ZV
Zachary Vampola
  • Computer Science
  • Class of 2017
  • Vista, CA

Zachary Vampola Wins Computer Science Shark Tank Competition

2017 May 31

Zachary Vampola of Vista was a winner at the ninth Annual Computer Entrepreneurship Competition hosted by Hofstra University's Fred DeMatteis School of Engineering and Applied Science.

Vampola was one of twenty budding computer science entrepreneurs who presented their business plans for a technological innovation or product to a panel of local industry professionals with one-minute pitches in the first round and five-minute pitches if they made it to the second round.

Student business plans were judged on criteria ranging from presentation skills and financial projections to how well the student researched potential competitors.

"The Computing Entrepreneurship Competition is a great venue for our students to present their business ideas in front of a panel of local entrepreneurs," said Dr. Simona Doboli, the computer science professor who organized the event. "In this process they get feedback on the soundness and marketability of their ideas and advice on how to get started."

All competition participants are students in Foundations of Leadership and Innovation in Computing (CSC 194), developed and taught by Dr. Edward Currie, associate professor of electrical engineering and an adjunt computer science professor. The course teaches students about each phase of a business start-up, how to pitch their ideas and how to develop a prototype. Students in the course are mentored by local entrepreneurs.

Judges for the competition were Peter Goldsmith, president of LISTnet and director of Long Island Venture Group, Paul Trapani, vice-president of LISTnet, co-founder of XT Group, and a Hofstra alumnus, Walden Leverich, CEO of Tech Software and Jaqueline Hsu, co-founder of ParkMii, young entrepreneur in residence at Hofstra Center for Entrepreneurship and chairman of Hofstra's Nextgen Advisory Board.