIU Board of Trustees for two years.
RoverTown will move to St. Louis from its current location in the SIU Carbondale Research Park.
For a complete list of Arch Grant winners, click here.
Photo: Jeffry Harrison.