The University of Arizona (UA) in partnership with student-led entrepreneurial organization InnovateUA and Perkins Coie LLP have announced the winners of the 2015 Perkins Coie Innovative Minds Challenge. The Challenge was created to connect UA students with business savvy mentors and help fund innovation.
During the Challenge, UA student teams presented their innovative ideas to solve real social and business problems. Student teams competed for three top cash prizes sponsored by Perkins Coie and business development services sponsored by the Arizona Center for Innovation. Other perks include six months of one-on-one business mentoring as part of the Mentored Launch Program as well as use of AzCI’s world-class office space.
Innovative Minds Challenge winners include:
Top Winner -$5,000 cash prize sponsored by Perkins Coie and 6 months business development at AzCI
- Infinurja: Provides low-cost, renewable electricity to underserved and underdeveloped areas to improve standard of living and economic strength by using patent pending products.
$2,500 cash prize sponsored by Perkins Coie and 6 months business development at AzCI
- Edible Optics: Provides kids and parents an engaging, hands-on introduction to optical engineering using edible lenses.
$2,500 cash prize sponsored by Perkins Coie and 6 months business development at AzCI
- Agent Sage: Provides an online platform where homebuyers and sellers can efficiently find an amiable real estate agent while simultaneously feeding agents valuable intelligence that can be used to streamline home transactions.
$1,000 cash stipend sponsored by Innovate UA
- Autism Technology Solutions, LLC: Developing an iPhone and iPad app that helps special education teachers and autism therapists collect better data for writing government mandated progress reports for the special needs children they teach.
$1,000 cash stipend sponsored by Innovate UA and scholarship to the Thryve program
- CrateCrops: Provides K-12 schools and universities with a platform for experiential STEM education by combining aquaponics, vertical gardening and sensor and control systems.
$1,000 cash stipend sponsored by Innovate UA and scholarship to the Thryve program
- Handle: Handle makes connecting with one another as easy as sharing your name.
$1,000 cash stipend sponsored by Innovate UA
- LinkX: Provides a transparent health care database for pricing and availability of medications along with medication therapy management to facilitate a seamless transition of care from the outpatient facility to the home.
$1,000 cash stipend sponsored by Innovate UA
- The Smart Mason: Provides a smart kitchen scale utilizing the mason jar lid.
Click here for AzTB’s past coverage of InnovateUA
Photos courtesy of Arizona Center for Innovation