Innovative Bradley students from across campus were aiming high on the Hilltop this week with ideas they hoped would win them experiences, a hefty first place prize and a ticket to the land of opportunity.
The Foster College of Business hosted the eighth annual Project Springboard New Venture Competition April 28 in the Marty Theatre. Student entrepreneur teams competed for the chance to win support from experienced business professionals to promote their startup business ventures.
Students of varying majors submitted a letter of intent stating their business plans. Throughout the year, several seminars helped students prepare for the presentation. Each team also had a mentor to provide resources and expertise.
Eight teams presented their ideas to a panel of judges, with team Chargd coming out on top with its innovative backpack.
Senior and CEO of Chargd Shiv Patel presented his team’s idea for a backpack with a built-in, portable charger for electronic devices. While this was Patel’s second time placing in the event, it was his first time winning.
“All of the contestants probably spend hundreds of hours [for the] competition, and it all comes down to the last 10 minutes,” Patel said. “It is either a hit or miss.”
Patel said the experiences gained from the competition were what he valued most.
“What I like about this competition is that it is not school work,” he said. “It is something we do because we want to do it so we are willing to spend more time and invest more in it.”
Nooz, a team with the concept for an app that contains the most up-to-date information and news, and PlayGround Games, with a concept of large-scale, traveling production of traditional playground games, took second place and third place, respectively.
Director of the Project Springboard New Venture Competition Amy Fairfield Doering said this experience is just what budding innovators need.
“[The competition] is our way of motivating students to think creatively and inspire them to pursue their entrepreneurial endeavors,” Doering said.
