Thrift shops can be a great place to buy clothing while saving money and recycling resources, but the shopping experience can be tedious and time consuming, especially if the items are of poor quality or pricing is inconsistent.

Third-year Business Communication student Nadine Bongers pitched her solution — and her company, Nehdeen — to a panel of judges at Brock LINC’s Navigate competition on Wednesday, Dec. 6.

Through Nehdeen, shoppers would pay an entrance fee for an event held in an attractive venue where they could socialize with others and participate in a form of clothing swap by purchasing gently used items using tickets they receive by donating their own old clothes.

Bongers’ company raises awareness of environmental sustainability by hosting events such as clothing swaps, creating products from recycled materials and promoting alternative products and services.

Also pitching to judges was entrepreneur Ben Pretty (BSM ’23), whose company Boost Coffee Co produces and sells ice coffee containing nootropics — supplements that improve thinking, learning and memory — to help students perform better at school.

“Nootropic ice coffee is specifically designed to enhance students’ cognition, brain functionality, mental health and wellness all without any of the side effects of caffeine because the nootropics actually synergize with the caffeine to cancel out the jitters and anxiety, so it’s just one smooth energy buzz,” he says.

Pretty and Bongers were each awarded $2,500 for their ideas at the competition, which is open to participants of Brock LINC’s intensive 11-week Navigate program that helps entrepreneurs to develop their business ideas.

The competition, which features a Student Award and a Community Award category, occurs three times a year at the end of each cohort of the program. Local business experts and entrepreneurs adjudicate the panels.

Brock LINC Executive Director Farzana Crocco says the competition reflects the success of Navigate participants to move forward with their ideas.

“The Navigate team supports entrepreneurs who are exploring the possibilities of their businesses by facilitating customer feedback and market research,” says Crocco. “It’s thrilling to watch innovative early-stage ideas turn into exciting businesses.”

Bongers said she’ll be using her prize money to build a website and market her events using what she’s learned during the Navigate program.

“I learned to look to my customers to ask for feedback, to use my customers as a means to develop my products,” she says.

Pretty, who recently graduated from Brock’s Sport Management program, says he focused his studies on developing “natural, effective and safe” nootropics for his coffee, which he’s currently selling online.

“It feels so amazing to get my brand product out there and actually see people enjoying the coffee and its intended benefits,” says Pretty, who officially launched his product in September through the Navigate program.

The next Navigate cohort begins in January and is open to Brock students, faculty and staff as well as members of the Niagara community. Applications are open and will close on Thursday Jan. 11. For more information, contact Cassie Conte at cconte@brocku.ca