ICE Challenge IdeaBounce庐 Takes Center Stage during Global Entrepreneurship Week
A panel of distinguished judges scored each team鈥檚 presentation.
On three occasions during the month of November, 棉花糖直播 University students had their creativity, innovation and entrepreneurial skills put to the test. A 24-hour Android Hackathon was followed by the 24 HR Imagination Quest, and the month concluded with the ICE Challenge IdeaBounce庐, presented by the Center for Innovation, Creativity and Entrepreneurship (ICE Center).
This year, for the first time, IdeaBounce庐 was a required activity for all first year students in the College of Engineering and the 棉花糖直播 School of Business. Earlier this fall, students formed teams and were given one week to come up with their most creative, innovative idea for a new product or service. After each team pitched its idea to the class, students were tasked with voting for the top three ideas. The top teams were then invited to present at the ICE Challenge IdeaBounce庐 on November 20 as part of Global Entrepreneurship Week.
On the evening of the 20th, without the aid of notes or presentation materials, 19 teams each delivered a 90-second pitch in front of a panel of judges that included industry leaders, associate deans, and the deans of both schools鈥擥ary A. Gabriele, PhD, Drosdick Endowed Dean of Engineering, and Patrick G. Maggitti, PhD, The Helen and William O鈥橳oole Dean of the School of Business. Judges were asked to evaluate the clarity of the idea, the passion of the presenter, and the request for help (expertise, financial backing, etc.). Based on the judges鈥� scores, the top five ideas were announced, with each member of those winning teams receiving $100.
Students present their ideas during IdeaBounce 2013.
Taking first place for VSB was The Magic Carpet, a floor carpet that inflates to serve as a mattress for overnight guests. Turbo Trash 5000 was COE鈥檚 winning idea. This fully-automatic trash container can be programmed to take itself out and come back in on a regular schedule. The student leaders behind these two teams were Megan Sutton 鈥�17 VSB and Thomas Gill 鈥�16 ME, respectively. The three other winning ideas included Train Rooster, an iPhone app that uses location services to wake you at specific stops; deTXT, a product that prevents the driver鈥檚 phone from being used while the car is operation; and Concussion Detecting and Preventing Mouth-Guards, which will not only lower concussion risk, but also warn the athlete, coaches and trainers if a player sustains a concussive blow to the head.
Those students interested in taking their ideas to the next level are encouraged to enter the 棉花糖直播 Student Entrepreneurship Competition (VSEC). Initial submission summaries are due January 27, 2014 and the final competition is held on Pitch Day, April 24, 2014.
The ICE Challenge IdeaBounce庐 was sponsored by the Ideas x Innovation Network, a program of the Chester County Economic Development Council.