Lipscomb team earns second place, $25,000 prize at prestigious TCU Values and Ventures® competition
Kim Chaudoin |
Lipscomb University seniors Kendal Matas and Natalie Blickensderfer placed second in the highly competitive Texas Christian University Neeley School of Business Values and Ventures® Competition earlier this month, earning a $25,000 prize to invest in their venture, OnTheJob™.
The competition, held April 4-6, draws top undergraduate entrepreneurs from around the world to pitch for-profit business ideas that also solve significant societal challenges. Matas and Blickensderfer, representing Lipscomb’s Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation, competed against students from institutions such as the University of Chicago, University of Pennsylvania, University of Virginia, Stanford University, National University of Singapore and Michigan State University.
Their success marks the fourth consecutive year a Lipscomb team has placed among the top 10 in the competition, which is recognized as one of the premier undergraduate business competitions globally.
Matas, a finance major from Nolensville, Tennessee, developed the idea for OnTheJob™ after witnessing the challenges her sister faced navigating alternative career paths.
“The world is facing a skilled trades crisis,” Matas explained. “As experienced workers retire, there aren’t enough young people stepping in. Skilled trades offer incredible opportunities — better pay, job security and work-life balance — but the path to these careers remains unclear for many. OnTheJob™ was created to change that.”
OnTheJob™ is a first-of-its-kind, full-lifecycle platform that connects candidates to skilled trades opportunities at every stage of their career — from high school students to seasoned professionals. Using a swipe-to-apply model, the platform makes job searching simple and accessible. For employers and trade schools, it offers an efficient way to find and recruit qualified candidates, supporting both workforce development and educational placement goals.
The idea has gained significant traction in recent months. In addition to the TCU award, Matas also won Lipscomb’s Clevenger Pitch Competition, bringing the total investment raised for OnTheJob™ to approximately $45,000 over the past six months.
“I am very grateful for the opportunities Lipscomb has provided,” said Matas. “The Lord can overcome any challenge for His purposes — even prestigious college institutions. I am excited to steward this funding to make an impact and help others find their vocational purpose.”
Matas plans to use the TCU prize money to hire a third-party developer to build the OnTheJob™ app, with a beta launch on the horizon. After graduation, she will join Parthenon Capital Partners in Boston as a private equity analyst, continuing to build her entrepreneurial and business acumen.
Blickensderfer, a senior finance major from Plano, Texas, joined Matas to help pitch OnTheJob™ at TCU.
“The TCU Values and Ventures competition was one of the most valuable experiences I have had at Lipscomb,” Blickensderfer said. “Getting to support my classmate, Kendal, in showcasing her innovative business has been a highlight of my time here. Meeting the judges and other students gave me optimism for the future of business, and winning second place gave me an incredible confidence in the quality of the programs here.”
Matas credited Lipscomb’s Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation, led by Jeff Cohu and Alexandria Arnette, for providing mentorship that helped her refine OnTheJob™ and prepare for the rigors of national competitions.
“All the glory goes to God,” Matas said. “I truly believe the Lord has shown great favor over this business, and I see it as a calling to steward that favor for the good of others and the advancement of the Gospel. I'm honored and excited to lead this business with an eternal purpose in mind.”