Semilore Abiodun-Adeniyi, a senior computer science and data science double major, won second place at VolCourt, a four-week speaker series hosted by the Anderson Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation focused on entrepreneurship that concludes with a 90-second business idea pitch competition for a chance to win $1,500.

Abiodun-Adeniyi’s pitch in February to a panel of successful business entrepreneurs was for Tavern, a Dungeons and Dragons (D&D)-centered social platform. Tavern aimed to solve many of the issues Abiodun-Adeniyi faced himself as a D&D player.

“I’ve been playing for years now, and I know how hard it is to find the right group, not just people who play, but people who share your style, your schedule, and your goals,” Abiodun-Adeniyi said. “That’s what Tavern is trying to solve.”

With no dedicated app for D&D scheduling and organization, players have had to resort to half-measures and nonspecific platforms. Tavern solves the problem, providing a dedicated platform for D&D players to meet, begin, and participate in campaigns.

Abiodun-Adeniyi is motivated by his victory, and the community’s love of his platform, to continue working on it.

“Winning the VolCourt competition honestly meant a lot to me. It validated not just the idea, but the years I’ve spent thinking about the gaps in the TTRPG community and how technology could help close them,” he said. “The feedback we’ve gotten on social platforms has been surprisingly strong. I’ve heard from players all over the country who’ve been waiting for something like this. That support has kept me motivated, and it’s made the long hours of development feel worth it.”

Abiodun-Ayedeniyi believes the second-place finish is not only a win for Tavern, but for engineering overall because it shows its many diverse applications.

“For the college, I think it highlights how engineering isn’t just about hardware or code, it’s also about designing systems that connect people and improve lives, even in niche communities like tabletop gaming,” he said. “UTK, the Tickle College of Engineering, and the Anderson Center gave me the resources and confidence to take an idea that felt personal and turn it into something real.”