SEC Students Set to Pitch Product Ideas at Florida

SEC universities have placed an emphasis on creating environments that promote an entrepreneurial spirit in recent years. For example, the Robert J. Trulaske, Sr. College of Business is a growing leader in entrepreneurship education. With proven success in preparing and graduating innovators and entrepreneurs through key programs such as the Entrepreneurship Alliance, and new programming such as Tiger StartUp and Tiger StartUp Mentoring, the college offers students options that align with their educational goals. Using a high-touch, high-impact approach, Mizzou’s entrepreneurship students gain tenacity, grit and confidence in their ideas and strengths.

The SEC Student Pitch Competition builds on these kinds of efforts by giving undergraduate and graduate students from SEC universities a platform to present and develop their innovative product ideas. In the 2017 competition, students will pitch their ideas to a panel of judges comprised of established individuals in the business sector, including SEC alumni. The panel will select three finalist teams that will then present their product to a separate set of judges, and awards will be given for first, second and third place finishes.

Along with University of Florida organizers, the SEC Student Pitch Competition is facilitated by SECU, the academic initiative of the SEC, which serves as the primary mechanism through which the collaborative academic endeavors and achievements of SEC universities are supported and advanced.

Below is a summary of product ideas that will be presented by participating SEC universities during the competition to be held Nov. 13 in Gainesville.

University of Missouri

Recordly allows users to capture audio with their smartphone, highlight key passages in interviews with one touch of their smartphone or Apple Watch and produces real-time transcripts of audio by using speech-to-text processing. Users can also quickly edit text that needs to be sent to a newsroom or shared via social media in a timely manner.

University of Alabama

OrthoScrews incorporates a radio frequency identification-based technology developed by NASA into a minimalist-designed device. The device allows clinicians to non-invasively monitor, in real-time, the torque of surgically-placed titanium or stainless-steel screws for orthopedic implants such as artificial joints, plates and other bone-supportive applications.

University of Arkansas

Grox Industries utilizes a proprietary, patent-pending technology to safely synthesize scalable quantities of graphene oxide and stably bond it to a variety of elemental metals to create a host of new materials with amplified physical and mechanical properties. The initial product offering, Helios, is an advanced, thermally insulating surface coating that introduces a new-age glass coating with the potential to save consumers nearly 70 percent of the energy lost through poorly insulated windows.

Auburn University

BioErgo Solutions is a software as a service (SaaS) company that aims to prevent injuries while also improving productivity and reducing non-value added activities. By developing a non-intrusive wearable sensor system to monitor employee motions, BioErgo Solutions provides real-time risk information to help workers and businesses stay healthy.

University of Florida

Band.it has developed a product that is compatible with all interchangeable camera lenses on the market. The product is a soft elastic band that stretches over a camera lens’ zoom and focus rings, enhancing grip and preventing damage.

University of Georgia

Ripple Jam Booking is a platform for connecting artists and venues to simplify the event booking process. Its low-cost approach will create a ripple effect in the music industry, disrupting the expensive booking agent model by giving artists a larger share of the box office revenues.

University of Kentucky

The existing $3 billion insecticide market does not meet the demand for all-natural, non-synthetic pesticides. The Sustainable Products Company addresses this need by producing all-natural WiseEarth™ Pest Repellent and WiseEarth™ Soil Additive.

LSU

Tonal Innovation is a musical instrument accessory and software development company that gives musicians the opportunity to perform their craft like never before. UNISON is one product that allows band directors to create a digital library for musicians to access through a mobile app.

University of Mississippi

Myra Mirrors is designing a line of smart mirrors that will feature stereo sound light panels, five methods of input and its own mobile companion app and operating system named ReflektOS. ReflektOS is an open-source GNU/Linux based AR operating system for surfaces - the Android for the real world.

Mississippi State University

Auto-IS builds advanced automation tools for wireless internet service providers (WISP), eliminating the cost-intensive process of optimizing antenna placement. With the system, operators press a button and the WISP drone automatically scans the property to find the best placement, making it more affordable to connect the 3.7 billion people around the world who do not have access to the internet.

University of South Carolina

Hauled is a mobile platform that connects pickup truck owners with people in need of junk removal. Hauled aims to provide income opportunities for truck owners while giving home and business owners access to quality service at a more affordable price.

University of Tennessee

In With The Old, LLC, is a retail service specializing in repurposing and reselling vintage collegiate apparel. The company sells its merchandise via Instagram through a social auction process. Since starting one year ago on a college campus, the company has created a strong brand and has grown to eight additional campuses while developing an online platform focused on enabling multi-site sourcing and incentivizing sales growth.

Texas A&M University

Most microbreweries suffer inordinately long production cycles and high logistics costs simply to maintain their yeast supplies. Yeast Culture Labs aims to establish a central-U.S. market presence and leverage their unique fermentation expertise to provide fresh and high-quality, customized brewer’s yeast at a fraction of current supplier costs.