
Hobbies and interests
Meditation and Mindfulness
Business And Entrepreneurship
Reading
Adult Fiction
I read books multiple times per week
Aidan D'Onofrio
2,695
Bold Points1x
Finalist
Aidan D'Onofrio
2,695
Bold Points1x
FinalistBio
My name is Aidan, a 23-year-old entrepreneur from Colorado. I am passionate about building innovative AI powered software solutions and digital content creation.
Education
Arapahoe Community College
Associate's degree programMajors:
- Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services, Other
Miscellaneous
Desired degree level:
Bachelor's degree program
Graduate schools of interest:
Transfer schools of interest:
Majors of interest:
Career
Dream career field:
Business Supplies and Equipment
Dream career goals:
Customer Service
PF2025 – 2025
Sports
Cross-Country Running
Junior Varsity2016 – 20193 years
Start Small, Dream BIG Scholarship
Since I was a kid, I've been inspired by the stories of people who managed to turn very small things into very big things. As a first-generation student from Centennial, Colorado, with a double major in Business Administration and Entrepreneurship, I have not only grown with but also jumped into the ocean of challenges and rewards that building something new from scratch entails. I started my business with the online sale of digital products, but through my college coursework and the real-world project of working at Planet Fitness, I found my talent as an innovator and a self, starter. I was scared to leave a conventional job to become a day trader and digital product creator, but on the bright side, it made me tough and more resourceful, the two traits I mostly use for my current work, Appairel.app, to which I owe my gratitude.
Appairel.app is a streetwear and print, on, demand clothing platform powered by AI that fascinatingly redefines personalization in fashion. Using generative AI design tools, our platform makes it possible for anyone, regardless of design skill level to make and buy unique streetwear of t-shirts, hoodies, sweatshirts, hats, and so on. We aim to put the means of creative expression through fashion at the fingertips of the digital natives, making it easy, affordable, and viral for both Gen Z and the wider digital generation. All products are made to order, which not only cuts back on waste but also removes the entry barriers for both customers and aspiring creators.
Making Appairel.app has been a process of pushing myself to the limit in many ways: acquiring new skills such as Python automation scripting, mastering e-commerce integration, building supplier relations, and budgeting down to the last penny and then working until really late in my college dorm room. I am very much convinced that with the perfect mix of technology, creativity, and ambition, one can change the game in any industry, and Appairel.app is the crystal, clear example of it, even being a student with a very tight budget.
Receiving the 'Start Small, Dream Big' scholarship is one of the things that would benefit me the most as a startup in that it provides me with all the means and resources I need to take Appairel.app from a startup with potential to a startup with a scalable business. I would be able to give our website the mobile feel it deserves, run marketing campaigns that are more targeted to our audience and help meet the basic needs of the business, such as software licensing, trademark, engineering, and so on, through the scholarship funding. Besides, it would also bring me the security necessary for me to keep at the development of Appairel.app well beyond the initial phases of bootstrap, letting me come up with new features, broadening the horizon of our product categories and building a community of creators and consumers. The 'Start Small, Dream Big' theme takes a lot of significance in my story: it was with scarce resources but boundless vision that I launched my career, teaching myself the skills and capitalizing on every opportunity to make a positive contribution. My objective is not just to take Appairel.app to the next level but also to motivate other would-be entrepreneurs to take up their dreams regardless of their current position.
With your backing, I would be able to check off 'idea to impact' from my bucket list, turning the hopes and dreams of a college student into a popular, AI-powered streetwear brand. *we are still in development*