Iowa State Student Entrepreneur Boluwarin Ojo Wins 1st Place at Global Pitch Competition
AMES, Iowa — On Saturday, November 1, former CYstarters participant and College of Design student Boluwarin (Bolu) Ojo took 1st place at the 42nd Annual Global CEO Conference and Pitch Competition, hosted by the Collegiate Entrepreneurs’ Organization in Tampa Bay, Florida.
The competition received more than 160 applications from student entrepreneurs across the country. Written applications narrowed the field to the top 100, followed by video submissions that determined the top 20 semifinalists who advanced to pitch live at the conference. The top 8 finalists presented on the main stage, with the top 4 winners announced before an audience of approximately 250 attendees.
Bolu’s company, SparkDefy, earned first place for its innovative flame-retardant welding cap designed for long hair, a product that addresses real safety concerns in the welding industry.
Over the past year, Bolu has bootstrapped SparkDefy while earning recognition and more than $33,000 in funding from regional and national competitions, including:
Bolu continues to grow SparkDefy as she prepares for the product’s official launch. Anyone can join the waitlist at sparkdefygear.com to be first in line for the SparkDefy welding cap.
“Throughout the conference, I had the opportunity to meet a diverse group of like-minded, supportive, and knowledgeable peers and business owners from all over the nation, including Alabama, North Carolina, New York, Philadelphia, and many more,” said Bolu.
“Winning the competition was a big moment for me. I was honored and excited that judges and even those outside the welding industry could see the value and need for my product. The moment I heard my name called, I was filled with so many positive emotions. I plan to allocate the prize winnings to hire a couple of employees to assist me in areas where I’m not the strongest, allowing me to focus on the areas where I excel.”
Bolu’s journey began with a simple but powerful question. As a welder with long, thick hair — a key part of her identity — she faced a tough choice after a coworker shared that his hair had once caught fire on the job: should she cut her hair or give up welding altogether? Instead, she envisioned a better solution. That idea evolved into SparkDefy, an inclusive welding cap designed to keep welders safe without requiring them to alter their appearance.
Congratulations to Boluwarin Ojo on this outstanding achievement — a win that highlights the creativity, resilience, and innovation of Iowa State University’s student entrepreneurs.
