All Over Albany

Sunmark Start-up finalist presentations

Last night was the final leg of the AOA/Sunmark Start-up Grant competition: the final presentations.

Judges Blake Hanan (Mealeo.com), Lorraine Murphy (Bettie's Cakes) and Lissa D'Aquanni (Community Loan Fund of the Capital Region) heard 20 minute presentations from the three finalists.

We'll announce the winner later this week. But first, the presentations:

The Radix Center
Scott Kellogg and Stacy Pettiegrew
The Radix Ecological Sustainability Center is proposing an aquaculture system to grow their own fish and watercress. They plan to use the project to help educate the public about how to start their own aquaculture systems. They'll also sell the fish and watercress.

Co-original Creations
Beverly Carrubba
Beverly has been experimenting with flavors and creating cheesecakes and other desserts in her own kitchen. She plans to use the $1,500 to rent commercial kitchen space so she can bake more and take the business to the next level.



Jazzy Sun Birthdays
Fazana Saleem-Ismail
Fazana wants to use the $1,500 to create a high functioning website where people can donate food, presents and other items for birthday parties for homeless kids.
"Am I going to help families overcome homelessness with my project? No. What am I going to do? I'm going to put smiles on the faces of homeless children and make them feel like regular children, even though their families are having a hard time."