Former Wash U track stars-turned-entrepreneurs are highlighted as “up and comers” in the August 12 issue of Forbes. David Spandorfer’11 and Mike Burnstein’12 founded their running apparel company, Janji, after taking a popular entrepreneurship course at Olin. Forbes says, “their meteoric rise is all the more reason to keep them on your radar.”
Mike and Dave, Janji founders.
Janji means promise in Malay. And Janji’s promise is to end the food and water crisis through the power of running. The company donates $4 to food and water causes around the world for every item it sells.
Spandorfer and Burnstein enrolled in Clifford Holekamp’s Hatchery class at Olin and entered the YouthBridge Social Enterprise and Innovation Competition in 2011. They won the student prize of $15,000 and went on to win first prize ($20,000) at the 2011 University of Colorado at Colorado Springs (UCCS) Sports/Outdoors Business Plan Competition. They launched their running apparel line in May 2012.
Janji shorts and shirts are available online and at the Bear Necessities shop on campus.
