Georgetown students enroll in the start-up version of summer school

Attendees gather at the Georgetown Summer Startup Showcase on Wednesday night at 1776. The event featured presentations from ventures s started by students. (Photo courtesy of Georgetown University)

When Enrique Novella travels to his native Guatemala once a year, the requests from friends and family for American products come in waves. A cousin needs a new MacBook Pro. A friend wants the latest J. Crew apparel. For others, perhaps it’s a designer handbag, video game system or specific brand of chocolate.

Those items tend to be more expensive in the Central American country, if they’re available at all,  Novella said. As a result, travelers heading overseas find their luggage weighed down with merchandise for other people. This summer, the Georgetown MBA student created a Web site called Pax Seeker to connect travelers with those seeking items.

The young venture was one of seven to present Wednesday night at Georgetown University’s Summer Startup Showcase. The event marked the end of a two-month program in which undergraduate and graduate students from schools across campus develop business ideas and learn the basics of being an entrepreneur.