Westmont Magazine A Winning Plan

Westmont’s student business venture team took first prize in the Sixth Annual Midwest Enterprise Creation Competition at Ball State University in Muncie, Ind., in March.

Westmont’s entry, Solum Monitoring Systems, Inc., received a check for $7,500 in seed capital for the business and introductions to several venture capital sources to pursue potential funding of the enterprise. Westmont’s entry was one of nine national semi-finalists.

Brent Boekestein, Andrew Spaulding, Sam Melvin and Peter Roller conceived their venture under the direction of David Newton, professor of entrepreneurial finance, during their fall 2002 class Entrepreneurship and New Venture Development.

Solum Monitoring Systems introduces AquaChek, the world’s first wireless remote MEMS-based water-testing instrument for commercial water treatment and waste-water treatment facilities.