By Ashley Reyes
Celebratory cheers came from every direction as Dustin Woolf, founder of Woolfpack Racing, was announced as the winner of last year’s SEMA Launch Pad competition. Taking place during the 2021 SEMA Awards Banquet in Las Vegas, Woolf triumphed from a pool of 180+ applicants to win a $92,000 prize package to launch his business into the marketplace.
Dustin Woolf, founder of Woolfpack Racing, was the winner of last year’s SEMA Launch Pad competition.
SEMA Launch Pad is the premier product-pitching competition for budding entrepreneurs in the automotive aftermarket industry. Applications are now being accepted for this year’s competition at www.sema.org/lauchpad.
“It was the most nerve-racking experience showing the world what I created,” reflects Woolf on his competition experience. His winning product, Natural Nitrous, is a stand-alone refrigerated system for the air induction of the motor that lowers air temperature on demand, makes horsepower and torque and lowers emissions.
Through the competition, entrepreneurs pitch their product or service idea to a panel of aftermarket icons in hopes of convincing them that their business has what it takes to benefit and enhance the industry. Judges provide candid feedback and guidance, which can be leveraged to enhance a competitors’ product innovation and improve their go-to-market strategy.
“The competition has made me more aware of the needed changes in having a growing successful business at the highest level of industry standards. Since winning, I have changed focus on my original target markets, which was just racing and musclecars into all the available automotive industries.”
Dustin was one of 15 semifinalists who received a complimentary booth to exhibit their product at the 2022 SEMA Show Launch Pad Corral and had their product featured on SEMA websites, social media and in online and print publications for the duration of the competition.
“Being in the company of the world’s best innovators was a great experience,” added Woolf. “The opposition I faced was realizing I had to take personal emotion out of business, and make adjustments on what works for the industry and not just for myself.”
SEMA Launch Pad is open to business owners or company-leading executives (president, CEO, CFO, COO or vice president) over the age of 18, and who have a product or service that is a functioning prototype, functioning concept or currently for sale.
Applications to participate in 2022 SEMA Launch Pad are being accepted online at www.sema.org/lauchpad until June 13.