
Camp Mentors Tomorrow’s Captains of Industry
July 13, 2009
Titan Technology’s top managers talk excitedly and effusively about their new business. Their days start early, and their schedules are filled with meetings, budgets and business plans. One student even took a DART train and two buses every day to get to camp. Pitching in an elevator Funding is essential to the startup of most businesses, and many investors believe that entrepreneurs should be able to describe their business ideas within the span of a one-minute elevator ride. To perfect a product sales pitch, each camper worked on an “elevator speech” that included such key elements as their company’s name, the problem their product solved, how it provided a better solution than any alternatives and the kind of customer they were targeting.
Comments from parents: Thanks so much for inspiring my son!
Thanks so much for organizing this wonderful camp!
You and your team have done a great job… Claudia is very happy with the classes and her counselor. G. Lopez
Click here to view YouTube clips from the IO Camp 2009. |
Elevator Pitch Winners 1st place - Nick Wassmer, a senior at Shawnee Mission East High School, Kansas City, Kan.
2nd place - Louis Lu, a junior at Plano West Senior High School.
3rd place - (Tie) Tony Lian, a senior at Plano Senior High School; and Elise Pedigo, a senior at Lovejoy High School.
Business Idea
Competition Winners 1st place - Titan Technology, Atlas Global Translator: Meichen Ge, Plano Senior High School; Claudia Lopez Romo, Plano East Senior High School; Thomas Lo, Plano West Senior High School; and Elise Pedigo, Lovejoy High School. 2nd place - Smart Fellas, Shox: Stephanie Rodriguez, Harmony Science Academy; Andrea Gibson, J.J. Pearce High School; Raymond Hung, Plano West Senior High School; Jeremy Chang, Plano East Senior High School; and Kalissa Armstrong, David Carter High School. 3rd place - Decepticorp (Eagle GPS Tracker to protect personal mobile devices from theft): Alana Hopper, Casady School; Kevin Chiou, Plano West Senior High School; Daniel Borejdo, Greenhill High School; Glenda Castro, Harmony Science Academy; and Lilleat McClendon, Plano East Senior High School.
Business Idea Competition Ranging from “Shox,” socks with changeable insoles to a portable device to track personal items, the campers’ products proved to be shining examples of creative thinking. Drawing on their newly acquired knowhow, each of the five teams gave a 15-minute PowerPoint presentation to judges that outlined their businesses’ goals, market opportunity, production costs and return on investments. They also identified competitors and described their marketing plans. “I go to the mall with my hypothetical girlfriend. The problem is I get lost, and I don’t have a clue where Victoria Secret is …” Louis Lu, a junior at Plano west Senior High School, said as he opened the presentation for False Advertising’s Indoor Product Locator.
In the end, Titan Technology’s Atlas Global Translator won the judges’ top vote, earning each of the four team members $75 each. Comments from Students:
I loved this camp; it was far beyond my expectations! I learned a lot!
I made a great decision to attend this camp. This was an unforgettable experience! Awesome camp! Camp was amazing!! Thank you for everything! |
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Media Contact: Jill Glass or Kris Imherr, UT Dallas, (972) 883-5989, jglass@utdallas.edu
or the Office of Media Relations, UT Dallas, (972) 883-2155, newscenter@utdallas.edu
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Through the generous support of the Texas Instruments Foundation, full or partial scholarships will be available for students who qualified for financial aids. The Innovation Opportunity Camp will be held at the School of Manangement on the UT Dallas campus. The program will be taught by UT Dallas faculty, entrepreneurs,
venture capital and private equity investors and selected service providers.
That innovation drives our economy — new industries and new companies create more than 80 percent of new jobs.
The UT Dallas Innovation Opportunity Camp has been designed for incoming high school juniors, seniors, and 2009 graduates from area high schools. Applications will also be accepted from college-bound high school graduates. The camp will be held on the campus of the University of Texas at Dallas, in Richardson, Texas on June 15-26, 2009. Sessions will run daily, Monday-Friday from 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
The UT Dallas Innovation Opportunity Camp is a program of the Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at UT Dallas. Financial support for the camp has been provided by a grant from the Texas Instruments Foundation.
The cost of the two-week program is $895, which includes course materials, daily lunches, a camp T-shirt and awards. A $50 non-refundable deposit will be required with the application. Need-based scholarship assistance is available (separate application).
Innovation Opportunity Camp Application
Scholarship Application Process
To reserve a seat and follow up with application forms - Register Now!
Entrepreneurial Development Series 3
Nov 13 (8:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.)
UT Dallas Third Annual Business Idea Competition - FINALS
Nov 20 (8 a.m. - 5 p.m.)
Entrepreneurial Development Series 4
Jan 15 (8:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.)
Research & New Venture Showcase
Jan 22 (8:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.)
Commercialization & Entrepreneurship Boot Camp
Feb 5 (8:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.)
Entrepreneurial Development Series 5
Feb 12 (8:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.)