22ND Annual New Ventures World
Competition
(Previously International Business Plan Competition)
March 26-28, 2009
Embassy Suites
Lincoln, NE
The Nebraska Center for Entrepreneurship announces our 22st Annual New Ventures
World Competition. Our goal is to improve the chances of entrepreneurial success
by exposing students to quality feedback, investment opportunities, and a chance
to see some of the most competitive and innovative entrepreneurial enterprises in
the world!
Compete for $20,000 cash prizes and qualify for Moot Corp Competition! All 8 teams
that make it to the finals win prize money.
Graduate First Prize: $7,000
Undergraduate First Prize: $4,000
Important Dates
2009 New Ventures Winners
1st Place ($4,000)
Elevate Medical, LLC
University of Arkansas-Fayetteville
We will provide heathcare products that focus on improving transfers and mobility
in patients with permanent and temporary physical disabilities. Elevate Medical’s
initial product, the Lift Assist is intended to alleviate the pain and risks associated
with patient transfers between wheelchair and bed.
2nd Place ($2,000)
J&J Solutions
University of Iowa
Is a medical device start-up developing an innovative drug handling device that
enables the more effective, efficient, and affordable treatment of cancer patients.
Our opportunity stems from the severe heath problems associated with handling hazardous
drugs along with the proven ineffectiveness, critical inefficiencies, and high cost
of existing products.
3rd Place ($1,000)
SurgyAid, LLC
John Hopkins University
A start-up biomedical device company aimed to improve the safety and efficiency
of healthcare. SurgyAid’s flagship product is a surgy pack—a novel means for bowe
l packing.
Honorable Mention ($500)
The Other Side Garden Center
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
This takes a grass roots approach to garden retail. We focus on selling Nebraska
products and plants that are sustainable in Nebraska’s climate.
1st Place ($7,000)
NecoPlastics
University of Louisville
Will utilize a patented technology to create recycled resin out of mixed-waste plastics
and high-carbon fly ash. Currently these waste materials are being disposed of in
landfills and are growing economic and environmental concern. NecoPlastics product
will be less costly and more environmentally friendly than the competetions.
2nd Place ($3,000)
Novophage
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Provides a novel biological solution to treat bacterial contamination in food products
using baccteripphages.
3rd Place ($1,500)
Pass Pro-Tech
University of Texas at Dallas
Is a unique, single-sign-on password technology that offers a simple, secure way
to authenticate users on multiple networks with a significantly higher level of
security than competing technologies.
Honorable Mention ($1,000)
Green Gold
Queens School of Business
Reprocessing of old gold mine tailings using cutting edge technology.
Previous Competition Winners
1st Place, $4,000: BSapp, Syracuse University - Creation of a service that coordinates,
facilitates, and enhances the graduate management admissions process by offering
a one-stop online location for submitting applications.
2nd Place, $2,000: ROUNDSCAPE, UNL - Combines the spatial capture and virtual reality
experience of ROUNDUS, LLC, a specialist in city-wide virtual tours, with the unparalleled
golf industry influence of Landscapes Unlimited, LLC, the largest golf construction
and management firm in the United States.
3rd Place, $1,000: J and J Solutions, University of Iowa - Developed a revolutionary
closed-system drug-transfer device for the safe handling of hazardous drugs throughout
the entire drug reconstitution process.
Honorable Mention, $500: VidFlips, University of Michigan - VidFlips combines a
video yearbook with a social networking site to bring students together and revolutionize
the yearbook market.
1st Place, $7,000: Romanov Caviar, Queens School of Business-Will become the premier
domestic producer, supplier, and distributor of the most luxurious product in the
food industry, caviar, to the biggest and most under-supplied market in the world,
the United States.
2nd Place, $3,000: Remedium Technologies, Inc., University of Maryland-Dedicated
to the development of advanced hemostatic and tissue sealant materials.
3rd Place, $1,500: Hitchsters, University of Michigan-Operates a service that connects
travelers going to and from airports in order to share a cab and split the fare.
Honorable Mention, $1,000: MagiCare, Sun Yat-sen University-Intends to provide non-invasive,
safe, effective and affordable Enhanced External Counter-pulsation (EECP) treatment
service through advanced EECP equipment for precaution, treatment, and rehabilitation
of Coronary Heart Disease.
Undergraduate:
1st Place, $10,000: Effiventa; University of Manitoba
2nd Place, $3,000: Blue Sky Energy Solutions; University of Arizona
3rd Place, $2,000: logMedia; Syracuse University
Honorable Mention, $750: Great Plains Nursery; University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Graduate:
1st Place, $15,000: Agile Sports Technology; University of Nebraska-Lincoln
2nd Place, $5,000: ViraTag LLC; Georgia Tech
3rd Place, $3,000: Macuclear; University of Texas at Austin
Honorable Mention, $1,000: Securamed Inc.; UCLA
1st Place, $10,000
Red Baron Rocks
University of Michigan
Team Members: Matthew Kaczynski, Jared Ailstock
Advisor: Paul Kirsch
Description: Red Baron Rocks provides high quality landscaping rocks and boulders,
sourced from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan at 15% lower costs to landscaping retailers
in the Chicago metropolitan area.
2nd Place, $3,000
Fresh Cut Florals, LLC
Syracuse University
Team Members: Meghan Kohl, Erin Wilson, Erica Fand, Shelley Kohan, Lauren Kopach
Advisor: Eric Alderman
Description: Fresh Cut Florals provides elegance that is real, personality that
is genuine, and silk flowers that look, and most importantly, smell remarkably like
fresh cut. Through the impressive combination of the functionality of an air freshener
and the aesthetic beauty of silk flowers, Fresh Cut Florals adds unique design sensibility,
superior quality and unparalleled sophistication that make the home a sanctuary.
3rd Place, $2,000
Ignite
University of Manitoba
Team Members: Carla De Luca, Lisa Jarema
Advisor: Rob Warren
Description: Ignite is an exciting new gourmet snack food company that plans to
bring healthy snacks to the Canadian and US markets. Ignite will stimulate all the
senses through its unique gourmet flavors, appealing packaging design, and interactive
promotional teams.
Honorable Mention, $750
Adrenaline Fever
University of British Columbia
Team Members: Cameron Lang, Meghan Mahoney, Randy Liu, Angela Chuang, Imraj Pasricha
Advisor: Darren Dahl
Description: Adrenaline Fever specializes in innovating and bringing to market controllers
for PC and major video game platforms. The company is currently developing the Pulse-8
dance pad--a laser projected, virtual controller--to enhance the playing experience
of dance genre video games.
Undergraduate Track
Better Being Basketball
University of Portland
Team Members: Brant Minor
Advisor: Dr. Robin Anderson and Kacie Caldwell
Description: Better Being Basketball is a character developing basketball camp for
4th through 12th grade boys and girls. 3B combines a traditional basketball camp
model with leadership skills, character development and academic support. Through
motivational speakers and inspirational lectures, the players benefit both on and
off the court.
ECPrep
Duke University
Team Members: Blake Sowerby, Christopher Criollo, Daniel Riley
Advisor: Robert Malkin
Description: ECPrep offers a low-cost method for AIDS detection and monitoring for
use in the developing world.
Just Kid-ing, Inc.
University of Houston
Team Members: Noor Alnahhas, Rosario Romero
Advisor: Brian Stephenson
Description: Just Kid-ing, a 10,000 square foot children’s edutainment center (CEdC),
combines education and entertainment through processes that are culturally and age
appropriate. Targeted for children in the ages between one and eight years, Just
Kid-ing cultivates their physical, emotional, cognitive, language and social abilities
in a fun learning environment.
1st Place, $15,000
BVM Technologies
University of Arizona
Team Members: Eric Oden, Robin Meeks, and Daniel Joseph Rak, Jr.
Advisor: Jim Jindrich
Description: BVM Technologies is a service provider of pre-clinical testing to the
medical device industry. The service utilizes a patented in-vitro method to test
and analyze intravascular medical devices.
2nd Place, $5,000
IntegrAS
University of Georgia
Team Members: Cooper Butler, Manish K Jar, Constantinos Theofanous
Advisor: Dr. Charles Hofer
Description: IntegrAS offers tax return preparation services to accounting firms
to help alleviate the struggles of the busy season. IntegrAS helps to cut costs
and save time for accounting firms by way of their offshore partners in India.
3rd Place, $3,000
Samkaijo, LLC
University of Washington
Team Members: Kai McSwain, Samuel Cho and John White
Advisor: John Castle
Description: Samkaijo's goal is to deliver pain medication to localize areas in
the knee/shoulder/ankle, which allows patients to feel good and recover quickly.
We will deliver pain medications in a thermogel, a temperature sensitive compound
that exists in a liquid state at temperatures below 23C, yet becomes a semi-solid
gel at normal body temperature (37C). These unique properties allow easy injection
of a liquid to the joint.
Honorable Mention, $1,000
Agrobotics
University of Arkansas-Fayetteville
Team Members: Adi Masli, Alin Dragos, Jason McNabb
Advisor: Carol Reeves
Description: Agrobotics is a precision-agriculture equipment manufacturer. The first
product line, the SS1, is the first continually-operating automated soil sampler
utilizing GPS technology.
Graduate Track
Allied Polymer
Duke University
Team Members: Muhammad Shoaib Syed, Frank F. Shi
Advisor: Giuseppe Lopomo
Description: Allied Polymer, Inc. (API) designs and develops novel low-cost and
high performance photo-imageable co-polyester materials used in advanced microelectronic
packaging and flexible printed circuit board markets.
Electrical Baseboards
University of Michigan
Team Members: Hector Gutierrez, Omar Elkheshen, Renato Secol
Advisor: Thomas Kinnear
Description: Electrical baseboards plans to provide technology-oriented and design-conscious
individuals with a novel solution that will allow them to connect their electrical
devices at any point along a wall.
G-SINC
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Team Members: German Cruz, Prasanna V lyer, Amit Nimunkar, John Schuster
Advisor: Philip Greenwood
Description: G-SINC aims to provide the next generation fingerprint biometric system.
iKard
Sillman University, Philippines
Team Members: Norberto Riego II, Irene Rafil, Allen Jaani, Eva Bulandres, Bonifacio
F. Comandante, Jr.
Advisor: Wilma M. Tejero
Description: iKard is a customized single-transaction use product that works like
a credit card to access e-commerce in buying internet products and services. iKard
will have three advantages: eliminate unused balance typical in debit cards, removes
the need to maintain credit cards and prevent online identity theft.
M.I.D.A.S.
Stanford University
Team Members: M. Yashar Kalani, Aadel A. Chaudhuri, Christopher P. Anderson
Advisor: Dr. Victor Tse
Description: Arvana Technologies, Inc. has designed and tested a sensor-based microfluidic
device for the acute intracranial delivery of controlled quantities of drugs as
treatment for a spectrum of neurological disorders.
PixYour
Indiana University
Team Members: Christopher Carriero, Tony Easterlin, Mandar Vadhavkar
Advisor: Tom Hustad
Description: PixYour is founded on the notion that tourists will always desire unique
souvenirs and photos from wherever they go. Thus, PixYour will create both self-service
picture taking kiosks and a website to establish PixYour's core business of transmitting
specially formatted digital postcards from PixYour kiosks and maintaining them for
storage and sharing on PixYour.com.
OrthoAccel Technologies, Inc.
University of Illinios at Chicago
Team Members: Matthew Christian, Colin James, Anna Lisa Somera, Kirk Purcell, Mark
Kwatia
Advisor: Rod Shrader
Description: OrthoAccel Technologies, Inc. capitalizes on the $8 billion orthodontia
market using a patented application of cyclic-forces technology to develop medical
devices which will drastically expedite orthodontic treatment time. By reducing
patient chair time, OrthoAccel will offer a financial benefit to its customers,
orthodontists, who can treat more patients each year.
Predictive Life Sciences
Carnegie Mellon University
Team Members: Himanshu Khurana, Melanie Sit, David Gaskin, Eric So, Prateek Kumar
Advisor: Thomas Emerson
Description: PLS is a biotechnology company that provides advanced software tools
using predictive artificial intelligence to revolutionize personalized medicine.
Our software predicts the "right" drug at the "right" dosage for the patient. Our
customers will be pharmaceutical/biotechnology companies, universities and research
organizations.
1st Place, $10,000.00
BilliardEx
University of Utah
Team Members: Kimball S. Thomas and Jared Allgood
Advisor: Leonard Black
Description: BilliardEx sells high-quality, furniture-grade billiard tables which
are affordable to large market segments that previously have not been able to afford
quality billiard tables. BillardEx has built a sustainable manufacturing, quality,
price, and distribution model that will allow it to build a disruptive and sustainable
competitive advantage within the billiard industry.
2nd Place, $3,000.00
Identi-Ski
University of Houston
Team members: Bradley Newton, Amanda Covington, and Babriel Cohen
Advisor: Shena Cherian
Description: Identi-Ski is a technology-based company that eliminates ticketing
fraud within the ski resort industry by using an innovative application of RFID
technology.
3rd Place, $2,000.00
TheRealRetro, LLC
University of Michigan
Team Members: Evan Steinberg and Rohan MA
Advisor: Rishi Moudgil
Description: TheRealRetro's mission is to provide consumers with "cool" t-shirts
designed to celebrate the lives and legacies of historical and literary heroes.
Utilizing wit and style, TheRealRetro creatively links these "academic" figures
with the modern world of sports fashion.
Honorable Mention, $750.00
Hottie Jeans, LLC
Colorado State University
Team members: Jamie N. Fisher, Rhianna G. Bain, Leigh K. Sabey, and Chris W. Wierman
Advisor: Paul Hudnut
Description: Hottie Jeans introduces an innovative idea for college women attending
school during the cold months. The company plans to offer the consumer stylish denim
jeans with a college affiliated flannel lining to keep her warm while representing
school spirit.
1st Place, $15,000.00
SpectroHound
University of Manitoba
Team Members: Lucas Golebioski and James Swirsky
Advisor: Robert Warren
Description: SpectroHound Inc., in conjunction with PDK Projects and Carl Zeiss
International, aims to commercialize the SleuthNIR. The SleuthNIR is a product that
utilizes Near Infrared technologies in order to continuously test for both chemical
and biological contaminants in the water supply returning results in real-time.
2nd Place, $3,000.00
NanoMED Technologies, LLC
Ohio State University
Team members: James C. Hamilton and Jason H. Sakamoto
Advisor: Professor Mauro Ferrari
Description: NanoMED Technologies has created polymer nanoparticles for use in vaccines,
anti-inflammatory therapeutics, and nucleotide drug delivery.
3rd Place, $3,000.00
MediaTel
Georgia State University
Team Members: Edlyn Lewis
Advisor: David Nasser
Description: MediaTel uses cutting edge wireless technology to deliver a flagship
one-to-one marketing channel to the $130 billion US advertising industry. The proprietary
software technology will make sweeping changes in the way both advertising and cellular
business is done.
Honorable Mention, $1000.00
Lume, Inc.
Stanford University
Team members: John Shapiro and Juan Marin
Advisor: Tom Kosnik
Description: Lume, Inc. will bring large, flat displays to the mass market by offering
50" sizes at $1500 retail prices. Lume will utilize ELTV™, a breakthrough technology
to which Lume, Inc. has exclusive rights. ELTV™ offers disruptive cost savings,
lower weight, and lower power consumption versus competing technologies.
1st Place, $7,500.00
Allied Strategy LLC
University of Nebraska
Team Members: Colby Thomson, Britton Nielsen and Jeff Runyan
Advisor: Terrence Sebora
Description: Allied Strategy offers enterprise-class solutions enabling the integration
of verification information such as credit and motor vehicle reports into real-time
decision systems. Allied's flagship "verification server" targets P&C Insurance
providing cost systems and competitive advantage through increased process efficiency
and manageability, vendor independence, and industry standard XML formats.
2nd Place, $1,500.00
Flexon Solutions, LLC
University of Iowa
Team Members: Bryk Lancaster and Mike "Blaze" Keller
Advisor: David Hensley
Description: Flexon Solutions was founded in August 2003 to identify and develop
cost-effective road safety solutions including a pavement marking retroreflectometer.
The first wave of products will be delivered in March 2004 with product sales beginning
by first quarter of 2005.
3rd Place, $1,000.00
Venecian Pet Spa and Resort
University of Houston
Team Members: Matteo Reginato and Amy Tabor
Advisor: Shena Cherian
Description: The Venecian Pet Spa and resort is a business catering to high income
pet owners. The Venecian provides upscale boarding, grooming, and spa services to
dog and cat lovers.
Honorable Mention, $500.00
CapturCam
Syracuse University
Team Members: Kimberly Salley, Jeremy Calandrino, Magdalena Chwaleba, Brian Nelsonand
Richard Reginelli
Advisor: Michael Morris
Description: CapturCam sells memories, immediacy and convenience as an impulse purchase
to a captive market. The company will rent the latest digital video cameras for
low hourly rates at high traffic vacation locations, and then send the images to
the customer via CD/DVD/electronic file to the customer's home address.
1st Place, $10,000.00
Veran Medical Technologies, Inc
Vanderbilt University
Team Members: Evan Austill, Jr., Jerome R. Edwards, Benjamin S. Hearrin
Advisor: Bruce Lynskey
Description: Veran Medical Technologies, Inc. (Veran) is a Nashville corporation
developing Dynamic Track3™ A patent pending technology that enables physicians to
visualize the live position of instruments superimposed on dynamic images in the
procedure room, Dynamic Track3™ Provides real-time, three-dimensional Global Positioning
System for instruments, making procedures faster, less invasive and more accurate
while increasing hospital throughput.
2nd Place, $3,000.00
Nature's Own Company
Indian School of Business
Team Members: Subramani Ramachandrappa, Sanjay Jha, Gp. Cpt. R.N. and Kaushal Khakhar
Advisor: Ramachandran K.
Description: NOC produces designer flowers using a proprietary (potent pending)
technology. This makes ordinary paper hygroscopic, enabling it to absorb moisture
from the atmosphere and retain a natural look and feel. NOC's flowers are vastly
superior to both natural flowers and artificial flowers.
3rd Place, $2,000.00
Shepherd Alert Systems
Loyola Marymount University
Team Members: Paul Rawson, Jose Ramos, Fabien Pelloux, and Danielle Lawler
Advisor: Fred Kiesner
Description: SHEPHERD ALERT SYSTEMS-is a GPS based, "always on" electronic warning
system that constantly monitors the location of a child, young adult, senior citizen,
or anyone that requires supervision. If the person under supervision leaves a user
defined geographical area (can be finely defined to a small area) a warning signal
is emitted and a graphic representation pops up on the computer screen, constantly
advising where the person is. The base unit is called the SHEPHERD, the mobile units
are called the SHEEP. The product is great for individual monitoring, or group monitoring
such as children at a summer camp. It handles multiple SHEEP.
Honorable Mention, $500.00
Neuronetrix
University of Louisville
Team Members: Jennifer Middleton, Chase Burton, Botty Conklin and Greg Floyd
Advisor: Van Clouse
Description: Neuronetrix is developing the first system to screen newborns for dyslexia,
a learning disability that affects one in every ten people. Eighty percent of the
illiterate adults are dyslexic, and illiteracy costs the nation about $300 billion
each year.
Honorable Mention, $500.00
Nutrimens Management Systems
University of Nebraska
Team Member: Tom Rathje
Advisor: Terrence Sebora
Description: Nutrimens Management Systems create, manages, and markets products
from food supply chains. Growers and manufacturers of food products fully participate
in the value they add to branded products under the Nutrimens business model, enhancing
margins and moving away from commodity based systems.
1st Place, $7,500.00
Horizon Horse
Houston Community College
Jean W. Shackelford
2nd Place, $1,500.00
Sapere Technologies, Inc.
University of Toronto
Team Members: Elena Andreeva, Kenny He
3rd Place, $1,000.00
Reprotec
University of Arizona
Team Members: John Sparks, Jarrett Reidhead
Honorable Mention, $500.00
Transverse Technologies
Purdue University
Norman Scott Miller, Brian J. McCombs, Ross May
1st Place, $10,000.00
Urban Paws
University of Portland
Julie Feickert
2nd Place, $3,000.00
Care Point Professional Employee
University of Georgia
Ken Kaufman, Jeff Mullins, Tina Manwiller
3rd Place, $2,000.00
Aeris Holdings
Case Western University
Michael J. Walsh, Sean Wenger, Michael Harriston, Jason Crusan
Honorable Mention, $500.00
Cool Technologies
Georgia Institute of Technology
Blake Beyer, Scott Gardner, Dan Lamarche, Christopher Moore, Maiko Toyama
1st Place ($7,500)
Sandow S.K. Classic
Daniel Murza, and Cory Weiss
University of Saskatchewan
2nd Place ($1,500)
Datavix
Bill Frost
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
3rd Place ($1,000)
Keen Mobility
Vail Horton, Ed Abel, and Jerry Carleton
University of Portland
1st Place ($10,000)
Fluent Solutions
Brian Pope, Chad Sorensonj, and Jaume Villanueva
University of Wisconsin-Madison
2nd Place ($3,000)
OccuVista, Inc.
Patrick Becka, Jozanna Zielke, and Patrick Burnett
University of Louisville
3rd Place ($2,000)
Pyramid Block
James Butler, and Jeff Hursh
University of Arizona
Honorable Mention ($500)
Scope Logic
Stephane Guichard, Vincent Manti, and John Stone
Georgia Institute of Technology
1st Place, $7,500.00
"Puppy Playground"
Miami University
Members: Renne Lyons, Blake Hankins, Debra Meno
2nd Place, $1,500.00
"R-Celebration"
York University
Members: Philip Rich, Alon Hameiri, Hershi Rubinoff
3rd Place, $1,000.00
"Mecords.com"
Purdue University
Member: Kintan D. Brahmbhatt
Honorable Mention, $500.00
"Mindnautilus.com Corp."
University of Portland
Member: Dennis Moulton
1st Place, $10,000.00
"Griffin Analytical Technologies"
Purdue University
Members: John Scott, Dennis Barket
2nd Place, $3,000.00
"ZymeX Pharmaceuticals"
University of Georgia
Members: Salman Baig, Rusty Denton, Ryan Barras, Tobias Eichner, Christian Haesslein,
Torsten Schierholz
3rd Place, $2,000.00
"4wireless.com"
University of Louisville
Members: Don Mulhall, Todd Brizendine, DiAne Boese, Peter Clyde
Honorable Mention, $500.00
"Manticore Technology Corporation"
University of Texas at Austin
Members: Jeffrey Pauly, Nicholas Walker, Clint Scott, Greg Pins
1st Place
Meringue
University of Miami-Ohio
Liz Vermeil, Cari Myers, Mark Woods
2nd Place
American Volunteer Associates
Loyola Marymount University
Britta Bucholz, Michael Knickrehm
3rd Place
The Edge Dance Studio
University of NE-Lincoln
Stephanie Watkins, Stacy Eikenhorst
Honorable Mention
ProtoPax, LLC/Jacket Packet
University of Michigan
Mike Haas, Julio Gurdian, Andrew Nelson, Matthew Comstock
1st Place
DermaMax Technologies, Inc.
University of Georgia
Joe Wagner, John Apernathy, Pratush Gupta
2nd Place
WineBusiness, Inc.
University of Texas
Hank Tebbe, Scott Delaney, Elaine Durovey
3rd Place
Heartlook, Inc.
University of Manitoba
Rick Mangat, Cedric Penner
Honorable Mention
Restaurant Supply Hub
San Diego State University
Jaime Mautz, Theresa Scampone, Scott Lamb, Cyndney Runions
