The competition to create the “next big thing” is over, and the participants in the Ideas Challenge have finished presenting their innovative business ideas to about 80 judges.
The Center for New Ventures and Entrepreneurship (CNVE) at Mays Business School hosted the May 2 event, which was open to Texas A&M students of all majors and undergraduate and graduate classifications.
(L to R) CNVE director Richard Lester, first-place winner Patrick Daniels ’13 and Ideas Challenge sponsor Frank Raymond (view more photos)
Construction science major Patrick Daniels ’13 received $3,000 for his first-place project, “I.Q. Stat: Intelligent Climate Control.”
The second-place project, “PolyFilm Absorbable Adhesion Barrier,” was entered by biomedical engineering major Qun Liu ’12. She received $2,000.
Three projects tied for third place:
- “House of Geekdom” by university studies/business major Shelly Brenckman ’79,
- “Garment Drying Tags” by accounting/Professional Program—MGMT major Ben Bates ’12 and accounting/Professional Program—MIS majors Allison DeHaven ’12, Erin Evetts ’12, Kelsey Hermanson ’12 and Valerie Hernandez ’12, and
- “Kinectic People Power LLC ” by university studies/business major Shelly Brenckman ’79.
The Texas Engineering Extension Service (TEEX) Product Development Center provided a sponsorship to help get ideas to market, and TEEX representatives approached the creators of two of the projects about taking them further.
The annual challenge at Mays cultivates Texas A&M’s collective entrepreneurial spirit, challenging Aggies of all majors and classifications to contribute their ideas. According to the CNVE website, the Ideas Challenge “helps students think in an entrepreneurial way and develop the competencies needed to identify and successfully implement new business ideas throughout their careers.”
Students were encouraged to participate in the competition individually or in groups. Idea submissions and competition entry are free, but require creative and careful planning to persuasively express original ideas.
For more information on the Ideas Challenge, visit cnve.tamu.edu/ideas.