College Couture

Villanova University School of Business

Industry: Fine Collegiate Jewelry

Founding Student Name(s): Mohit Mirpuri

Brief Description of Solution: College Couture disrupts the traditional graduation gift market by offering fine, customizable jewelry for students, alumni, and faculty. Our unique designs celebrate a lifetime of academic achievements and personal connections to one’s alma mater. With high-quality gemstones at a more accessible price point, we’re replacing traditional graduation rings with modern alternatives like college-specific necklaces, and we plan to expand our collection to include customizable collegiate earrings and bracelets soon. By streamlining and reengineering the market, College Couture is making collegiate jewelry smarter, more stylish, and more meaningful.

Funding Dollars: $100,000

What led you to launch this venture? I saw a lack of quality, fine jewelry that allows fans, alumni, students, and faculty to proudly represent their favorite colleges. This gap inspired me to create a brand tailored specifically for these audiences, bringing elegance and customization to collegiate jewelry.

What has been your biggest accomplishment so far with the venture? Our biggest accomplishment has been creating a direct sales model through an official partnership with Villanova Athletics, facilitated by Playfly, a leading collegiate marketing group. This partnership has given us a significant platform, including support from Villanova’s Women’s Basketball Coach, Denise Dillon, who regularly wears and endorses our pendant. Over the next 6-to-12 months, we’re planning to expand to additional schools through Playfly’s network, with ambitious sales and profitability targets that will strengthen our position in the collegiate jewelry market.

How has your business-related major helped you further this startup venture? As a marketing major, I’ve gained valuable insights into audience targeting and market positioning, which have been instrumental in launching a disruptive product. My background in marketing has allowed me to identify opportunities in a market dominated by legacy companies resistant to change. This foundation has equipped me to challenge the norms of the graduation gift industry by introducing an innovative approach.

Which business class has been most valuable in building your startup and what was the biggest lesson you gained from it? My freshman-year Strategic Information Technology class left a lasting impact on me. Professor Keith Wright’s stories about his startup experiences in Silicon Valley, combined with lessons on digital disruption, taught me how small, agile companies could shake up traditional industries. His examples of business models, from eCommerce to peer-to-peer, provided me with a toolkit for recognizing gaps in the market. Hearing about his venture capital successes inspired me to believe that, with the right approach, I could launch a disruptive brand in a conservative market.

What business professor made a significant contribution to your plans and why? Professor Keith Wright, my Management Information Systems (MIS) professor, had the most profound influence on my entrepreneurial journey. His vast experience in venture capital and startups encouraged me to think creatively and ambitiously. Professor Wright has successfully launched over 100 startups, with many exiting at significant returns. This inspired me to see myself as a disruptor who could challenge larger, established players in the industry.

What founder or entrepreneur inspired you to start your own entrepreneurial journey? How did he or she prove motivational to you? My family in Singapore, who achieved billionaire success, inspired me to aim high, making the song Billionaire by Bruno Mars resonate with me deeply. Observing my parents’ journey – as they expanded their jewelry business to multiple locations in Key West, Bar Harbor, and St. Thomas – taught me valuable lessons to be resilient, adaptable, and customer relations. Watching them succeed in different markets showed me the importance of responding to diverse customer needs, which has motivated me to bring a similarly ambitious vision to College Couture.

What is your long-term goal with your startup? My long-term goal is to expand College Couture to over 250 schools across the Northeast and Southeast, with plans to eventually target colleges in the Northwest and Southwest. I envision three primary product lines focusing on graduation gifts, alumni gifts, and staff/faculty gifts. Through our partnership with Playfly, we’re positioned to achieve substantial market reach within the collegiate space, ultimately making College Couture the leading name in fine, customizable collegiate jewelry.

How has your local startup ecosystem contributed to your venture’s development and success?
Villanova’s Innovation, Creativity, and Entrepreneurship (ICE) Center has been instrumental in my development as an entrepreneur. Through events like Idea Bounce and the Pitch Deck competition, I’ve refined my business strategy and gained insights from successful guest speakers who share their experiences with students. The ICE Center has given me both practical support and the inspiration to navigate the startup world with confidence.

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