COURTESY OF LILYANA DEMERDJIEVA
Daniel Herrera, eMerge Americas Adviser and judge of the Emerge America Pitch competition, presents a check to Jack Sardina, senior finance major, and Lilyana Demerdjieva, senior finance major.
Last September, Jack Sardina and his business partner, Lilyana Demerdjieva, both NSU senior finance majors, developed and launched CampusRun LLC, a social media marketplace platform that connects busy individuals with college students seeking opportunities, changing the way campus communities interact and collaborate.
“I saw a gap,” Sardina said. “College students are always looking for flexible ways to earn money, and there are so many busy people out there who could use an extra hand. CampusRun bridges that gap, creating a win-win situation.”
With the slogan “CampusRun Gets It Done,” the app is designed to connect struggling college students with busy individuals in need of everyday services, whether it’s dog walking, grocery shopping or a Starbucks run.
“I’ve used CampusRun when I was in a bind, and it has definitely saved me some stressful days,” said Jacob Schmitt, third-year finance major.
CampusRun works by allowing users, or “posters” as they are called in the app, to create tasks, such as room cleaning, tutoring or rides. Each individual sets the fee and receives bids from “runners” who want to complete the job. Posters can review bids, view runners’ profiles, ratings and badges, and choose who they want to hire. The app operates like a gig platform, similar to Uber or DoorDash, but with more control for posters to select their preferred runner. Pricing is market-driven, allowing posters and runners to negotiate based on the task’s complexity and value.
“If you are really busy, this app gives you the opportunity to hire somebody to do things for you. Or if you wanna make some extra money, there are so many different opportunities,” Sardina said. “You can clean somebody’s room, you can go wait in line at a Chick-fil-A, go pick up somebody’s groceries, go pick up a coffee for a professor, all these types of things.”
Through CampusRun, Sardina and Demerdjieva let students to take control of their time while helping others find new ways to earn money.
“I love CampusRun because it was designed by students that truly understand the needs of students and staff in our university campus,” said Jose Brache, academic director for Huizenga Business Innovation Academy at NSU.
Sardina and Demerdjieva had the opportunity to present CampusRun to H. Wayne Huizenga Business Innovation Academy Pitch Competition in 2023. Their presentation secured a $50,000 grant, marking a pivotal moment in the startup’s development.
“That $50,000 was a game-changer,” Sardina said. “It allowed us to hire a top-tier development team in Brickell who helped us redesign and launch the app within three months. Without that funding, CampusRun wouldn’t be where it is today.”
Navigating NSU’s policies also presented concerns, particularly as a for-profit organization operating on a nonprofit campus. To address these concerns, the co-founders collaborated closely with university leaders and the NSU Shepard Broad College of Law to ensure compliance and alignment with institutional values.
Sardina said they’re grateful for the H. Wayne Huizenga College of Business and Entrepreneurship, Dean Andrew Rossman and former NSU President George L. Hanbury II.
“Their guidance has helped us navigate the red tape and align our goals with the university’s mission,” Sardina said.
CampusRun has achieved significant milestones beyond NSU. After winning another pitch competition at the Alan B. Levan | NSU Broward Center of Innovation on South Florida Innovation Day, the team earned a spot in the eMerge Americas pitch program.
“eMerge America is the largest tech conference in South Florida, and people from all over the country, let alone the world come here, so it’s an amazing opportunity where we’re going to be able to have our voice heard,” Sardina said. “We have a lot going for us and we have a bright future ahead. We just have to pave the road accordingly.”
Currently tailored for NSU students, CampusRun is planning to expand to the Fort Lauderdale community, allowing busy individuals to help local college students and vice versa. The co-founders envision a future where the app is used on campuses nationwide, while continually improving the user experience.
“If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to reach out to us. We are happy to help, or we’re here for you. We’re not here for ourselves, we’re here for you,” Sardina said.
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