Four finalists have been selected to pitch their innovative ideas at the fifth annual Entrepreneurial Impact Competition on April 9.
These students have come up with game-changing ideas to help the planet and improve the human condition.
The finalists will compete for a chance to win one of two $5,000 prizes. The Higginbotham Entrepreneurship Award recognizes a more developed project, which is closer to being launched in the marketplace, and the Zeitlin Innovation Award recognizes creativity in a project at any stage of its development.
Finalists will pitch their ideas in front of an audience and a panel of judges at 5 p.m. on April 9 in Dalney Room 180.
Read up on this year's finalists:
Bio-ETTZ
Clara Bailey
Taking a cue from the design of plant stems, Bio-inspired Engineered Thermal Transition Zone (Bio-ETTZ) Piles provide structural support and renewable energy within a building’s foundation.
This modification to thermo-active foundations enhances both energy efficiency and environmental sustainability.
The Bio-ETTZ also separates the structural and energy elements of a pile, ensuring that materials and costs are conserved—which creates less waste and a more sustainable solution.
Biofilm Killer
Feifei Liu, Shuai Wang
Humidifiers are a common solution for dry air and health concerns like dry cough, nose irritation and sinus congestion. However, these appliances are also a welcoming environment for bacteria growth, leading to contamination and potential health risks.
Biofilm Killer is a novel electrophysical antimicrobial surface that was invented to deal with surface microbial contamination in humidifiers.
Their solution uses micro-interdigitated electrodes (MIDEs) to prevent bacterial attachment with intensive electric field strength.
FlameAegisAI
Yusen Su
FlameAegis AI aims to offer a high-tech system of unmanned aerial vehicles, computer vision, and Internet-of-Things technology for large-scale wildfire management.
The goal is to empower firefighters with cutting-edge tools and situational insights for forest firefighting, delivered through a user-friendly interface that integrates into their existing workflow.
FlameAegis AI emphasizes automatic situational awareness and scalability to make wildfire suppression more efficient.
GreenStone
Caroline Tucker, Camila Roldan, Clara Hawkins, Madilyn Jacoby, Kaylee Jordan
This team has developed a system to transform construction waste into a permeable paving system.
GreenPAVE tiles are manufactured from recycled construction materials, allowing water to flow through their structure to reduce stormwater runoff. The GreenGRID reinforcement web is an expandable, flat-folding webbing system that simplifies installation.
Together, GreenPAVE and GreenGRID form a complete permeable paving system that promotes infrastructure resilience while minimizing environmental impact.