Campus Navigators 2025
The Patton Foundation rang in the new year with the Patton Foundation Entrepreneurship Challenge (PFEC) at Vanderbilt University. Students competed in a “Shark Tank”-style pitch event for grants up to $5,000.
The top prize went to Papercut AI, a tool that uses transcripts, summaries, and prompts to pull social-ready clips from long-form video instantly. Second place was awarded to Sufficient Grace Homestead, a natural skincare line made with goat's milk. Third place went to Plasticrete, a concrete alternative made from recycled plastic and sand, designed to lower costs and support affordable housing projects.
The challenge included a workshop series to prepare students with real-world advice and mentorship from successful entrepreneurs. The PFEC continues to empower Tennessee’s young innovators, with the next challenge scheduled for the University of Memphis.
