WATERVILLE, MAINE, June 2025 — Thomas College student and Whitefield, Maine native Zephyr Lani-Caputo won third place on Season 10 of Greenlight Maine’s College Edition business competition show this weekend. He won $5,000 and competed against students from both Colby College and the University of New England.
Lani-Caputo is heading into his final year at Thomas College studying International Business. He pitched his business, Maine Vineyards, which is a member-based decentralized grape growing cooperative which empowers landowners in Maine to grow the fruit for their own wine and participate in the burgeoning economy of Maine.
“It felt good to win, I was very grateful that this happenstance brought me here,” said Lani-Caputo. “I had a good experience with Greenlight Maine. It brought me out of my comfort zone as I had never been on TV before. Besides the prize, it gave me experience and practice in business pitching.”
Lani-Caputo is the fourth Thomas College student to earn a finalist spot on Greenlight Maine. Previous winners: Jake Warn (1st place in 2021), Dylan Veilleux (2nd place in 2021), and Cole Ellis (2nd place in 2024).
Greenlight Maine College Edition highlights innovative college students who have a business idea in any stage of development, from a simple idea to a well-constructed business plan. The 10 contestants square off in a televised pitch-off to determine the three finalists. Those three finalists then pitch off against one another in the Greenlight Maine Collegiate Finale to compete for a cash prize. The cash prizes include: first place – $10,000, second place – $7,500, and third place – $5,000.
The television series kicked off on April 12 and aired on several television markets throughout the state: WGME CBS 13 – Portland and WABI TV5 CBS – Bangor.
Thomas College’s Harold Alfond® Institute for Business Innovation is an official partner of Greenlight Maine.
About Thomas College
Thomas College, located in beautiful Waterville, Maine, is defining what it means to be the College of the Future. With a strong commitment to innovation, career readiness, and community partnerships, Thomas College is consistently ranked by U.S. News & World Report as one of Maine’s top colleges for social mobility. Our distinctive Guaranteed Job Program™, accelerated undergraduate degrees, and flexible graduate programs empower students to advance faster in business, entrepreneurship, education, technology, applied STEM, and arts & science fields. At Thomas, belonging isn’t a buzzword; it’s a promise. We create a supportive, welcoming environment where every student is seen, valued, and prepared to thrive in a rapidly changing world. For more information visit thomas.edu or contact MacKenzie Riley Young at [email protected] or 207-859-1313. Find us on Facebook, Instagram, X, YouTube, LinkedIn, and TikTok.