Rising Entrepreneurs Shine at Inaugural Boot Camp Led by Joe Ziznewski ’97

On Friday, October 17, RPS hosted the inaugural Rutgers Prep Entrepreneurship Boot Camp & Business Plan Competition. The program brought together students in Grades 8–12 for an immersive, hands-on exploration of business and innovation. 

The event was led by Joe Ziznewski ’97, Founder and Chief Strategist of Dark Roast Media, who returned to campus to guide students through the boot camp and serve as a host for the Shark Tank-style competition. Leading up to the final competition, students participated in three preparatory sessions where Joe taught key aspects of entrepreneurship, including business ideation, planning, branding, and marketing strategy. Each session was hosted on a Friday night leading up to pitch night. 

Head of School Dr. Steven Loy joined the judging panel alongside Geoff Loose, economics and history teacher at RPS, Christina Peeney, adjunct professor at Middlesex County College, and Jamie Schleck, special advisor to New Jersey’s Bringing Veterans Home Initiative.

Over the course of the evening, nine student teams presented original business ideas, each delivering a seven-minute pitch followed by a seven-minute Q&A with the judges. Using a scoring framework that assessed problem identification, innovation, market potential, financials, teamwork, and delivery, judges evaluated the entrepreneurial skills, creativity, and strategic thinking of each team in real time.

The competition concluded with prizes designed to give students a real-world headstart on launching their ventures, including branding and website packages from Dark Roast Media, legal business formation services from RPS grad Jared Sorin ’06 from Brown Rudnick LLP, and digital advertising credits from Nicole Amabile of Ivy Coast Apparel.

Congratulations to our winners:

• 1st Place – Black Ace Cards: Playing cards featuring an anti-cheating privacy coating designed to promote fairness and integrity in gaming.
• 2nd Place – Staturn: An AI-powered business intelligence platform helping YouTube creators grow through data-driven insights.
• 3rd Place – Athlens: A digital marketplace connecting athletes with content creators to build awareness and brand partnerships.
• Honorable Mention – Iron Palm: Drumsticks with an anti-slip grip for improved control and performance.

This inaugural Entrepreneurship Boot Camp exemplifies Rutgers Prep’s commitment to fostering creativity, problem-solving, and entrepreneurial thinking among students. With guidance from accomplished alumni like Joe Ziznewski, mentorship from faculty and industry experts, and inspiration from guest speakers, students experienced firsthand the challenges and rewards of turning bold ideas into actionable business plans.