University of South Florida leaders, staff and students joined community partners Tuesday at the inaugural Nault Center for Entrepreneurship Awards Luncheon. The event, which took place at the educational institution’s St. Petersburg campus, celebrated business excellence in the Tampa Bay community.
“The center touches every element of our strategic plan,” said David Blackwell, who serves as the USF Muma College of Business Lynn Pippenger Dean. “It benefits our students with experimental learning and helps actually get companies off of the ground. It supports research and faculty engagement in the community.”
He explained that one of the guiding themes of the Muma College of Business is powering dreams.
“That means helping students achieve their professional aspirations, but it also means helping entrepreneurs, founders and innovators bring their ideas to life and create meaningful impact in the world around them.”
Blackwell said that the college is planning on launching a corporate entrepreneurship minor in the fall of the 2028-2029 academic year.
“We also believe that entrepreneurial thinking extends far beyond just starting a business,” he said. “Whether our graduates become founders, executives, consultants or leaders within established organizations, we want them to think creatively, to innovate boldly and to identify opportunities where others may see obstacles.”
Andy Hafer, who is an adjunct professor and the advisory board chair for the Nault Center for Entrepreneurship, received the Vanguard Leadership Award. A USF alumni, he co-founded audio-visual production and creative solutions provider DCE Productions. Hafer has been involved with multiple organizations including Metropolitan Ministries Board for Social Enterprise, Community Foundation Tampa Bay and The Village of Hope Haiti.
For Hafer, the recognition was a surprise and a humbling experience. He explained that educating students has become a passion.
Hafer believes that to start and grow a company, learners need to participate in hands-on experiences. He argued that it’s important to augment academics.
“I’ve often joked with my students that you’re either born with it or you catch the disease,” Hafer said. “It is really a disease. You look at the world and you just want to fix something. You want to fill a gap and that’s what makes a good entrepreneur.”
“This concept of a major, minor or some kind of certificate in entrepreneurship is good for those who want to start a business,” he continued. “But, I will tell you that what you learn is that grit. You learn that perseverance and you learn how to get knocked down and get up a hundred times if you need to, and that makes a damn good employee to any corporation out there as well.”
Jennifer Sineway, who is an entrepreneur in residence at the Nault Center, was recognized as well. She is the co-founder of Allied Analytic, which is a servicer and reseller of Vetscan blood analyzers.
Sineway created the organization’s mentorship program. She has helped develop a network of business leaders, attorneys and investors for students to connect with. From one-on-one coaching to hands-on training, the mentorship program has become a key aspect of the Nault Center’s work.
Jennifer Sineway, who is an entrepreneur in residence at the Nault Center for Entrepreneurship, created the organization’s mentorship program.
“It’s all about entrepreneurs helping entrepreneurs,” she said. “To get real and really serious about it, entrepreneurship is hard. It can be really hard and it can get lonely. A lot of times, we just talk about the founding, the funding, the successes and the exits.”
Dennis Moncur was named the 2026 Mentor of the Year. Multiple students were also recognized.
Morgan Bierbrunner, who co-founded pre-workout gummy supplement manufacturer Rush Power, received the Perseverance Award. She has had to navigate through a variety of obstacles including manufacturing issues and packaging setbacks while pursuing a graduate degree. Bierbrunner has participated in multiple pitch competitions and received a $10,000 investment through the Nault Center’s HUSTLE Business Innovation Cohort.
The Versatility Award was presented to Julia Reding. She graduated early with a degree in psychology and interned with the U.S. Office of Naval Research. Reding has supported the Nault Center’s programs and helped oversee the USF Patent Commercialization Project.
Jackson Poynor, co-founder of Simple Referrals Co., was honored with the Tenacity Award. According to USF’s website, the company has developed a “software designed to modernize and streamline healthcare referrals.”
After winning the first competition he entered, Poynor continued to push himself. He focused on improving in areas that were challenging, including public speaking. For example, the young entrepreneur decided to speak in front of more audiences until the skill became a strength.
Sudeepa Pasupuleeti, who also co-founded Simple Referrals Co., received the Galvanizer Award. She co-founded the HealthHacks innovation hackathon to help connect pre-med and engineering students and solve real-world health challenges. Pasupuleti also helped develop the ProstheX organization to support prosthetics innovation.
Darren Booth was the recipient of the Conviction Award. He launched Groovy Smoothie Pops earlier this year. According to USF’s website, the “protein-packed frozen treats” were “designed to offer families a healthier alternative in the freezer aisle.” He was the first student to complete the Nault Center’s Every Student Entrepreneur program. Additionally, Booth won first place in the HUSTLE pitch competition.
From left, syp co-founders Mathis Haugen and Rima El Brouzi were both recognized at the Tuesday event.
The Catalyst Award was presented to Rima El Brouzi. She co-founded syp, a company that manufactures smart hydration trackers that can be placed on water bottles. El Brouzi has participated in competitions around the country. She secured a place at Alibaba.com’s CoCreate pitch competition, where syp was selected from nearly 39,000 applicants worldwide.
Mathis Haugen, also a co-founder of syp, was honored with the Fortitude Award. When the company did not receive an expected investment, Haugen and his team decided to secure USF Athletics as a beta partner and raised nearly $90,000. He also has served as the co-captain of the USF men’s soccer team.
“We’re really a product of whatever Nault is building,” Haugen said at the Tuesday event. “So, I’m super super grateful. The product is working and the program is working.”
The Boldness Award was presented to Addison Bounds, who created Avaia. The company has developed a wearable technology designed to detect drink-spiking drugs. Bounds filed a provisional patent for the product and invited sororities to serve as beta testers. Additionally, she earned a place as a finalist for the Hult Prize student startup competition in the United Kingdom.
Nault Center for Entrepreneurship website