UK Student Entrepreneurs Compete for $100,000 at Idea State U
LEXINGTON KY, (April 10, 2013) — Four University of Kentucky student entrepreneur teams will compete for $100,000 in prizes at Idea State U, April 12-13 at the Lexington Center. The students are representing UK against teams from all of Kentucky’s public universities for the best business plans and business concepts based on their ideas for innovative products and services.
The following are the undergraduate and graduate student teams. These UK teams were recent winners of the University of Kentucky Venture Challenge competition held in February.
UK Undergraduate Teams
Latta Fasteners – Matt Dieruf, Electrical Engineering Senior
Business plan to produce a new type of screw specifically for industries that require both routine maintenance and coatings to protect screws during operation.
Control My ADHD – Grant Weherley, Economics Senior
Business concept for a subscription-based online resource including video lessons for adults living with ADHD.
UK Graduate Teams
TerraCast Technologies – MBA students Jordan Denny, Jarrod Willis, Lee Goatley, and Jordan Laycock
Business plan to reclaim mountaintop sites by growing switchgrass for biofuel production.
EARlyTAG – MBA students Kaitlyn Foree, Jeffrey Billion, Nathan Miles, William Templeton, and Alex Hart, Agricultural Economics Junior
Business concept to dramatically reduce costs related to livestock illness with new symptom-detection technology.
The public is invited to the Lexington Center, Level 3 on Friday, April 12, at 4 p.m. to see the students’ tabletop exhibits on their proposed business ventures. The public can also attend the elevator pitch contest, which begins at 5:30 p.m. The elevator pitch contest will feature one member from each team who will pitch their idea in 60 seconds or less before a panel of expert judges.
On Saturday, April 13, beginning at 8 a.m., the teams make their formal presentations to the judges. The winners will be announced at 2:30 p.m. ISU is sponsored by the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development and organized by the Kentucky Science and Technology Corporation.
“We could not be more proud of these UK students – and all of our students who competed in UK Venture Challenge – for putting in a tremendous amount of work on this outside of their regular classes,” said Dan O’Hair, interim senior vice provost for Student Success, dean of the UK College of Communication and Information and chair of the iNET advisory board.
UK Venture Challenge is organized by iNET, the Innovation Network for Entrepreneurial Thinking and includes the Entrepreneur in Residence, along with the Von Allmen Center for Entrepreneurship, the College of Engineering, the Gatton College of Business & Economics, and other iNET partners. iNET is hosted by the UK College of Communication and Information.
MEDIA CONTACT: Deb Weis at debweis@uky.edu or 859-257-8296