The founder of Priceline will keynote the SBU Innovation Center’s “Startup Pitch” from 6-8 p.m. Wednesday, May 6.

Following Jeff Hoffman’s presentation will be a “Shark Tank”-style competition, featuring three St. Bonaventure student-run startup companies pitching judges with their entrepreneurial ideas.

The student startups presenting Wednesday are:

• SETrack (@track_se) provides postsecondary institutions with a program that assists students in their transition from high school to college. Its mission is to help develop structure in student lives as well as building relationships between each member of SETrack through group work and group correspondence.
• LeaseEasy is a real estate company dedicated to providing the best student housing experience possible. It specializes in off-campus housing that is safe, affordable and, most important, simple.
• Halo (@HaloUV) has a product that will kill the germs in your car. Using a UVC light in a case the size of a water bottle, Halo fits right in your cup holder. When turned on, the light will cast out around the car and kill the germs.

Hoffman (@SpeakerJeff) is a successful entrepreneur, motivational speaker, bestselling author, Hollywood film producer, producer of a Grammy-winning jazz album, and executive producer of “Success in Your City,” an Emmy-winning television show.

Hoffman has played a role in a number of well-known startups, including Priceline.com, Booking.com and uBid.com.

Tom Cullen, director of the Innovation Center (@sbu_innovation), will be the emcee for the event. Dr. Dennis DePerro, university president, will offer a welcome.

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About the University: The nation’s first Franciscan university, St. Bonaventure University is a community committed to transforming the lives of our students inside and outside the classroom, inspiring in them a lifelong commitment to service and citizenship. In 2019, St. Bonaventure was named the #1 regional university value in New York and #2 in the North by U.S. News and World Report.