University of Oregon Students Win Seed Funds for Ideas

Students now have one week to compete for a $25,000 prize pool after presenting new hardware concepts to a top toy executive.

Updated on Oct. 30, 2026 in Startups

University of Oregon Students Win Seed Funds for Ideas

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University of Oregon students pitched startup ideas to Spin Master co-founder Ronnen Harary at a two-hour session in Gilbert Plaza. Harary awarded $500 to select students, including Estella Wynne, who plans to use the funds to advance a pepper spray dispenser design.

Why it matters

The campus tour is designed to encourage students to move beyond conceptualizing to active product development. It highlights the role of industry mentorship in accelerating early-stage startup prototyping.

Students have a seven-day window to apply for 10 prizes totaling $25,000 following the initial $500 awards. The current phase involves scaling ideas like Wynne's pepper spray dispenser, which requires finalizing design prototypes with manufacturers.

The players

Ronnen Harary

Co-founder of Spin Master, a global toy and entertainment company known for brands like PAW Patrol and Bakugan.

Estella Wynne

University of Oregon student and winner of an initial pitch prize for her pepper spray dispenser design.

The details

Students presented business concepts to Harary during a two-hour session at the University of Oregon. Estella Wynne, one of the recipients, intends to leverage the funding alongside her co-founders to complete a physical design prototype. This effort involves professional fabrication through Northwest Plastics, shifting the project from a conceptual design to a manufactured iteration.

October 30, 2026: The pitch session occurred at Gilbert Plaza.
November 6, 2026: The deadline to compete for the secondary prizes.

The Tech Race

This event joins a growing series of industry-led university tours aimed at identifying early-stage hardware and consumer goods concepts. By providing immediate capital, these programs accelerate the transition from student concept to manufacturable prototype.

University of Oregon students with active business concepts can use the current seven-day window to apply for secondary funding. This opportunity requires students to have a clear path to prototyping, such as the design iteration currently being managed by Estella Wynne.

The takeaway

The event emphasizes the importance of rapid prototyping to secure further investment. Students should track the secondary competition deadline on November 6, 2026, to determine eligibility for the $25,000 prize pool.