Nicholas Souza, a sophomore filmmaker at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, is bringing a deeply personal story to life.
His latest project, a Chinese-American film that explores his family’s cultural heritage, is one he has long wanted to create. Thanks to his recent win at the Kalo Grants Live Pitch event, Souza now has the funding to make it happen. The $1,000 grant will go toward supporting his cast and crew, allowing him to take the next big step in his filmmaking journey.
“I’m excited to tell this story that’s close to my family’s heritage,” Souza said. “I’ll be using my own equipment, but the grant will cover meals for the 30 to 40 extras and crew members.”
Student entrepreneurs at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa had their chance to pitch innovative ideas and secure funding at the Kalo Grants Live Pitch event held last Monday at the Walter Dods Jr. RISE Center. The event, organized by the Pacific Asian Center for Entrepreneurship (PACE), offered a Shark Tank-style format with a twist: the power was in the hands of the audience.
The Kalo Grants Live Pitch event was similar to Shark Tank, where billionaire investors look for the next big thing, but with a unique twist. Instead of investors deciding which projects to fund, the power was in the hands of the audience. After hearing the pitches and participating in live Q&A sessions with the student entrepreneurs, the audience voted on the winners, ultimately deciding who would receive the grant money to bring their ideas to life.
Souza was one of the night’s standout winners. The owner of Keoni Souza Productions, earned a $1,000 Kalo Grant, which he plans to use for his latest project — a Chinese-American film with deep personal and cultural significance.
Souza wasn’t the only entrepreneur to secure funding. Another UH student also received $1,000 after presenting their business concept to the live audience, which voted on the winners based on presentation quality, market knowledge, and the feasibility of their ideas.
“The biggest opportunity is the chance to collaborate with others,” Souza added.
Engineering professor Jeff Hui, the first Entrepreneur-in-Residence at PACE, emphasized the importance of events like this in nurturing young entrepreneurs.
“Entrepreneurship is about momentum, having lots of little wins,” Hui said. “You have to keep validating your idea.”
Grants like the Kalo Grant are part of a broader initiative to create “small milestones” for UH student entrepreneurs, according to Hui. The event allows students to gain feedback, refine their ideas, and build credibility within their fields.
PACE hosts monthly pitch events at the RISE Center, open to all UH Mānoa students regardless of major. These events provide resources, collaboration opportunities, and funding for various entrepreneurial ventures, from prototypes to research expansions.
For more information on upcoming events and grant opportunities, students can visit the UH Mānoa website.