Pitch for a Purpose Design Challenge

Cultivating entrepreneurs and innovators

Fall 2023

DEADLINE EXTENDED!!!

Through a high-impact competition experience, student teams from the University at Buffalo will respond to a Environmental Sustainability design challenge. This design challenge will inspire student productivity, innovation, and entrepreneurship, while affording the opportunity for students to work in diverse, collaborative teams. Students will gain experience and knowledge in the intermediate development stage of entrepreneurship. Finally, students will connect with industry experts, expanding their network of connections and knowledge of local and national entrepreneur ecosystems.

Amidst the growing concerns regarding Climate Change, sustainable practices and environmental considerations are more important than ever. Participants for this design challenge should seek to design a new product or service that promotes environmental sustainability. The solution should address a specific issue such as reducing waste, conserving energy, or supporting sustainable lifestyles. Consider using materials and processes that have a minimal environmental impact and incorporate circular economy principles where possible. Evaluate the feasibility of the solution in terms of production, cost, and adoption by consumers or businesses. Finally, consider how the solution could be marketed to raise awareness and promote its adoption.

Teams should be in the post ideation stage of business and/or product development for this challenge. Teams with tangible examples of their product or service will be given resources ($1000) to help advance to the final stage of the competition and compete for a grand prize of $3000 for the winning team.

Collaborators:

• Erin Rowley, Head, Science and Engineering Library Services/Engineering Librarian
• Hadar Borden, Director, UB Blackstone LaunchPad
• Howard Eisenberg, Entrepreneur in Residence, and Co-Founder United Sortation Solutions and Eurosort Inc.
• Ellen Eisenberg, Adjunct Professor, Georgetown University, Entrepreneur and Co-Founder United Sortation Solutions and Eurosort Inc.
• Derek Nichols, Associate Director for Sustainability, UB Sustainability
• Sarah Baillie, Director of UB’s Women in Science and Engineering (WiSE) program.
• Nicholas Henshue, Clinical Assistant Professor, Environment and Sustainability Department
• Andrew Lavoie, Design Challenger Coordinator, UB Blackstone LaunchPad
• Whitney Eggers, Senior Director Advancement, Engineering and Applied Sciences.

Learning Outcomes

• Students will be able to develop and articulate a new design concept that provides the foundation for an environmentally stable innovation.
• Students will make valuable university and industry connections to help further their individual career goals.
• Students will be exposed to new fields and concepts of intellectual and ideological thought.
• Students will gain skills and expertise in presentation and proposal skills applicable in any career field.

Resource Guide:

UB Libraries will curate resources for students to reference and leverage through a resource guide linked here: https://research.lib.buffalo.edu/ventureresources/home

Duration & Structure

The Design Challenge will take place over a ten (10) week period. The Challenge will begin on Wednesday September 13, 2023 and last until Tuesday, November 14^th. This time frame is aimed to provide the maximum time for students to work on their proposals and supporting materials while also forcing them to work to a deadline. Due to the advanced nature of the challenge, this time frame will also provide competing teams a chance to intensively meet with mentors and develop prototypes for their final pitch.

Application/Submission Guidelines

Team Breakdown:

• Teams must be composed of between 2-5 students.
• Teams must be composed of members from different disciplines/majors and schools.
• Teams must show a multi-disciplinary approach to the problem with no more than 50% of the team being from the same major/discipline.
• Teams can be formed from current UB undergraduate and/or graduate students. Recent graduates (within last 3 years) are also eligible to compete.

Submission Guidelines

• Students must show their business ideas are at a growth stage beyond the ideation stage.
• Only one submission per team is required.
• Team members must be finalized prior to the applications submission.
• Submissions as part of a team’s new business venture must represent the original work of the team members.
• Submissions will be treated as confidential. The only persons with access to the entry materials will be judges and select members of the organizing committee. Materials will not be distributed to any other party, unless requested by entrant team. No other or special provisions are made to protect intellectual property rights.
• Judging of entries will be performed by an outside panel of independent judges, consisting of professionals involved in entrepreneurship. Any entry is subject to minimum criteria in terms of its market potential, viability, and other factors, as determined by the judging panel’s experience.  If no entries meet the minimum criteria, the prize may not be awarded. 
• Submissions must show that there is a definitive problem being addressed by the proposed product/service.
• Submissions must show a distinct customer profile- who would this product impact?
• Product or service must demonstrate commitment to sustainability and the environment.
  • Submissions must demonstrate a connection to the UN Sustainable Development Goals

**App-based submissions will not be accepted. **

• Submissions that include an app support feature are acceptable, but an app cannot be sole focus of the submission.

Submissions will close 9-17-2023 at 11:59PM

Submissions will be reviewed by committee and selected teams will be notified if they advance to the next round. Teams will need to ensure all requested documentation is submitted in order to be eligible for the selection process.

Prizes & Prize Breakdown

Teams selected to move on to the final will be given a US Debit Card containing $1000 for the purpose of helping to advance their concept and idea forward.

Prize Award: 

• You will need either a Social Security Number or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number in order to collect any prize money. Students may be subject to tax at the time that they file. 
• The prize awards will be paid to the student entrepreneur(s) in recognition of their achievements in preparing for and participating in the pitch competition. Where a student startup is represented by more than one student entrepreneur, the prize award will be divided among the student entrepreneurs. Prize awards may be subject to U.S. federal tax withholding. Prizes may not be transferred. 

Prizes

• Grand Prize $3000
• Second Place $1500
• People’s Choice Award $500

Design Challenge Judging Criteria – Scale 1 (low) – 5 (high):

• Design Challenge Judging Criteria – Scale 1 (low) – 5 (high):

  • VIABILITY: The problem is/was clearly identified, and the value proposition/solution is believable. Has the team validated that there is a demonstratable problem that their product addresses?
  • EMPATHY: The customer is presented dimensionally, reflecting an intimate understanding of their needs, wants and feelings related to the problem and their openness to adopting the solution.
  • RIGOR: The team has invested time analyzing market, the competition and/or organizational challenges, product development pathways, go-to-market alternatives and the basic financial picture. Has the team showed a firm customer profile for their product?
  • INGENUITY: The idea/solution to the problem is inventive, smart, and easily bridges to practical application/user adoption.
  • TRACTION: The project could be successfully implemented and is demonstrating its validation with the research done thus far.
  • ACHIEVABLE ECONOMICS: There are business/financial economics, whether in generating revenue or cost-savings that are both logical and appear achievable. Does the final product reflect a solid MVP?
  • SUSTAINABILITY/ENVIRONMENTAL: How well does the product or service adhere to sustainable practices. What is its environmental impact? Is there demonstrable evidence that product or service will benefit the environment or increase sustainability?
  • PARTICIPATION: How well did the team engage with the learning sessions and check-in meetings? Did at least one team member engage with these opportunities? Did the team actively engage with their mentor on at least 2 occasions?

Use the "Enter Now" button on the top of this page to submit your application. For more information or questions email: ubcolab@buffalo.edu, or reach out to a Venture Coach at UB Blackstone LaunchPad.

Please email support@startuptree.co to seek help in navigating the application portal.