Business Administration major Jake Cicero set out on a mission to help a family member in need. That mission led to Cicero securing first-place in the School of Business and Management’s Pettis Business Plan Competition.
Drawing inspiration from the popular TV show “Shark Tank,” the competition invites students from any major the chance to compete for a $2,500 prize, while enhancing their entrepreneurial skills.
“Walking to class one day in Hartwell Hall, I saw a poster that read, ‘Win $2,500.’ I thought to myself, ‘I could use $2,500.’”
Jake Cicero
“Walking to class one day in Hartwell Hall, I saw a poster that read, ‘Win $2,500.’ I thought to myself, ‘I could use $2,500,’” Cicero said. “I submitted what I had already been working on: a Super Neat Universal Utensil Grip.”
The Super Neat Universal Utensil Grip (SNUUG) originated from Cicero’s personal experience with his grandfather, who deals with health issues that affect motor control in his large hands. That struggle extended to handling objects similar to pens, pencils, forks, knives, and spoons.
To remedy this, Cicero decided to use his own 3D printer to design a universal utensil grip tailored to his grandfather’s specific needs.
“I took a problem and found a solution, or at least figured out a way to mitigate the real problem.”
Jake Cicero
“A recent gift my grandfather received was a set of utensils with wide handles. I noticed he used these a lot, to the point where my grandmother would bring them to restaurants,” Cicero said. “I ended up asking him about them, and he said he liked them, but there were a few complaints he had like being too big, annoying to carry around, and their limitation in not accommodating other utensils besides a fork, knife, and spoon. I wanted to solve all these problems.”
Jake Cicero
Cicero took his grandfather’s complaints into consideration and developed a prototype for an improved utensil grip. After creating the initial prototype, he sought feedback from his grandfather during a visit to his house. This initiated a pattern of regular visits, where he would present a newly refined prototype on each occasion.
“While I was over my grandparents’ house going through this feedback process and they were thanking me, they said, ‘You know, you can use these to help a lot of people,’” Cicero said. “I never thought of this being a business opportunity. To me, it was just something I was doing for my grandfather, but they were right.”
Following the victory, Cicero intends to allocate his financial reward towards applying for a patent for the SNUUG and begin distributing the product to local businesses.
“I took a problem and found a solution, or at least figured out a way to mitigate the real problem — arthritis and large hands,” said Cicero.