RUSTON, La. — Heirloom won first place in the 2025 Top Dog New Venture Championship, Louisiana Tech University’s cross-disciplinary entrepreneurial pitch competition hosted by the Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation in the College of Business. The event is one of the state’s longest-running university pitch competitions.
Jessica Ramey, a senior computer information systems major, earned the Top Dog title for her venture, a family recipe social network that allows users to store, share, and collaborate on digital and print cookbooks.
“Heirloom began as a simple idea that gave my love of cooking a deeper meaning,” said Ramey. “I’ve always had an entrepreneurial spirit, and I’m proud that I poured my heart into this business and that it truly resonated with people. I had so much fun competing in Top Dog, and I owe so much to Jessica George, whose mentorship and unceasing cheerleading made me a better entrepreneur.”
This year’s competition featured 25 teams, with 12 advancing to the preliminaries and six moving on to the finals. Jessica George, Center director and instructor of management, mentored teams throughout the competition.
“Top Dog continues to showcase the remarkable creativity and collaboration happening across our campus,” said Dr. Chris Martin, dean of the College of Business. “Students from a range of disciplines are working together to solve real-world problems, and their ideas demonstrate the entrepreneurial spirit that defines Louisiana Tech. I’m grateful to this year’s judges for their time and invaluable feedback, and I commend each participant for their exemplary work.”
Finalists included:
• Heirloom (first place, Jessica Ramey) – a digital platform that preserves family culinary traditions by transforming recipes into collaborative digital and print cookbooks with revenue potential through subscriptions, classes, and partnerships
• Wound IQ (second place, Okeke Odirachukwu, Caleb Christopherson, Savala Ariba Salam) – smart post-operative dressings that track temperature and pH to detect early infection, integrating disposable hardware with cloud-based software
• MediMeal (tied for third, Hailey Emerson, Kristian Pellegrino) – an app that links meal logging, medication reminders, and health insights to support daily management
• Mirror Mirror (tied for third, Dominic LeBouef, Luke Wilson) – a smart mirror delivering schedules, reminders, and updates for streamlined daily routines
• Gridiron Guardian (Luke Colwick, Harvey Gorecki, Max Mitchell, Harold Braud) – a real-time head-impact monitoring system designed to detect concussions and support athlete safety
• Nature’s Blend (Rex Bolls, Nickol Komsuprom) – a portable smoothie stand offering real-fruit smoothies for students with dietary restrictions
“I couldn’t be prouder of this year’s competitors,” said George. “Not only were their ideas innovative, but their spirit of collaboration across academic disciplines was inspiring. Each team member played to their individual strengths to find success — from finance majors to biomedical engineers. This collaboration, some of which was formed during last year’s Backed by Business event, is a hallmark of the Center’s mission.”
Three finalists previously won Top Pup, a first-year pitch competition in the College of Business. Other competitors developed their ventures through courses taught by George and Professor of Biomedical Engineering Dr. Patrick O’Neal. Students also received support from the Institute of Management Accountants, led by Professor of Accounting Dr. Andrea Drake, in developing pricing strategies, revenue projections, and income statements.
Judges included Sean Cangelosi, India Carroll, Michael Leachman, Sarah Lowder, and Liz Maxwell. A total of $10,000 in prize money was awarded through contributions from Jones Walker LLP and BRF’s Entrepreneurial Accelerator Program.
The Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, housed in the College of Business, supports entrepreneurial development at Louisiana Tech by connecting students, faculty, alumni, and partners through programs that promote creativity and new venture development.