UA Student Ventures Win Mentorship, Cash
Arizona Daily Star
May 5, 2016
Brian Herrera, left, and Clayton Jeanette of Defiant Technologies pitch made their virtual-reality viewing system at the Perkins Coie Innovative Minds Challenge at the University of Arizona main library, Tuesday May 3, 2016.
Seven University of Arizona student entrepreneurial teams shared in $25,000 in cash and services as prizes in a business-pitch competition at the school on Tuesday.
The 2016 Perkins Coie Innovative Minds Challenge is sponsored by the New York-based law firm Perkins Coie LLP, the UA Tech Parks’ Arizona Center for Innovation, and InnovateUA, to link UA students with business-savvy mentors and help fund innovative ideas.
After 10 student teams pitched their ideas to a panel of entrepreneurial experts, six business-incubation fellowships were awarded, as well as $20,000 in cash.
Fellowships in the Arizona Center for Innovation’s Mentored Launch program, including office space at the UA Tech Park, were awarded to:
- Drone Flight Area Control: a task-based drone management system with applications in agriculture, inspection and other fields;
- Defiiant Technologies: which is introducing a 3-D social media experience through a wearable virtual reality (VR) camera and mobile VR app;
- Illumination Design Group: which develops display lighting to optimize the preservation and presentation of high-value artwork.
Fellowships in Startup Tucson’s Thryve entreprenership program were awarded to:
- Indigenous Intellectual Sovereignty Hub: (IISH) which created a website as a repository for Native-created, shareable content related to Native American issues and interests;
- Connected Communities: a mobile app that matches volunteers with nonprofit organizations and motivates volunteers to serve their community;
- Bridge: an online platform that connects and builds trust between the police and the community.
Cash prizes
Perkins Coie awarded $5,000 cash to Drone Flight Area Control and $2,500 cash to Illumination Design Group.
InnovateUA, a UA student-led entrepreneurship group, awarded $5,000 to Worksphere, creators of a smartphone app that gives employers the ability to manage communication, accountability and productivity on one device. The student company also won top honors and $10,000 in the UA McGuire Entrepreneurship Program New Venture Competition and Showcase last week.
InnovateUA also awarded $2,500 to Defiiant Technologies, while InnovateUA and Perkins Coie each awarded $2,500 to Indigenous Intellectual Sovereignty Hub.
