Winners of ASU Innovation Challenge announced

In his address at ASU's 2009 Commencement, President Barack Obama challenged ASU students to create societal impact and charged them with changing the world. That’s exactly what ASU’s Innovation Challenge winners are determined to do – and their projects will create impact for years to come.

This spring, ASU announced an exciting, new funding opportunity for students with innovative ideas. The inaugural ASU Innovation Challenge offered four competitions for students to apply for funding and transform their ideas to impact.

Three of those four Challenge tracks have announced their winners: the Challenges Innovator ($2-5K in funding), Community Changemaker ($2K in funding), and Innovation Explorer ($500 in funding) competitions. The fourth track of the Challenge, the Edson Venture Creator competition (up to $20K in funding), will announce winners in late May.

Finalists for the Challenges Innovator and Community Changemaker competitions pitched their ideas before judges on World Entrepreneurship Day, April 16. Students hoping for the chance to be named a finalist for the Edson Venture Creator competition pitched their ideas that same day.

“There were so many more great ideas submitted than we could fund,” said Maggie McGannon, University Innovation fellow in the ASU Office of University Initiatives (UI). UI, in collaboration with partners at ASU SkySong, directed this year’s competitions.

“To see innovation and entrepreneurship across so many disciplines not just humored, but actively encouraged and fostered, is tremendous forward thinking on the university's part,” said Scott Ballum, Challenges Innovator judge and founder of Sheepless.org, a social entrepreneurship online magazine. “It's not just MBAs anymore who are creating employment opportunities and economic sustainability – it's anyone with a passion to engage their community and the determination to see it through.”

From developing a local bakery that will empower people with disabilities to creating a storm drain prototype that ensures our community stays clean, ASU students had a multitude of ideas that can lead to social, cultural, and economic impact. Winning entries and team members are listed below. Teams will implement their ideas with Innovation Challenge funds beginning this summer or fall.

Congratulations to the following Innovation Challenge winners:

Challenges Innovator Competition (10 $2,000 winners and one $5,000 winner)

$5,000 Winner

Project: Aura Light
Formerly known as the Twig Light, Aura Light is a device meant to bring electric light to villages in rural Africa. The project was created through Global Resolve, an ASU social entrepreneurship program.

Raphael Hyde, Undergraduate Student, School of Design Innovation, Industrial Design.
Nisha Patel, Undergraduate Student, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Global Studies.
Lissa Regets, Undergraduate Student, W. P. Carey School of Business, Finance.
Michael Pugliese, Graduate Student, College of Technology and Innovation, Mechanical Engineering.

$2,000 Winners

Project: BioEve: Discovery Engine
BioEve: Discovery Engine is a search and discovery service that makes it easier for researchers to search and navigate knowledge hidden in the text of published life sciences literature, virtually millions of articles. BioEve helps researchers save valuable time in developing new drugs.
Syed Toufeeq Ahmed, Graduate Student, School of Computing, Informatics, and Decision Systems Engineering, Computer Science.

Project: FAV Bags
“Empower Women – Protect the Planet” is the philosophy of the Fruit and Vegetable (FAV) Bags venture. The organization provides a way for women in rural El Salvador to with economic opportunity and eliminates the waste created by the use of plastic fruit and vegetable bags.
Aaron Redman, Graduate Student, School of Sustainability, Sustainability.
Erin Frisk, Graduate Student, School of Sustainability, Sustainability.
Christen Forrester, Graduate Student, School of Design Innovation, Interaction Design.

Project: Go Timing
GoTiming Electronic Race Timing Systems  is an electronic chip timing system for running events. Existing timing systems on the market have a high cost for users. GoTiming utilizes alternate hardware that results in reliable timing at a substantially lower cost.
Nick Coury, Undergraduate Student, Fulton School of Engineering, Computer Science.
Nathan Coury, Undergraduate Student, W.P. Carey School of Business, Economics.
Jamil Coury, Community Member, Aravaipa Running, Race Director.

Project: Large-Area Flexible Chemical Sensing Arrays
Large-Area Flexible Chemical Sensing Arrays will detect a wide spectrum of airborne particles, matching test samples with a chemical “thumbprint” and display compound concentrations via a user interface. Incorporating these sensing capabilities with flexible technology will make the sensors more versatile and add to the overall potential of this technology.
Robin Daugherty, Undergraduate Student, Fulton School of Engineering, Electrical Engineering.
Kevin O'Connor, Undergraduate Student, Fulton School of Engineering, Electrical Engineering.
Alfonso Dominguez, Undergraduate Student, Fulton School of Engineering, Electrical Engineering.

Project: Limb Device Enterprise
Limb Device Enterprise is a new medical company that will focus on the distribution of a product that allows any healthcare professional to safely open any limb that has been contracted due to a sudden traumatic event. Once the limb has been opened, an IV can be placed without injury to the patient.
Musa Othman, Undergraduate Student, Fulton School of Engineering, Industrial Engineering.
Quinton Chambers, Prospective Student, W.P. Carey School of Business, Business.

Project: Malawi Empowerment Village
Malawi Empowerment Village will serve women and physically disabled people in rural Malawi by providing healthcare through the use of recycled shipping containers. Used containers, typically considered pollutants, can be modified into sustainable building units by applying engineering technology.
Susanna Young, Undergraduate Student, Fulton School of Engineering, Mechanical Engineering.
Jasmine Nejad, Undergraduate Student, Fulton School of Engineering, Bioengineering.
Michael Chou, Undergraduate Student, Fulton School of Engineering, Mechanical Engineering.
Ryan Stoner, Undergraduate Student, Fulton School of Engineering, Aerospace Engineering.
Kyle Karber, Undergraduate Student, Fulton School of Engineering, Mechanical Engineering.

Project: Rio Salado Habitat Team
The Rio Salado Habitat Team will restore a natural habitat situated south of downtown Phoenix by creating a prototype that can capture and facilitate the removal of waste from storm drains. Storm pipes from the city feed directly into the Rio Salado area, and trash removal is a costly and time-consuming effort. The Rio Salado Habitat Team are creating a cost-efficient solution to this problem.
Jared Schoepf, Undergraduate Student, Fulton School of Engineering, Chemical Engineering.
Michael Burch, Undergraduate Student, Fulton School of Engineering, Aerospace Engineering.
Ben Coan, Undergraduate Student, Fulton School of Engineering, Mechanical Engineering.
Allan Gillespie, Undergraduate Student, Fulton School of Engineering, Mechanical Engineering.

Project: Sweet Inde Bakery
Sweet Inde (Independence) Bakery is a nonprofit venture concept designed to provide job training and employment experience to Phoenix residents who have disabilities. Baked goods will be sold locally, and proceeds will be returned to people with disabilities through scholarships and grants.
Kristen Bean, Graduate Student, School of Social Work, Social Work.
Jolene De Tiege, Community Member, Improbably Theater Group, Board Member.
Michael Cline, Community Member, Freelance Producer and Editor.

Project: Vast Recon Low Cost Plug-n-Play Autopilot
Vast Recon will provide new low-cost autopilot technology to unmanned aircraft manufacturers. Unmanned aircrafts provide security for troops on the ground and can even help identify terrorist leadership. Commercial use of unmanned aircrafts is imminent, but currently very expensive. Vast Recon provides an affordable solution.
Jesse McConnell, Undergraduate Student, College of Technology and Innovation, Mechanical Engineering.
Davis Vaughan, Undergraduate Student, College of Technology and Innovation, Mechanical Engineering.
Miguel Estrella, Undergraduate Student, College of Technology and Innovation, Mechanical Engineering.
Amy Fleishans, Undergraduate Student, Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication, Public Relations.

Project: WorldIsStage
WorldIsStage is a multimedia content distribution network focused on connecting local performance artists, businesses, and community audiences through geographically specific media. Through an iPhone application and online social network, artists will be able to present their recorded work to an audience where it is most relevant: the site of the performance.
Daniel Roth, Graduate Student, School of Theatre and Film, Interdisciplinary Digital Media.
Brandon Mechtley, Graduate Student, Fulton School of Engineering, Computer Science.
Stjepan Rajko, Community Member, School of Arts, Media, and Engineering, Assistant Research Professional.


Community Changemaker Competition (five $2,000 winners)

Project: eBird Hotspot Wiki with Threat Watch
eBird Hotspot Wiki with Threat Watch is an extension to the original eBird database, created by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and the National Audubon Society. The eBird Hotspot Wiki with Threat Watch will provide researchers the ability to better manage environmental and biodiversity analysis and gives casual bird watchers a chance to inform the research process.
Mark Scheppe, Undergraduate Student, Fulton School of Engineering, Computer Science.
Addison Waldow, Undergraduate Student, Fulton School of Engineering, Computer Science.
Shubo Liu, Graduate Student, Fulton School of Engineering, Electrical Engineering.
Jacqueline Kisling, Undergraduate Student, Fulton School of Engineering, Civil Engineering.

Project: The Improviders Association
The Improviders Association is a collaboration with the Alzheimer’s Association of America that provides services to the caregivers of Alzheimer’s patients.  Through Improviders training, caregivers will develop new communication and coping skills. “Improviding” uses the art of theatrical improvisation as a foundation for building skills in spontaneity, teamwork, and reacting and reframing in the unpredictable situation that arise when caregiving for Alzheimer’s patients.
Ned Simonson, Undergraduate Student, School of Theatre and Film, Film

Project: Innovations Helping Homeless
Innovations Helping Homeless is a collaborative effort with Stand Up For Kids (SUFK), a national organization that provides outreach to homeless youth.  The collaboration will increase the number of number of outreach volunteers, organizational leaders, and youths assisted in Phoenix.
Tim Huffman, Graduate Student, Hugh Downs School of Human Communication, Communication.

Project: Recycled Rides Chassis Team
Recycled Rides is a project of the National Auto Body Council (NABC), which repairs and donates cars to needy families in their community. The Chassis Team will develop an economical and reliable online system management tool that will allow Recycled Rides to focus on their mission of providing outreach to those in need.
Ramya Baratam, Undergraduate Student, Fulton School of Engineering, Computer Science.
Tyler Lemonds, Undergraduate Student, Fulton School of Engineering, Aerospace Engineering.
Josh Winterstein, Undergraduate Student, Fulton School of Engineering, Mechanical Engineering.

Project: Rio Salado Habitat Team
The Rio Salado Habitat Team will restore a natural habitat situated south of downtown Phoenix by creating a prototype that can capture and facilitate the removal of waste from storm drains. Storm pipes from the city feed directly into the Rio Salado area, and trash removal is a costly and time-consuming effort. The Rio Salado Habitat Team are creating a cost-efficient solution to this problem.
Jared Schoepf, Undergraduate Student, Fulton School of Engineering, Chemical Engineering.
Michael Burch, Undergraduate Student, Fulton School of Engineering, Aerospace Engineering.
Ben Coan, Undergraduate Student, Fulton School of Engineering, Mechanical Engineering.
Allan Gillespie, Undergraduate Student, Fulton School of Engineering, Mechanical Engineering.


Innovation Explorer Competition (one $500 winner)

Will Curran, Undergraduate Student, School of Letters and Sciences, Interdisciplinary Studies.