What One Student Created, Learned by Competing in THE CLIMB Pitch Night 2025 

Daniela Ibarra-Hernandez shares her experience creating SALVA and competing in THE CLIMB, an annual pitch competition and business development event series for CU Denver students offered through the Jake Jabs Center for Entrepreneurship.

By Daniela Ibarra-Hernandez, student marketing assistant at the Jake Jabs Center for Entrepreneurship

This is how SALVA started: I had just gotten over a bad cold and was back at the gym. Trying to power through a run while still congested, I found myself needing to spit frequently and awkwardly. There was no discreet or dignified way to do this; no tissues I could use, no open trash can. So, I ended up using my empty water bottle. I remember looking around and thinking: Am I the only one with this issue? How is there not something for this already?

While on the surface it might seem like a minor inconvenience, the discomfort stuck with me.

Once I got home, I pulled out a notebook and began sketching. I didn’t know what exactly I was drawing yet. I had no experience in product development, but I had an idea, a sketch, and a story.

I brought that sketch, raw and unrefined, to Madhavan Parthasarathy (“MP”) in October 2024. MP is the Executive Director of the Jake Jabs Center for Entrepreneurship, and I had been working for the center for three years at that point. I was nervous to present something at such an early stage, especially since I was an inexperienced, aspiring entrepreneur and a student employee. But I did it anyway.

He sat down with me, gave me his full attention, and provided feedback like my idea had potential. That meant everything. Instead of judging my lack of experience, he met me where I was and recommended additional resources and mentors. He first introduced me to Matt Jonsen, an attorney at Dorsey & Whitney LLC. Jonsen was more than happy to help me understand what kind of protection to file for my product and how I could protect my idea. MP then encouraged me to take the most important step: define who exactly would want to buy this. MP suggested that I send out surveys to three potential user groups: everyday fitness users, individuals with medical conditions that impact saliva, and tobacco and non-tobacco chewers and smokers. His reasoning was simple: let the data tell the story, and the need will reveal itself.

The feedback was eye-opening. While I didn’t receive many, the responses showed that there was a significant need in the medical community for a hygienic and discreet solution. All responders said they felt uncomfortable when needing to spit in public. Through my research, I quickly found that individuals with Parkinson’s disease, Lou Gehrig’s disease (ALS), and other post-stroke conditions that cause excessive saliva (sialorrhea) and difficulty swallowing (dysphagia). These symptoms not only impact those with neurological disorders but also more common situations like those who are pregnant or recovering from a cold. My research showed that current solutions are often makeshift and use outdated tools, like suction machines, tissues, and bibs. SALVA was no longer something only I needed; it was clear that many others did, too.

By winter break, I was researching for hours to further refine my idea and brand. I scoured the internet for what phrases people were Googling to find a solution to this problem, and I analyzed what competitors were doing (and not doing) to meet this need. I even went to the streets of Mexico and searched local markets for what was already being sold. With dual lid water bottles becoming popular, I was inspired by many existing products, but none seemed to be an exact match for the need I had identified.

That gave me the confidence to take the next step. I enrolled in ENTP 3299 – Build Your Business: Plan, Pitch, Launch, taught by Bryan Stear, for Spring 2025. Stear’s class pushed me to define SALVA’s business model. It challenged my assumptions, brought up hard questions, and helped me grow my idea into something scalable and marketable. Through this course, I stopped seeing myself as just a student with an idea and started seeing myself as a founder with a vision.

That spring semester, I also attended workshops and events for THE CLIMB | Startup Pitch Competition, which is offered every year through the Jake Jabs Center. It was specifically during Pitch Market on February 27 and Startup Consulting on March 13 that I received the most valuable feedback. I met various entrepreneurs and industry leaders, from branding experts to venture capitalists. These events completely shifted my perspective. At Startup Consulting in particular, Dr. Omaira Portillo’s feedback helped me adjust how I spoke about my business. She helped me break down my pitch and shift my product framing to be a lifeline tool instead of just another water bottle.

Then came Pitch Night for THE CLIMB.

Applying to the competition and committing to pitch in front of judges and a live audience was one of the most nerve-wracking decisions I’ve ever made. I’ve done public speaking before, but never for something so outside of my expertise, so personal, and so unfinished. MP continued to coach me through my practice pitches, reminding me to breathe and relax. I practiced continuously; I had written and rewritten my pitch dozens of times. And when I finally stepped on that stage, I was finally able to share my vision.

It now seems like a blur, but I knew I was well-prepared. I do wish that I had projected my voice a bit more. The judges’ questions were challenging, too, but they brought up so many good points that I am now working to implement and test out. After getting off that stage, I truly felt liberated. Even though I didn’t win that night, I felt like months of hard work had finally paid off, and I could only hope that I had done my business pitch justice.

Through it all, I learned a lot about how I learn best. I am a visual thinker. I mapped out SALVA’s development on whiteboards and broke down tasks into color-coded charts, sticky notes, and sketches. The level of clarity I created was invaluable. It helped me better design not just the product but the path ahead that I needed to take.

Balancing building SALVA while being a full-time student wasn’t easy, but professors like Shawn Enriques and Brian Stear gave me the room and support to grow. Their flexibility, encouragement, and kindness helped me feel seen both academically and personally. They helped me bridge who I am in the classroom with who I am becoming outside of it.

Beatrice, Clair, Chandler, and Brian at the Jake Jabs Center were my consultants throughout this entire process. They gave me honest and direct feedback, and most of all, made me feel supported when it got a bit overwhelming. Their encouragement helped me break down big problems into small, doable steps. Their belief in SALVA reminded me that it was worth pursuing.

This journey has taught me that fear is not a stop sign. It is a signal; it means you care. I’ve learned to move forward even when I am afraid, to ask for resources even when I’m unsure, and to keep showing up even when it’s hard.

Now, I am participating in the Jake Jabs Center’s summer TechUp Incubator program to take SALVA even further. I’m currently working to finalize a functional prototype of my medically informed, dual-function water bottle, begin user testing, launch a digital presence, and prepare for seed funding. SALVA isn’t just a water bottle. It is dignity in your hands. It is a thoughtful, discreet, hygienic, and portable design for a long-unmet need.