2025 Sesi Midwest Entrepreneurship Conference & Skandalaris Business Plan Competition

This academic year's Sesi Midwest Entrepreneurship Conference will be held on March 14, 2025. High school students, college students, and teachers from the Midwest region will join notable business leaders/entrepreneurs to celebrate entrepreneurship. Students, instructors, and community members from our region are invited to attend this free, flagship, half-day agenda presented by the EMU's Center for Entrepreneurship.  This year, the conference is held in-person at the EMU Student Center Ballroom. Please register to attend this conference by clicking here (https://forms.gle/UUADfmR2ooEeUD6f8). The conference attendance is free, but registration is mandatory.

View 2025 Sesi Program Here


March 14, 2025 Schedule 

  • 9:00 – 9:30 a.m. Welcome and Introductions with Breakfast
  • 9:35 – 10:10 a.m. Breakfast Keynote - Dilip Dubey
  • 10:15 - 11:10 a.m. Panel Discussion - TBA
  • 11:30 – 12:10 p.m. Lunch Keynote - Justin Onwenu
  • 12:15 1:30 p.m. Skandalaris Business Plan Presentations and Awards

2025 Speakers


Dilip Dubey | 9:35–10:10 a.m.

Dilip Dubey is an AI pioneer, entrepreneur, and investor. Best known for his contributions to AI-driven business transformation, Dilip has founded and scaled multiple companies, creating over $500 million in shareholder value. He has implemented over 100 AI business value release projects for companies and social impact organizations in various sectors, including YPO companies. He has also mentored and invested in over 22 AI companies and 3 AI funds.

Dilip has been awarded the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year and been inducted into the Automotive Hall of Fame. He holds multiple patents in AI and data technology, and his companies have repeatedly earned spots on the Inc. 500 list.

Dilip brings a unique insight and will show you how to leverage AI for business transformation. In an interactive setting, he will dive into case studies of YPO-owned and mid-market companies while sharing costs, resources, AI technologies, use cases, timelines, challenges, frameworks, metrics/KPIs, and ROI. He will also share his experience investing in start-ups and at-scale AI companies around the world. You will walk away knowing how to find hidden new opportunities within traditional businesses and how to create massive value through his groundbreaking approach.


Entrepreneurship Panel Discussion | 10:15 a.m.–11:10 a.m.

The Panel Discussion on Entrepreneurship is scheduled for an hour.  Entrepreneurs from our region will discussed important entrepreneurial issues.  The panel discussion will be moderated by Achsha Jones.

 

 


Justin Onwenu | 11:30 – 12:10 p.m.

For years and in the aftermath of COVID, Justin has been laser focused on creating pathways for better work, higher wages, and wealth generation. He's excited to continue this work with a new role designed to support and invest in Detroiters while empowering their start ups/small businesses. 

Justin is a Columbia Law School graduate where he served as Student Body President. He previously served as a community organizer in Detroit where he advocated for clean air, clean, affordable water and public health protections for all communities. This included securing hundreds of thousands of dollars from the state’s only refinery to protect school children from poor air quality, connecting residents to resources in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, and leading efforts to write and pass legislation that protects vital drinking water sources.

 

He has served as the youngest member of the Inaugural Michigan Advisory Council on Environmental Justice and Black Leadership Advisory Council, both under the direction of Governor Gretchen Whitmer. He has also served as a convention delegate and appointee to the DNC's Environment and Climate Crisis Council where he helped draft policy recommendations for the 2020 democratic platform. 

His work and opeds have been featured in The New York Times, The Hill, NPR, Bloomberg, The Guardian and The Detroit News. He holds a BA in International Health and Policy from Rice University where he served as Student Body President and helped lead Houston based emergency response efforts in the face of Hurricane Harvey.

 


 

2025 Skandalaris Business Plan Competition

Three finalists from the High school category and three from the College category will each offer a four minute presentation of their business plans. Community business leaders will judge these presentations to select the best presentation. First, second, third place, and best presentation awards for each category (High School and College) will be announced at the Sesi Conference.

For more information and to apply, click here

 

2024 Winners

College Category

First Place: Aman Thamminana - Odin Classroom [Michigan State University]

It is an online educational coding platform designed for computer science courses.

Second Place: Cielo Rosas-Ocampo - CyberBuddy [Eastern Michigan University]

It is a revolutionary online safety platform that addresses the pressing concern of
ensuring a secure digital environment for children and teens.

Third Place: Joshua Sum - 0xKnowledge [University of Michigan]

It specializes in building a next-generation documentation platform that empowers
blockchain companies with a platform that incorporates Web3-native components like
smart contracts/ABI documentation, public treasury data, and on-chain data from public
nodes.

High School Category

First Place: Irene Sebin Oh - EchoLingua [Troy High School]

It is an AI technology company that specializes in developing speech-to-speech AI
tools aimed at revolutionizing the calling experience for both callers and recipients.

Second Place: Besianna Shaska and Katherine Mahoney - Farmers Friend [Troy High School]

It is a dynamic digital platform that redefines how consumers connect with local
farmer's markets and vendors.

Third Place: Halle Hunter - Wandercation Global co-op [Adlai E Stevenson High School]

It is a community that promotes sustainable products.

 
 

A Very Special Thanks to Our Donors


 Joseph M. Sesi & Catherine R. Sesi

 In 2009, EMU received a generous gift from the estate of Catherine Sesi, family owners of the Sesi Lincoln Mercury Mazda Volvo dealership and longtime friends of Ypsilanti and EMU, to endow the annual entrepreneurship conference. Her family, including son Joseph (EMU alumnus) and nephew Naz maintain the auto dealership in the area while keeping strong ties to the Eastern Michigan University.


 Robert J. Skandalaris

Mr. Skandalaris began his career as a Certified Public Accountant after graduating with a masters in accounting from Eastern Michigan University. In 2001, Mr. Skandalaris co-founded Quantum Ventures of Michigan, LLC, a privately held company specializing in the acquisition and development of middle market firms. Mr. Skandalaris is the author of Rebuilding the American Dream. In 2009 EMU received a generous gift from him to start the Business Plan Competition. His contributions were recognized at the 49th EMU Annual Alumni Awards Dinner in 2010. He lives in Bloomfield Hills with his wife Julie.


Please Click here to see this years additional Sponsors: Ann Arbor SPARK

 

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