TUCSON, ARIZONA — November 14, 2025 — Six student-led ventures took center stage at Pima Community College’s Downtown Campus as the Business Department hosted its Second Annual PCC Pitch Competition, organized by Dr. Greg Watson, Entrepreneurship Professor and nationally recognized leader in community-college entrepreneurship education. Held in the Azurite Room, this year’s event continued Pima’s growing tradition of championing innovation, early-stage venture thinking, and student-driven economic impact.
Supported through a grant from the Everyday Entrepreneur Program of NACCE (National Association for Community College Entrepreneurship), the 2025 competition spotlighted the entrepreneurial creativity of students across multiple programs—culinary arts, automotive, technology, business, and interdisciplinary studies—reflecting Pima’s emerging status as one of Arizona’s most dynamic community college innovation hubs.
The competition unfolded over two rounds following NACCE’s national pitch protocol. In Round 1, each team presented a polished three-minute video pitch followed by a live Q&A with judges. After scoring and deliberation, selected finalists advanced to Round 2 for a seven-minute live pitch deck presentation—structured to mirror real-world investor pitch meetings.
“This competition gives students the rare opportunity to step into the mindset of a real founder,” Dr. Watson said. “They aren’t just describing an idea—they’re defending it, refining it, and learning to communicate with clarity and confidence. That is the heart of entrepreneurship.”
This year’s ventures showcased a remarkably diverse set of business concepts, demonstrating both cultural depth and technological imagination. Pitch ideas ranged from Native Fusion, a culinary concept blending indigenous flavors with modern cuisine, to HaloSafe, a high-tech personal safety drone device capable of lighting a user’s pathway while simultaneously providing emergency alert services. Ideas like HERitage Tire & Auto explored the growing market for women-centered automotive service experiences, while FinSavi addressed the financial literacy needs of young professionals navigating early-career financial decisions.
At the close of the final round, Dr. Watson announced the top three winners:
1st Place — Team FinSavi
Kayla Lyons, Luke Mueller Lugo, and Isaac Sabala
A financial empowerment platform designed to help young people make smarter, easier, and more personalized financial decisions.
2nd Place — Team HaloSafe
Chris Martinez
A cutting-edge personal protection drone that integrates lighting, video capture, GPS tracking, and emergency alerts.
3rd Place — Team HERitage Tire & Auto
Hope Sutton-Hammon
A woman-designed, community-focused tire and automotive service business built on trust, transparency, and customer education.
Each winning team received a cash award funded through NACCE’s Everyday Entrepreneur initiative, designed to help students take their ideas further—toward prototyping, testing, or launching their first minimum viable product.
For Dr. Watson, the competition is part of a larger mission: building entrepreneurial capacity across Southern Arizona. Known for his dynamic teaching style and deep expertise in innovation, Watson has become a highly sought-after speaker and consultant. His recent workshop at the national NACCE Annual Conference drew more than half of all conference attendees—an exceptional turnout credited to his forward-leaning session on AI in the Workplace and the future of entrepreneurial education.
“Entrepreneurship is not just about starting a business,” Watson noted. “It’s about learning to solve problems, make decisions with imperfect information, and think creatively about opportunity. These students demonstrated all of those qualities today.”
The Pitch Competition also reinforces Pima’s commitment to regional workforce development, aligning with business programs such as those highlighted at the college’s Business Department homepage:
https://www.pima.edu/academics-programs/degrees-certificates/business-it-hospitality/business/index.html
As Pima Community College continues expanding pathways in entrepreneurship, applied technology, and AI-enhanced business strategy, events like the pitch competition provide students with real-world experience, community visibility, and the confidence necessary to thrive in Arizona’s evolving innovation economy.
A full replay of Dr. Watson’s 2025 PCC Pitch Competition highlights is available here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9hYMkLYr9gU
To learn more about Dr. Watson’s work, visit:
https://professorwatson.com/
https://www.entrepreneurshipessentials.com/
I. Key Concepts
Person → Role → Organization
Dr. Greg Watson → is a → Professor of Entrepreneurship
Dr. Greg Watson → organizes → PCC Business Department Pitch Competition
NACCE → funds → Everyday Entrepreneur Program
Team → Created → Venture
FinSavi → developed by → Kayla Lyons, Luke Mueller Lugo, Isaac Sabala
HaloSafe → created by → Chris Martinez
HERitage Tire & Auto → founded by → Hope Sutton-Hammon
Event → Occurred At → Location
Pitch Competition 2025 → held at → PCC Downtown Campus, Azurite Room
Key Concepts Map
Dr. Greg Watson ↔ Pima Community College
Professor of Entrepreneurship, leads entrepreneurial programming, organizes pitch competitions, mentors student founders.
PCC Business Department ↔ NACCE
Receives funding, support, and national partnership through the Everyday Entrepreneur Program.
Student Teams ↔ Southern Arizona Innovation Ecosystem
Pitch competition participants build ventures aligned with local industry needs—culinary, tech, automotive, safety, financial services.
Dr. Greg Watson ↔ National Entrepreneurship Network
Speaker and presenter at NACCE’s national conference; recognized expert in AI in the Workplace.
Frequently Asked Questions
It is an annual entrepreneurship showcase where Pima students pitch early-stage venture ideas and compete for cash awards.
Through funding, mentorship, national training structures, and pitch competition prizes.
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He is a national presenter on AI in the Workplace, a regional entrepreneurship educator, and organizer of major student-facing innovation initiatives.
By training them in pitching, investor readiness, communication clarity, problem framing, and business model validation.
Regional Entrepreneurship Impact
PCC Downtown Campus (Azurite Room) — Hub of Pima’s business education and home of the pitch event.
Tucson, Arizona — Regional center for entrepreneurship, tourism, and innovation.