Chris Sinclair Judges 25th Annual McCloskey Business Plan Competition at Notre Dame
Anthem Founder brings leadership and insight to one of the nation’s premier collegiate entrepreneurship events
Chris Sinclair, Founder and President of The Anthem Group, returned to his alma mater last week to serve as a judge and mentor at the 25th annual McCloskey New Venture Competition, hosted by the University of Notre Dame. The milestone event brought together innovative student entrepreneurs, industry leaders, and distinguished alumni for a celebration of bold ideas and business excellence.
In addition to evaluating the final round of business pitches, Sinclair played a hands-on leadership role—guiding discussions on how entrepreneurship continues to evolve in today’s dynamic global economy. With his background in placemaking, experiential strategy, and venture creation, Sinclair offered students actionable insights and long-term perspectives as they refined their ventures and prepared for real-world success.
The competition continues to thrive thanks to the vision of Director of Startups John Henry and the dedicated support of Notre Dame’s IDEA Center. Over the years, McCloskey has grown into a world-class platform that empowers innovation across industries and continents, giving student-led startups the tools to scale and thrive.
This year’s top honors went to Runwayz, an app designed to bridge the gap between youth and career success. Led by Notre Dame alum Mike Haarlander, Runwayz earned high praise for its mission, traction, and potential for impact.
The week’s programming also featured a powerful fireside chat with Liam Redmond, a current Notre Dame student and Forbes 30-under-30 honoree. Redmond’s startup, Yelo, aims to disrupt campus transportation with a tech-forward, student-first solution.
As The Anthem Group continues to support and shape the next generation of leaders, Chris Sinclair’s return to the McCloskey Competition highlights a core commitment: advancing entrepreneurship, mentorship, and community impact at every stage.
