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he Global Wellness Summit (GWS), the foremost gathering of international leaders in the $4.2 trillion global wellness economy, announced the three finalists in its annual “Shark Tank of Wellness” competition.
“After ‘blind’ reviews of 191 submissions from students around the globe, we are thrilled—and surprised—to announce that all three finalists hail from the same, and clearly very creative, school—Savannah College of Art & Design,” said Nancy Davis, chief creative officer and executive director of the GWS. “Hats off to their instructor, Professor Gauri Misra-Deshpande.”
The three finalists will be flown to Singapore and hosted at the Grand Hyatt Singapore to compete for $10,000 in prize money. The finalists are Jazmin Darling, for WEL Organic Organizers; Matthew Payne, for RU Wellness Straw; and Simon Lewis, for the Enfuze Home Goods Package.
“What makes this such a great opportunity is that, in addition to prize money, airfare and hotel accommodations, the competitors will be fully immersed in the business of wellness, attending the full three-day conference, including all general sessions, breakout discussions, industry forums and gala social events,” added Davis.
A panel of real-world wellness experts (aka “Wellness Sharks”) will judge the business viability of each of the concepts, which can serve any aspect of the wellness spectrum—from technology to architecture to spa design. Students will be put to the test in front of a live audience of over 600 executive business and thought leaders in global wellness during the 13th annual GWS at Grand Hyatt Singapore from October 15–17, 2019.
This year’s sharks are investors and executives from an array of key wellness industries:
• Karen Campbell, business development consultant at Chiva-Som (Thailand), a pioneer in the health and wellness resorts
• Mia Kyricos, senior vice president, global head of wellbeing at Hyatt Hotels (USA), a leading global hospitality company with a portfolio of 19 premier brands and more than 875 properties
• Joe Magnacca, president and CEO of Massage Envy (USA), a massage and skin-care national franchisor, based in Scottsdale, AZ
• Frank Pitsikalis, founder and CEO of ResortSuite (Canada), software for managing guest information and streamlining operations in spas, clubs, hotels and resorts
• Michael Pugliese, owner and CEO of Circadia Skincare (USA), a professional skin-care brand based on the skin and body’s natural circadian rhythms
• Hugo Yu, investor of Yu Sum Tong (China), providing solutions to urban citizens via products that aim to intervene in sub-health conditions, preventing chronic illness and early aging symptoms
The invitation-only conference is expected to attract over 600 delegates who will explore sectors in the multitrillion wellness economy: beauty, healthy eating, wellness tourism, fitness/mind-body, preventive/personalized medicine, complementary/alternative medicine, wellness lifestyle real estate, the spa industry, the thermal/mineral springs market and workplace wellness.
www.globalwellnesssummit.com
