UTSA students compete for $100K in cash and prizes in tech start-up contest
Share this Story(Dec. 3, 2014) -- Seven UTSA teams comprised of undergraduate business, computer science and engineering students will compete for cash and prizes at the $100K Student Technology Venture Competition, hosted by the UTSA Center for Innovation and Technology Entrepreneurship (CITE). The competition is 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 6 in the Business Building Liu Auditorium (2.01.02) on the UTSA Main Campus.
Established in 2007 and held semi-annually, the UTSA technology venture competition offers the largest award of all undergraduate business-planning competitions in the nation. Focusing on student entrepreneurial activities, CITE hosts the competition to give students hands-on experience as early-stage entrepreneurs.
Since the competition’s inception, 650 students have participated, more than 85 company ideas have been pitched and a dozen patent applications have been filed. Two winning teams from previous competitions, Leto Solutions and Invictus Medical, have demonstrated steady progress toward commercializing their products.
To prepare for the competition, teams of business, computer science and engineering seniors work throughout the semester to develop a technology-based company. The students collaborate to create a prototype and a fully developed business plan. This semester’s competitors will offer new technologies poised to enhance health care, Internet marketing and business.
As in past competitions, each of this semester’s competing teams received guidance during the semester from an experienced professional from the SA Tech Boosters in the San Antonio technology community.
Local academic, business and entrepreneurial experts will judge the teams on their technologies, business plans and presentations. The competition culminates with each team making a seven-minute pitch to potential investors.
The top three teams will each receive a cash prize and in-kind business services such as marketing, consulting and office space should they decide to launch their new companies.
Financed by the Texas Research and Technology Foundation, the competition also receives support from Cox|Smith, the San Antonio Technology Center, Rackspace, the Whittington Group, the UTSA College of Business, the UTSA College of Engineering and the UTSA Office of the Vice President for Research.
The UTSA Center for Innovation and Technology Entrepreneurship is an interdisciplinary center in the College of Business and College of Engineering. It was established in 2006 to create a pipeline for UTSA faculty and students and the business community to develop new technology ventures.
Through a process of education, experience, resources and support, CITE fosters the growth of new technology-based ventures. The center coordinates resources supporting early-venture execution within the university or in collaboration with companies and provides linkages to IP protection, incubation and funding that support the launch of new technology ventures.
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Event schedule
9-11:30 a.m.: Project viewing and judging, interaction with teams
11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.: Lunch
12:30-2 p.m.: Competition
2-2:30 p.m.: Award presentations
Competitors
FireFly offers a smart baby monitor capable of relaying infant vital signs to parents through an app. Features include pulse detection, breathing recognition and face detection to ensure a baby is safely on its back in the crib. The team includes business students Bradley Tanton, Richard Burge and Anthony Abel and engineering students Eduardo Rodriguez, Duy Do, Nguyen Tran and Eliud Oviedo.
InCrowd is a platform that connects brands with social media influencers by allowing brands to create campaigns, promote through social media influencers, analyze their performance and optimize their social media marketing. Business student Stephen T. Johnson will represent the company.
GoPlayLo is an event management and advertising website that allows businesses to streamline registration. The team includes business students Luis Orozco, Alexis Woodard and Edna Bohorquez and computer science student Germain Matali.
Thetis Smart Engineering Innovations offers Thetis, a prosthetic foot that gives users the ability to be spontaneous when performing low and high impact activities. The team includes business students George Barrera and Amber Ernst and engineering students Bernardo Weiler, Evan Themudo, Manuel Lechuga, Raul Garcia and Ryan Thackston.
Innovative Sleep Technologies, iSleepTech, offers a breathing mask for non-compliant cpap users and travelers that reduces sleep apnea without using hoses, electricity or a machine. The team includes business students Edgar Ibarra and Trent Berryman and engineering students Andrew Smith, Jesse Beavers, Joshua Lademora and Ryan Brabant.
NUMO is a portable recovery device designed to wrap comfortably around injured muscles, while providing cooling and compression in automatic timed sessions. The team includes business students Lauren Pai and Connie Trinh and engineering students Robert Bolanos, George Rosenbaum and Bruno Diaz.
Zeus Innovation offers SneekPeek, a platform allowing businesses to create their own marketing campaigns through an app as a consumer comes into their vicinity. The team includes business students Samuel Bernal and Daniel Leon and computer science student Joseph Mendoza.
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For more information, visit the CITE website.
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Events
This event will acknowledge graduating seniors from the McNair Scholars program at UTSA before inducting the new cohort of scholars into the program.
North Paseo Building (NPB 5.140), Main CampusAt this memorable celebration, UTSA graduates will be introduced one-by-one to cross the stage and accept their doctoral degrees.
Arts Building Recital Hall, Main CampusRoadrunner Walk is an event for graduating students to have a memorable walk on campus to celebrate an important milestone and their achievements. Graduates will walk along the Paseo while being celebrated by the UTSA community, friends, and family members.
Student Union Paseo, Main CampusCelebrate the accomplishments of College of Education and Human Development, College for Health, Community and Policy, College of Sciences and University College.
Alamodome, 100 Montana St.Celebrate the accomplishments of Alvarez College of Business, College of Liberal and Fine Arts and Klesse College of Engineering and Integrated Design.
Alamodome, 100 Montana St.
