The Startup 48 Mocktails winning team relaxed for a post-victory photo. From left to right: UW-Eau Claire students Maysa Clemens, Kaitlin Koch, Theresa Kaser (seated), and Madison Bohl, with Evelyn White, 6th grade Startup 48 weekend helper.

With an idea for a new product called Mocktails, a new non-alcoholic canned beverage, an all-women student team from UW-Eau Claire took first place in Startup 48, Eau Claire’s own business jumpstart competition held the third weekend in October.

They launched the idea for the business on Friday night, worked all weekend, and then provided a final pitch on Sunday evening to a panel of local judges. The Mocktails team now qualifies to advance to the Wisconsin Big Idea Tournament, a statewide pitch competition where they will vie for up to $25,000 in start-up capital next April.

The judges selected the winning Mocktails as the concept that could most likely be successful in the marketplace. Four other teams pitched ideas including an entertainment connection and suggestion app, a café and brewery, a crowd-funded property investment app, and a digital platform for fighting.

Over the weekend, 32 individuals met at WIN Technology in Eau Claire to create a lean business and prepare a launch to market. Five teams formed and worked tirelessly to create business models, verify market needs, and find their value proposition, based on an initial 60-second business idea pitch.

Startup 48 is an annual, weekend-long business startup learning experience and competition. Local entrepreneurs and industry experts serve as mentors throughout the weekend to assist and re-direct teams when needed, all with the goal of cultivating new business ideas and leaders in the Eau Claire area.

Startup 48 was sponsored by CoLab, Elite Extra, WiSys, and the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp.

Learn more about Startup 48 and its community partners at www.Startup48.co.