A business idea that would allow people to manage their receipts online was the top winner in the Oct. 29 Cornell Entrepreneur Organization's (CEO) Elevator Pitch Contest.

The competition, in which 19 students delivered 30- to 90-second pitches for their business ideas, was judged by a panel of faculty, staff and students.

The "elevator pitch" refers to the time an entrepreneur might have to sell an idea during an elevator ride with a potential investor or partner.

First-place winner Keith Cowing '04, MBA '10, pitched "Paperless World" to eliminate the need for paper receipts. Instead, each transaction would be deposited into an online account that could be reviewed and searched for any particular receipt.

"It will make consumers happy, save companies money and help the environment," said Cowing, who won $350.

This is the first year that CEO has organized the contest, but President Devangi Nishar '09 said they plan to hold one each year. "It is crucial for entrepreneurs to be able to succinctly communicate their business idea in a manner that elicits further interest," she said. "One never knows when one can meet potential investors, venture capitalists or valuable contacts."

Second-place winner Kristen McClellan '12, who won $150, said the spray suntan lotion she pitched is one of several business ideas she's considering.

"One of the reasons I chose Cornell was to take classes in entrepreneurship," she said. "I have always been interested in starting a business and want to get into the development stage during my college years."

Cassie Walisiak '12 won third place and $50 for her "Campus Crawler" navigation software, which acts as a GPS for college campuses and could be uploaded onto GPS systems, iPhones, Blackberrys or other systems. It would include all places of interest and allow users to plot their routes using either drive, bike or walk modes.

"It would basically replace any inadequate, cumbersome map that does not provide the college necessities, like 'Where is such and such frat?' or 'What café is closest where I can get the coffee I need for the all-nighter I am about to pull?'" she said. "I think a lot of college freshmen, families, tourists and even upperclassmen would love it."

Some of the students are considering applying to the Student Agencies eLab, which provides business acceleration services for Cornell undergraduate entrepreneurs. The eLab provides access to mentors, investors and strategic partners; professional services in accounting, legal and other areas; office space in Collegetown; and trips to entrepreneurship "boot camps."

CEO meets every other week and hosts various entrepreneurs, who come to talk about their experiences, Nishar said. The club also plans to sponsor an entrepreneur team of 10 students to write a business plan and work to execute it.

"CEO is an important part of the large range of opportunities for students to get engaged in exploring entrepreneurship on campus," said John Jaquette, director of Entrepreneurship@Cornell.

For more information on CEO , see http://www.rso.cornell.edu/ceo/. For information on Entrepreneurship@Cornell, see http://www.eship.cornell.edu/.

Kathy Hovis is a writer for Entrepreneurship@Cornell.