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The Year in Great Ideas: A Look Back at the 2017-18 Innovation Challenge
July 30, 2018
Hosted each school year by the Berthiaume Center for Entrepreneurship, the Innovation Challenge is a series of four entrepreneurial competitions that replicates the process of developing and pitching
Hosted each school year by the Berthiaume Center for Entrepreneurship, the Innovation Challenge is a series of four entrepreneurial competitions that replicates the process of developing and pitching a winning business venture. From the opening Minute Pitch event in the fall through the high-stakes Final round in the spring, teams have the opportunity to refine and improve their business plans and messaging, and to win thousands of dollars in seed money — thanks to sponsors Ernst & Young, The Heiser Family, Norman “Bud” Robertson, Kumar Ganapathy, Jeff Glassman, Darn It! and John & Sally Burke — to help make their ideas a reality.
October 25, 2017: The Minute Pitch
The venue: Amherst Room, Campus Center
The prize: $2,500, awarded to the top three teams and the audience choice
The format: Each team is given 60 seconds to make the case for their venture. No written business plans required – this is all about the pitch.
The competition: 22 teams
The winning ideas:
$1,000 (plus $250 for audience choice): Easy Lock (Peter Tao, biochemistry and molecular biology, and Mike Keegan, computer science), a lock system that uses facial recognition technology instead of keys for homes, cars, and more
$750: Kinase, Inc. (Nariman Banaei, PhD student, mechanical and industrial engineering; Amir Ali Jazayeri, MBA student, Hofstra University; Byung Kim and Yubing Sun, professors of mechanical and industrial engineering), a blood screening platform that analyzes biomarkers to detect the first stages of pancreatic cancer, and potentially many others
$500: TernAway (Austin Rohlfing, actuarial mathematics; Paul Maurais, computer science; Noah Friedman, marketing; Sepehr Sokhanvar, computer science), an online bank and travel agent that matches a percentage of a customer’s savings toward travel
The remaining field:
George Rae: High-end street wear at an affordable price
KeepUp: Online platform that allows users to create, share, and follow calendars with ease
Nutrigenics: Online platform that connects people with expert nutritionists and uses genomic testing to help customers choose appropriate supplements, vitamins, foods, and nootropics
Bug Bites: Nutritious protein bars and snacks made from cricket and worm flour
GreekWizard: All-in-one management app for fraternities and sororities
CardiCue: Wearable fitness monitor and app specifically designed for older adults
OX: App that lets users send music suggestions to a DJ or a nearby sound system
WES: Blockchain-backed point-of-sale and analytics system for cannabis dispensaries
Muna: Turkish shoe company looking to enter the U.S. market
Sleepquest Capital: App that allows customers at a restaurant to easily communicate with the staff
Uber for Rural India: Ride-hailing service for rural India
Taag: App that allows users to connect on social networks and exchange contact information by touching phones
MODO: Collaborative office space equipped with gym, café and VR technology
TalentPool: Website designed to connect users with creative individuals and provide a platform for creators to be seen and interact with their community
Better Laowai: Centralized resource for Chinese language learning materials, advice for a career in China, and insight into living in China
New Ventures: Broker for university intellectual property that commercializes patents by launching companies and licensing new technology
Crypto Investments: Cryptocurrency investment service that moves clients’ money into upward-trending currencies
Frosty Inc.: Cooling device for mixed reality devices
Phytos Therapeutics: Plant-based phytochemicals offering a safe and effective alternative to conventional antibiotics and fungicides
November 29, 2017: The Seed Pitch
The venue: Integrated Learning Center
The prize: $15,000
The format: Each team is given five minutes to pitch its idea and persuade the judges that the venture is worthy of investment
The competition: 13 teams
The winning ideas:
$5,000: eBiologics (Alexander Smith, PhD student, biomedical engineering), a skin sensor patch that uses biomarkers in sweat to monitor health and detect disease
$4,000: Antares Micro (Tariq Ahmad, PhD, computer engineering, and Maria Afzal, M.Ed. student), a computer security system that uses blockchain technology to monitor software and hardware
$3,000: Easy Lock, see above
$3,000: TernAway, see above
The remaining field:
Nutrigenics: See above
Bug Bites: See above
HydroMarker: Service that uses drones to test if water is safe for drinking or agricultural use
OCC Youth Unleashed: Group that promotes youth engagement through an app and events in Boston
KINASE, Inc.: See above
Smart Commuter: App that allows users to pay public transportation fares with electronic payment services
MODO: Bringing virtual reality into a gym setting (updated from above)
Ignite Mind and Body: Dietary supplements consisting of all-natural formulas of nootropics
PowerPass: Charging system for mobile devices that uses a network of power-sharing hubs.
February 28, 2018: The Semifinal
The venue: Old Chapel
The prize: A spot in the Innovation Challenge Final; seven ventures were selected
The format: Ventures meet behind closed doors with a panel of four judges. Each team has five minutes to pitch, followed by 10 minutes of Q&A with the judges.
The competition: 12 teams
The winning ideas:
AdOutreach: (Aleric Heck and Davis McVay, marketing) a video marketing agency with a proprietary platform for maximizing the effectiveness of YouTube advertising campaigns
eBiologics: see above
FootCare by Nurses, LLC: (Kate Clayton-Jones, PhD candidate, nursing) a service of skilled nurses who offer medical-grade foot care and related preventive services
Guide Dog: (Achintya Kumar, engineering; Rohan Teja Ramesh, finance; and Shardool Pathak and Varun Iyer, computer science) an all-in-one digital assistant for the visually impaired
KINASE, Inc.: see above
Phytos Therapeutics: (Ryan Landis, PhD candidate, chemistry) products made from plant-based phytochemicals that offer a safe and effective alternative to conventional antibiotics and fungicides
TernBooking: (Austin Rohlfing and Paul Maurais; formerly TernAway) see above
The remaining field:
Health Express: App that makes diet recommendations based on the user’s individual health parameters
Fireflight (formerly HydroMarker, see above): Service that uses drones to test factory air quality
Refreshy: Natural beverages with health-promoting and disease-preventing properties
Face Lock (formerly Easy Lock): (former Easy Lock) See above
Pickmeup Snacks: (formerly Big Bites) See above.
The venue: Amherst Room, Campus Center
The prize: $65,000
The format: Each team has three minutes to pitch, followed by five minutes of Q&A with the judges
The competition: Seven teams
The winning ideas (see descriptions, above):
$30,000: eBiologics
$20,000: Phytos Therapeutics
$15,000: KINASE, Inc.
The remaining field:
Guide Dog
AdOutreach
FootCare by Nurses, LLC
TernBooking