Zip, a student-exclusive rideshare service focused on safety and affordability, wins $5,000 in the Incubation Track
Three first-year Davidson College students have turned their vision for a safer campus transportation solution into a winning business concept, securing $5,000 in non-equity funding through the Hurt Hub@Davidson’s Nisbet Venture Fund Incubation Track.
Meet the Student Entrepreneurs Behind Zip
Cillian Hallinan ’28, Isaiah Dinar ’28, and Daulet Berdikulov ’28 impressed judges with their concept for Zip, a rideshare platform exclusively for college students. The platform aims to address significant safety concerns in the traditional rideshare market while creating flexible employment opportunities for students seeking to earn extra income.
“For us, the process of the Nisbet Venture Fund was as impactful as winning the competition,” the team shared. “We had been discussing the idea for ZIP for months, but when applying and being accepted as a Finalist for the incubation track, this competition forced us to kick our idea into high-gear and begin tackling the big questions of our business idea.”
Solving Real Campus Problems
The Zip concept addresses several critical issues facing college students:
- Enhanced Safety: By ensuring all drivers and riders are verified students, Zip creates a safer alternative to traditional rideshare services. This innovation addresses alarming trends in the industry, as sexual assault cases filed against Uber have surged from fewer than 100 to over 1,500 in just the past 18 months. Zip’s verification system directly targets these growing safety concerns, particularly important given that 44% of women in 2024 rank safety as their top priority when selecting rideshare options.
- Affordable Transportation: The team plans to implement set pricing for common routes, eliminating the price volatility that often comes with traditional rideshare platforms.
- Student Employment Opportunities: Zip creates flexible campus job opportunities in an environment where student employment options are often limited.
The team will focus initially on building a strong foundation at Davidson College before expanding to nearby institutions. They have an ambitious vision to eventually integrate with Davidson One—recognizing this as a challenging but potentially transformative goal—though they’re careful not to set expectations for this higher-complexity integration until they’ve proven their core service and gathered user feedback.
From Idea to Implementation
While still in the early stages, Zip has already demonstrated impressive momentum. Prior to winning the Nisbet Venture Fund prize, the team secured $1,000 through the Hurt Hub’s Try It Fund, which they’re using to develop a pilot version of their app with the help of a fellow Davidson student developer.
“Winning the $5,000 completely changes ZIP’s direction,” the team explained. “As a team, we have so much greater motivation going into the summer to perfect our business by the start of the next academic year. The $5,000 is what will make our open beta launch possible.”
The Nisbet Venture Fund Impact
The Nisbet Venture Fund, established in 2014 through the generous support of Marian Nisbet and Chip Nisbet ’86, provides Davidson students and recent alumni the opportunity to compete for up to $32,500 in grants and investments for their innovative, for-profit ventures.
The Incubation Track specifically targets newly formed ideas with limited prior development, offering:
- A $5,000 non-equity prize
- Assigned mentorship throughout the competition season
- Access to all Nisbet Venture Fund finalist prep sessions
The team credits their mentor, Andrew Ashur, with helping them refine their concept. “Andrew was the perfect mentor for us,” they noted. “He immediately showed us holes in our idea and challenged our limits. We could not have won without Andrew’s help.”
Looking Ahead
With their Nisbet Venture Fund win, the Zip team is now focused on launching an open beta version of their platform for the Davidson community at the beginning of the next academic year.
“The staff and mentorship provided is unparalleled,” the team shared. “The team behind the program are so helpful and dedicated to making every business idea flourish.”
The Hurt Hub@Davidson continues to foster entrepreneurship and innovation among Davidson students through programs like the Nisbet Venture Fund, helping transform promising ideas into viable businesses that address real-world challenges.
To stay connected with Zip and learn more about their company reach out to Cillian Hallinan at cihallinan@davidson.edu. To learn more about the Nisbet Venture Fund and other entrepreneurship opportunities at Davidson College, visit The Hurt Hub@Davidson.
