UTSA’s next-gen entrepreneurs make their pitch at upcoming Big Rowdy Idea competition

DECEMBER 2, 2021 — It’s down to the final six teams for UTSA’s annual Big Rowdy Idea competition, taking place from 5:30 to 8 p.m. today on the fifth floor of the North Paseo Building.

The contest is an opportunity for budding entrepreneurs to pitch and then develop a great idea as a potential commercial venture.

Ten teams entered the first round of competition on October 28. Five teams are typically selected to advance. Randolph Quinn, executive director of the UTSA Student Innovation and Entrepreneurship (SIE) Program, said due to the quality of the entries as decided by the first-round judges, an additional sixth finalist was added for this year’s event.

“The first-round pitches of the Big Rowdy Idea competition were a sterling example of entrepreneurial tenacity and motivation.”

“The first-round pitches of the Big Rowdy Idea competition were a sterling example of entrepreneurial tenacity and motivation. I would like to thank everyone for supporting our students and their entrepreneurial activity,” Quinn said. “Our participants are an inspiring example of entrepreneurial endurance. I wish all of them the best in their future endeavors.”

The competition is open to UTSA students from any grade level or major. Formerly presented by the Center for Innovation, Technology and Entrepreneurship (CITE), Big Rowdy Idea is now sponsored by SIE to encourage and support more students across all UTSA colleges with entrepreneurial interests.

“Part of my mission is to expand the entrepreneurship mindset to all the colleges within UTSA,” Quinn said. “Engineering students have a legacy of competing in the Big Rowdy Idea. But this year, we have two teams from the UTSA College of Sciences, and one of those teams is made up of two freshmen and a junior, so we are making strides to expand involvement.”

One hurdle students don’t have to overcome in the competition is developing and submitting a prototype device. It’s all about that impactful concept, an ability to make a compelling pitch, and putting together a logical business plan.

Connor Gallagher-Moore and Randy Klepetko made it to the final round with Team HelioSucrose. Their concept is to develop a turn-key solution for electric vehicle charging stations that soon could be as common as gas stations.

“We've identified that by 2030, there's going to be about 21 million electric vehicles on the road and that's going to add about two terawatts of new electrical demand,” Gallagher-Moore said. “Charging infrastructure will be needed. Likewise, it needs to be something renewable. Our idea is a fully integrated system where it's prefabricated off site, shipped and assembled on site. You’ll have an all-in-one EV charging station with solar panels and your battery system.”

The other finalist teams include: RDR Recycling, Prestige Worldwide, SleepSound Therapeutics, T4 Movement and First Watch.

Quinn is inviting members from the business community, many of whom are entrepreneurs themselves, to judge the final presentations. Students have seven minutes for the pitch and three minutes for questions from the judges. Each team also submitted a formal business case which will be evaluated and factored into determining the winners.

Big Rowdy Idea winners can develop prototypes of their concept and enter the $100K Student Technology Venture Competition taking place during the spring 2022 semester.

— Bruce Forey