BEO Contact InformationProfessor Mary Fennell, Director, BEO

Brendan McNally, Associate Director, BEOBrown University

Brendan_McNally@Brown.edu401-863-6347

C. V. STARR PROGRAM IN Business, Entrepreneurship and Organizations

2013–14 Senior Capstone

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BEO Capstone – 2013-14 ProjectsThe C.V. Starr Program in Business, Entrepreneurship and Organizations (BEO) is aunique, interdisciplinary, undergraduate concentration at Brown University focused onthe study of business, entrepreneurship, technological innovation, and organizationaltheory. BEO educates students to be creative and flexible leaders for careers in for-profit,social mission and start-up organizations. Through the disciplines of economics,sociology, engineering and entrepreneurship, students learn methodological approachesto address challenges in national and global economic context.

Beginning in the fall of 2013, all BEO seniors were required to take a capstone coursewhich includes a one-or two-semester long project. Project teams, usually comprised offive students, are supervised by a faculty advisor. Students apply conceptual andtheoretical grounding obtained in BEO courses to deliver analysis andrecommendations related to a specific challenge facing a sponsor organization. Sponsororganizations appoint a senior level mentor to help define and guide the project.

This academic year marks the first full BEO cohort to participate in the capstone. Closeto 75 students worked on sixteen projects in the fall with ten continuing in the spring.Student learning experiences were excellent. Mentors and faculty were thrilled with theteams’ work products. Join us in celebrating this accomplishment.

BEO Capstone FacultyMary FennellDirector, BEO, Professor of Sociology

Eric Suuberg Professor of Engineering

Lisa Di Carlo Lecturer in Sociology

Brendan McNallyAssociate Director, BEO

Tim NguyenAdjunct Lecturer in Economics

Steve PetterutiAdjunct Lecturer in Engineering

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Entrepreneurshipand TechnologyProjectsEach team works with a mentorcompany to create a start-upventure that will bring atechnology to market. Fallsemester focuses on becomingexpert in a technology, identifyingpotential markets and defining aproduct or service. The springsemester involves prototypedevelopment and crafting abusiness plan to bring the productor service to customers.

HydroFlexworked with aRhode Island-based inventor to design andmanufacture an exercise machine thatuses a proprietary water-resistancetechnology to strengthen core musclegroups. The new venture targetedseniors who are interested in thepreventative benefits of the machine aswell as those who need specificrehabilitative regimens as they recoverfrom falls and fractures. Key fallsemester deliverables were the analysisof intellectual property, target markets,competitors, and early stage designoptions. This spring a prototypemachine was developed, the businessplan honed and customer validationconducted. Mentor: John Duke,inventor and past president ofWaterRower Inc.

Team: Slava Chupryna, Liz Connolley,Manfredo Koelliker, James Siers, Sharon Sun

FabSnapdeveloped asolution to allowdigital photographsto be translatedinto customdesigns for the jewelry business. Thisproject required the team to becomeexpert in 3-D printing, metal andplastic coatings, and digitalphotography software. Capitalizing onthe trend of personalized designs ataffordable prices, the FabSnap team iscombining Rhode Island’s jewelrydesign and manufacturing expertisewith digital photography technologiesand 3-D printing. Mentor: Steve Altari,president Bel Air Finishing.

Team: Curtis Cheng, Blake Reinson,Alexandra Rieckoff, Sharon Sun, Kade-Chanya Wilailak

Modif[eyes] is a start-up focused onproducing durable, interchangeableparts to allow highly customizedfashion eyewear. Inspired and advisedby an ophthalmologist and researcherat a local design firm, Modif[eyes]targets fashion-conscious adults whowant to frequently change the colorsand shapes of prescription eyewear.The team developed prototypes totest with customers and anticipates aprice point that is highly competitivewith current fashion eyewear.Mentors: Breck Petrillo, professionalindustrial designer and Dr. DominickZangari, ophthalmologist.

Team: Elisabeth Berger, Jeff Chen, Cosmin Hanganu, Jonathan Hilgart, Jared Kay

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Cappie Toys responded to a requestfrom Hasbro’s Advanced Technologyand Innovation (ATI) group to find

opportunities toleverage existing

technologies in newmarkets. The team

created an innovativeproduct that can marry Hasbro’s Nerflauncher features with a toy that firestennis balls and dispenses pet treats.Capitalizing on the growing pet toyand food markets, Cappie acted as afull service design firm to work withHasbro and pet food manufacturers.Conceptual drawings were producedand the team built a prototypelauncher that was tested with pets andtrainers. Mentors: Craig Desroisiersdirector global electronics engineeringand Richard Maddocks, directorAdvanced Technology and InnovationGroup Hasbro Inc.

Team: Saeed Hassan, Sterling Hecox,Clarence Lam, Judge Ryan

SocialInnovation/SocialEntrepreneurshipProjectsStudents typically act as membersof the mentor organization or in a

“consultant” role to tackle criticalissues for the sponsor organization.Most projects are full-yearcommitments with the fallsemester focused on researchdesign and data gathering and thespring devoted to research analysisand recommendations.

SpeakYourMind Foundation is aRhode Island-based nonprofit start-upthat provides technology-basedcommunication solutions for peoplewith various levels of paralysis. BEOcapstone students became integralmembers of the SpeakYourMind team,providing recommendations onrevenue models, organizationalplanning and branding. Keyaccomplishments of the fall semester

were the research,planning and launchof SpeakYourMind’scrowd-fundingcampaign onIndiegogo. Funds willgo to support an eye-tracking solution fora young woman who

suffered a brain-stem stroke and hadbeen unable to communicate. Thespring semester was devoted toresearching and forming strategicpartnerships with large corporations.Mentor: Dan Bacher, president andfounder SpeakYourMind Foundation;senior research engineer BrownBrainGate Lab.

Team: Annelise Gates, Jennifer Kries,Giuseppi Lanzi, Charlotte Small, Elizabeth Weber

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Boys and Girls Clubs of RhodeIsland worked with a capstone team toanalyze extensive national and localsurvey data to find best practices and

performance metrics forits clubs. The capstoneteam parsed survey

results to develop aseries of

hypotheses forimproving the club effectiveness andyouth participation. Augmenting theclubs’ limited resources, the capstoneteam became a valued asset to helpdirectors think strategically about thequality of programs and services andhow to increase youth engagement.Mentor: Erin Gilliatt, executive directorEast Bay Boys & Girls Clubs of RI.

Team: Jordan Evans, Jenny Gorelick, Mark Hourihan, Andrew Marks, Nicholas Raffone, Dennis Robertson

Farm Fresh RI partnered with a BEOteam to find ways to extend its

strengths as a leader in the foodhub movement. Farm Freshreduces the separationbetween local farmers andlocal eaters to help renovate thelocal food system. Seeing that

Farm Fresh leaders arefrequently tapped by new and existingfood hubs as industry experts, thestudent team worked to develop a suiteof consulting services and best practicesthat can be shared in the industry andperhaps be an additional source of FarmFresh revenue. Mentor: Sheri Griffin,executive director, FarmFresh RI.

Team: Maria Botin Sanz DeSautuolaD’Ornan, Oliver Diamond, Paige Gilley,Jacqueline Lubrano, Caroline Steinfeld

The Initiative for NonprofitExcellence at the Rhode IslandFoundation builds the capacity ofnonprofit organizations so they canbetter achieve their missions. TheFoundation partnered with a BEOteam to research and betterunderstand the challenges ofmanagement turnover and leadershipdevelopment in nonprofits. Thecapstone project required the studentsto design an approach to assess thepotential level of need in Rhode Islandnonprofits by exploring the number ofexecutive directors who anticipateretiring or moving on, their successionplans, and opportunities for workingwith the next wave of nonprofit leaders.Mentor: Jill Pfitzenmayer, vicepresident RI Foundation.

Team: Ian Trupin, Abbey Van Horne,Matthew Wahl

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Social Enterprise Greenhouse creates positive social and economicimpacts by supporting socialentrepreneurs andenterprises with thetools and networksthey need to thrive.Social Enterprise Greenhouse taskedthe BEO team to help it scale its reachin Rhode Island, Massachusetts andConnecticut. The BEO team helpedSEG to better understand thelandscape, needs of social ventures,and how to best serve these venturesthrough existing incubation and otherservices. The goal of the capstone wasto make recommendations to leaderson SEG’s strategic direction. Mentor:Kelly Ramirez, CEO Social EnterpriseGreenhouse.

Team: Avery Burns, John Hathaway, Brad Herzlich, Leyna Jackson, Tevin Jackson

Fio Partners is a consultingfirm that focuses on strategicplanning and buildingcollaborative models for the nonprofitsector. Fio’s methodology is highlydata driven and employs best practices.This capstone team worked with a Fiomentor to design a managementservices organization with specificemphasis on helping clients deliverquality services to their constituents.The BEO team researched bestpractices and performance metricsrelated to the delivery of daycare andout-of-school program services.Further, the team surveyed pontentialcustomers to best understand theirneeds. Mentor: Jane Arsenault,principal Fio Partners.

Team: Nick Mizaur, Mark Poon, Kathryn Rogers, Cody Taulbee

Business/Consulting/Finance ProjectsProjects are designed generally asone-semester commitments.Students typically act as membersof the mentor organization or in a

“consultant” role to tackle criticalissues for the sponsor organization.Students must collect data, analyzeinformation, and makerecommendations all within thefall term.

Traction Software Inc. challenged aBEO team toconductresearch,

make recommendations and outline aplan for a market pivot. Traction, aprovider of collaborative work software,tasked the BEO team to build abusiness-case analysis and choice ofnew specific addressable markets —vertical segment and industry — thatmake attractive points of entry. In thefall students immersed themselves inthe product, surveyed customers andrecommended two promising markets.During the spring, the team focused onresidential real estate and eventuallyhelped develop an online demo to testwith customers. Mentor: Greg Lloyd,president Traction Software.

Team: John Bumpus, Peter Callas, Wills Curley, Eric Duboe, Voltaire Escalona, Jordan Reisner, William Round

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Textron Inc. is an internationaldiversified holding company based inRhode Island that owns companies inaerospace, financial services,

commerciallawn/golfequipment,

and defense-related systems. Thecapstone project assisted seniorcorporate executives with quantitativeand qualitative analysis relating tochanges in their corporate pensionplan on parent company financials. Ofparticular interest was the need tounderstand the impact on companyprofitability related to funding thepension program in bear markets.Mentor: Charles Van Vleet, chiefinvestment officer Textron Inc.

Team: Maggie Brady, Anthony Galan,John Kuntz, Alex Norocea, Josh Weiner

Philips Healthcare, a globalhealthcare products firm,tapped a BEO capstoneteam to conduct acompetitive analysis oftheir Lifeline products. As

the competition expands inthe field of medical alert systems,Philips engaged the students toidentify competitors, key productattributes, user experiences, andpricing options. The student teamdesigned, administered and analyzed a customer survey to help inform theirfinal recommendations. Mentor:Andrea Ryter, senior brand manager,Philips Healthcare.

Team: Alexandra Camesas, Cameron Johnson, Alex Phelan, Matthew Shannon, Hanna Wrenn

The Retail Project is a one-year-old,pre-profit start-up (winner of theRhode Island Foundation InnovationFellowship) aimed at creating,launching and testing new retailbrands. The capstone project wasdesigned by the students to evaluate aset of growth scenarios and theattendant financial and organizationalstructures as the Project scales. Thefinal product, a “road map for growth”,includes a flexible, assumption-basedExcel model to conduct pro formabudgets for human and financialresources. The model easily quantifiesthe cost of alternative structures andorganizational priorities at differentphases of brand growth. Mentor: SorenRyherd, president Working Planet; RIInnovation Fellow 2012.

Team: Niina Al-Hassan, Vince Moita, Sam Rubinroit, Victor Vergil, Kristin Watterlond

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State of Rhode Island Office ofthe General Treasurer oversees theCollegeBoundfund, a Section 529qualified tuition program to encouragesaving and investing for a child’sfuture higher-educationexpenses. The capstoneproject assisted the Office ofthe General Treasurer andthe Rhode Island HigherEducation AssistanceAuthority by providingquantitative and qualitativeanalysis to optimize the impactof this program including anidentification and assessment ofcustomers and product features,account utilization rates, anddemographic trends. The finalrecommendation included suggestionsfor reaching and enrolling better suitedparticipants. Mentor: Josh Brumberger,deputy treasurer State of Rhode IslandOffice of the General Treasurer.

Team: Lauren Clarke, Kaylie McGregor,Clay Paino, Don Shea, Tom Uszakiewicz

State of Rhode Island Office ofthe General Treasurer isresponsible for strategies and assetallocations for the state’s pension

system. The capstone team actedas a consultant for the chief

investment officer of theState of Rhode Islandregarding the use of hedgefund replication strategiesin the pension’s investment

portfolio. The team’s workincluded in-depth analyses

of cost, efficiency, andeffectiveness of replication

strategies. Additionally, the BEO teamresearched and identified appropriatebenchmark indices to compareperformance over one-, three- andfive-year periods. Mentor: Anne-MarieFink, chief investment officer State ofRhode Island Office of the GeneralTreasurer.

Team: Luke Chen, Ian Green, Jessica Hoyle, Colby Lubman, Ryan McCourt

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Elisabeth BergerJeff ChenCosmin HanganuJonathan Hilgart Jared KayDr. Dominick ZangariBreck Petrillo

Slava ChuprynaLiz Connolley

Manfredo KoellikerJames SiersSharon Sun

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CollegeBoundfund

Hedge FundStrategies

State of Rhode Island Office of the General Treasurer

State of Rhode Island Office of the General Treasurer

Lauren Clarke, Kaylie McGregor, Clay Paino, Don Shea, Tom Uszakiewicz

Luke Chen, Ian Green, Jessica Hoyle, Colby Lubman, Ryan McCourt

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BEO Capstone Faculty

Maggie BradyAnthony GalanJohn KuntzAlex NoroceaJosh Weiner

Ian TrupinAbbey Van HorneMatthew Wahl

Alexandra CamesasCameron Johnson

Alex Phelan Matthew Shannon

Hanna Wrenn

Lisa Di Carlo, Mary Fennell, Brendan McNally, Tim Nguyen, Steve Petteruti, Alden Richards, Eric Suuberg

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Avery BurnsJohn Hathaway

Brad Herzlich Leyna Jackson Tevin Jackson

Niina Al-Hassan, Vince Moita, Sam Rubinroit, Victor Vergil, Kristin Watterlond

Saeed Hassan, Sterling Hecox, Clarence Lam, Judge Ryan

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Traction Team

Jordan EvansJenny Gorelick Mark Hourihan Andrew Marks

Nicholas Raffone Dennis Robertson

Curtis ChengBlake ReinsonAlexandra RieckoffSharon SunKade-Chanya Wilailak

Annelise Gates, Jennifer Kries, Giuseppi Lanzi, Charlotte Small, Elizabeth Weber

John Bumpus, Peter Callas, Wills Curley, Eric Duboe, Voltaire Escalona, Jordan Reisner, William Round

Nick Mizaur, Mark Poon, Kathryn Rogers, Cody Taulbee

SnapFab