Wanting to create an event that would encourage and showcase the real-world problem-solving and creative solutions of the universities employees, the Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship created the university’s first “Staff Ideas Competition” this summer. Over 60 people participated in workshops and training sessions in June and July to develop and communicate their product and service ideas into a business competition-style pitch.
“Until this summer, how to get from concept to business had eluded me, I had no idea, really, how to go about it. With the frameworks and encouragement provided at the Staff Ideas Competition sessions, I feel like I am a lot closer to giving this idea an actual fair shot,” said Matthew Unkenholz, the Performance Hall Manager at the School of Arts, Humanities, and Technology, who has been working on a new concept he helped install at the Edith O’Donnell Arts & Technology Building Lecture Hall to integrate colored lighting with musical performances.
Over the summer, the Institute’s faculty provided lunchtime workshops and training sessions on topics such as using a Business Model Canvas, understanding what a Minimum Viable Product is, and the fundamentals of a pitch deck and presenting.
After spending the summer working on their plans and meeting with mentors, nine finalists were chosen to pitch their ideas in person. “We were very impressed with the quality and thought behind the ideas – we initially imagined this as just an idea or concept-level competition, but many of the participants put a lot of effort into maturing their ideas into practical solutions ready for a business discussion,” said Paul Nichols, Executive Director of the Institute.
The competition pitch day was August 19, and six were ultimately chosen as the winners by a panel of volunteer judges and “audience favorites” by the event attendees. The winners were:
Michael Lundie – Product Track, School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, described his Neuro-insight platform to help companies improve connections and communication inside an organization and with their customers.
John (JD) Thomas – General Track, Office of Undergraduate Education, discussed his “Neighbors Only” online matchmaking system between customers and service providers to quickly connect people experiencing problems directly to those who can solve them.
Kim Warren – Retail Track, Venture Development Center, presented her idea of a “Spa-cation” venue providing full-service amenities for weddings and other large events.
Gloria Shenoy – Audience Favorite, Office of Policy, Accreditation, and Assessment, explained her concept of “EV-ees”, a retail chain catering to electric vehicle owners while they wait to have their vehicle charged.
Julie Weekly and Cerise Hawker – Audience Favorite, Provost’s Office, pitched their UTD improvement idea for campus groups to coordinate purchases of swag items to lower overall costs and increase the quality and relevance of gifts given to guests and volunteers of the university.
The Track winners received $1,000 each and the Audience Favorites won $500.
More than just a pitching competition, the process and interactions were an enlightening experience for the attendees and an opportunity to meet their colleagues. “It was a friendly atmosphere, and I really enjoyed seeing people from other departments and watching their ideas,” added Julie Weekly.
