UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The four winners of the College of Arts and Architecture’s Arts Business Ideas Competition were announced in April with each receiving a financial award to support their startup.
Open to undergraduate and graduate students from any major and any Penn State campus, the competition is the college’s annual showcase of arts entrepreneurship that asks students to present an arts-based business plan that could earn entrants up to $5,000 to develop the concept.
The competition is organized and hosted by the College of Arts and Architecture’s Arts Entrepreneurship Program, which recently launched a new minor designed for specifically for Arts and Architecture majors.
1st Place ($5,000): Robert Botchway
Botchway, a graduate student in the School of Visual Arts, is founder of Muze Bricks, a brick manufacturing company based in Dawhenya, a rapidly developing coastal community near Accra, Ghana. The business aims to address a persistent construction problem caused by the environmental conditions of the area, specifically waterlogged land and high salt content in the soil.
In Dawhenya, conventional cement blocks deteriorate over time due to moisture rising through walls via capillary action. This process carries dissolved salts into the material, leading to efflorescence, surface foaming, cracking and eventual structural damage. Existing solutions such as waterproof paint and wall tiling fail because they treat only the surface and do not stop internal moisture movement.
Muze Bricks has a material-based solution: kiln-fired clay bricks engineered to reduce porosity and improve resistance to water and salt infiltration. By addressing the problem at its source, the company offers a durable and cost-effective alternative for homeowners and builders.
2nd Place ($3,500): Sofia Colonero
Colonero, an undergraduate student in the Smeal College of Business, is the founder of Sofia Renee’s, a fashion business that designs and sells a convertible jacket that transforms into a purse. The product solves a clear and recurring problem: women going out at night must choose between staying warm or staying hands-free. The company produces and sells a fashion-forward, lightweight jacket that converts into a structured purse in seconds using built-in snaps, folds and straps. The design focuses on durable materials, neutral color palettes (black, brown, and red leather), and premium hardware to ensure both aesthetic appeal and long-term functionality.
3rd Place ($1,500): Lauren Greene
Greene, an undergraduate student in the School of Visual Arts, is the founder of Karmawilleatu, a for-profit, product-centered arts business focused on creating and selling unique, upcycled clothing, accessories, art and décor that embody a gothic and alternative aesthetic. The mission of the business is to provide affordable, one-of-a-kind pieces while promoting sustainability through the use of secondhand materials.
4th Place ($1,000): Rhyan Lehman
Lehman, an undergraduate student in the School of Visual Arts, is developing an independent film studio that creates feature-length animated films that tell unique, unexpected and personal stories, and places artistry and compelling narratives at the forefront. She takes a multi-media approach that allows users to experience engaging supplemental content that fleshes out the world and characters of her films.
“The competition was an incredible opportunity for students to present their arts businesses to a panel of judges, receive mentorship, and startup funds to help grow their ventures and ultimately to help them create sustainable careers in the arts,” said Jonathan Gangi, associate professor of music and director of the Arts Entrepreneurship Program.
Judges for the competition included Gangi and Arts and Architecture alumni Luke Gall, a 2014 bachelor of music education alum, who is a co-founder of Ultimate Drill Book; and Mike Karns, a 2011 bachelor of fine arts alum in theater, stage management, who is the founder of Marathon Digital.
The competition was supported by the Bell family endowment and financial gifts made by the Powell family.