Welcome to Innovation Challenge The 10th annual Innovation Challenge is sponsored by the NDSU Research & Technology Park in partnership with the NDSU Office of the Provost, to showcase NDSU students innovative ideas and entrepreneurial skills. A total of $20,000 in cash and prizes will be awarded to students with the best innovative ideas. The top ideas in each track will earn $3,000 in cash and may set you on the path to entrepreneurial success. The purpose of Innovation Challenge is to encourage students to be innovative thinkers, enhance their entrepreneurial awareness, empower them to pursue entrepreneurial careers, expand their access to resources available for innovators and entrepreneurs, and to engage with entrepreneurs and business leaders in our communities. Innovations come in all shapes and sizes. We encourage students to bring their best ideas, across multiple disciplines. Teams can compete in one of three innovative tracks. The social impact track consists of projects related to the overall improvement of community, regional, or world issues. Graduate students interested in competing with an innovation related to their research, thesis, or dissertation may compete in the graduate research track. All other students with innovative products or services unrelated to a graduate s research, thesis, or dissertation will compete in the entrepreneurship track. You have two opportunities to test your idea, and form a team: Bison Brainstorming is a fun and exciting night planned by students for students to brainstorm and develop ideas. Test your ideas with other students, use the evening to meet people to form teams, while enjoying free pizza. Pitch Night gives you the opportunity to present your idea to other students and business leaders in 60 seconds or less. Give a pitch and get a t-shirt, you will also be eligible to win cool prizes. Attendees will vote on the winners. Plus, enjoy free pizza. Advance your idea through three rounds of competition and find out if you have what it takes to win the big prize: The Innovation Proposal is your first chance to clearly tell what your innovation is and how it is unique. It should describe the impact on the world or industry. During the Semi-Final Progress Review your team will have a 15-minute discussion with the judges to show your innovation s viability and progress, and receive oral feedback. At the Final Presentation your team will give a 10-minute formal presentation and respond to judges questions. Once enrolled in Innovation Challenge, attend the Innovation Boot Camp sessions to help you prepare for the competition. Learn from Dr. Jeffrey Stamp, Ph.D., a well-known instructor and internationally recognized entrepreneur, as he teaches you how to move your innovation to reality and shares insights to success. The competition is open to all NDSU students. Registration for Innovation Challenge is open until January 22, 2019. See the calendar for upcoming events and deadlines. Winners will be announced on April 2, 2019. If you have questions about Innovation Challenge, contact the NDSU Research & Technology Park at 701-499-3600, email emily@ndsuresearchpark.com or visit www.ndsuresearchpark.com/innovationchallenge.
Innovation Challenge Elements BISON BRAINSTORMING November 8 Not sure how to get started with your idea? Meet with other students to brainstorm, develop your idea, meet people to form teams, and enjoy free pizza. INNOVATION PITCH NIGHT January 17-60 seconds, no visuals Pitch your idea or join a team. Anyone who pitches an idea gets a t-shirt and will be eligible to win prizes. You have 60-seconds to share your idea. Innovation Pitch Night is open to all students and will include free pizza and chances to win great tech prizes. Note: Innovation Challenge registration ends January 22, 2019 INNOVATION BOOT CAMPS Jan. 24, Feb. 19, Mar. 19 Kickstart your innovation engine by attending Innovation Boot Camps, led by Jeffery Stamp, Ph.D., founder and chief storyteller at Bold Thinking LLC. Discover how you can identify ideas with true promise and bring them through the innovation process to their fullest realization. INNOVATION PROPOSAL Due January 31 - Due by 11:59 PM A written description of the proposed problem, innovative solution and impact, and path to implementation. It should describe the impact on the world or industry. After reading, can a judge or customer understand your innovation? PROJECT SHOWCASE February 27 4:30-7:00 PM This is an exciting evening for students to showcase their project to the community and practice their pitch while networking with community leaders interested in student innovation. All the semifinalists are required to showcase their innovations. SEMI-FINALS February 28 15 minutes, judges, visuals Teams will use visual aids (which may include prototypes, mock-ups, videos, screen shots, working demos, posters, etc.) to showcase their progress and receive oral feedback from the judges. FINAL PRESENTATIONS March 28 10-minute presentation, 5 minutes for questions Final presentation of the project formal 10-minute presentation, with five minutes for judges questions. AWARDS CEREMONY April 2 Competition winners will be announced at an awards ceremony luncheon. Representatives from each winning team will be required to attend the awards presentation. 1 MILLION CUPS PRESENTATIONS April 24 Winning teams will be invited to present their innovations at a 1 Million Cups presentation, increasing exposure to potential investors and collaborators.
Three Innovation Challenge Tracks Innovations come in all shapes and sizes. We encourage teams to develop their ideas by collaborating with other students with diverse skills, majors, backgrounds, and interests. Innovation Challenge offers three tracks: Social Impact Students teams at any academic level with an innovative solution to a social problem. This could be any innovation that benefits mankind, makes the world a better place, or solves a community or environmental problem. Social innovations may not completely solve the problem, but should make a difference or move the needle towards a solution. These may be for-profit or non-profit innovations that focus on a social issue. Which track is right for you? Graduate Research Track This track is for graduate students whose problem or innovative solution is related to their graduate research, thesis, or dissertation. The innovation may be a product or service of any type. Teams with one member meeting this criteria would compete in this track. Entrepreneurship Track Teams not fitting the criteria of the first two categories fall into this track. This encompasses all undergraduates. It also includes graduate students with an idea unrelated to their research, thesis, or dissertation. These innovations may be products or services of any type. Is your innovation primarily to benefit mankind or the world and make progress toward solving a social issue? NO Are you a graduate student and is your innovation related to your research, thesis, or dissertation? NO Are you an undergraduate or are you a graduate student with an innovation unrelated to your research, thesis, or dissertation? YES YES YES Social Impact Track Graduate Research Track Entrepreneurship Track If you re having trouble deciding what track your innovation fits, contact us at 701-499-3600 or email emily@ ndsuresearchpark.com. We are happy to help you get going in the right direction. The Innovation Challenge Committee and judges reserve the option of reassigning an entry to a different track.
Eligibility and Registration 1. All NDSU undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in a degree program are eligible to compete. Students are encouraged to form cross-functional teams from different colleges and majors. Innovative projects may be part of a course, a recognized extracurricular group or an independent activity. 2. Entries must be submitted via the Innovation Challenge website at www.ndsuresearchpark.com/innovationchallenge before 11:59 p.m. on Thursday, January 31, 2019. 3. All Innovation Challenge competition teams are encouraged to seek a faculty adviser. Other staff and external advisers are permitted, but not as active team members. 4. Entries require the following information on the online registration form: Name of the innovation team Student data: name, major, college, academic year, contact information, student ID Identification of the student team leader Track selection (the Innovation Committee reserves the right reassign any team s track) Up to a 150-word abstract of the innovative project Adviser information (name, title, contact information) 5. A media release form needs to be completed by all students participating in the competition and submitted with the registration.
Competition Format In Innovation Challenge, separate and distinct meanings are attached to the terms innovation, invention and entrepreneurship. - An innovation is a definable concept or item (good or service, tangible or intangible, or both) that is new and progressive. It can be inventive or entrepreneurial. The progressive part means that Innovation Challenge seeks innovations that have impact. - An invention is a new good or process that might fulfill the patenting criteria new, useful, novel and non-obvious. - Entrepreneurship is the process of creating value by bringing together a unique set of resources to pursue a market opportunity. Innovation Challenge is an innovation competition. Students will be responsible for defining and explaining what is new and progressive about their innovation. While some of the best innovative ideas may involve entirely new ways of looking at a problem and defining a solution. It should also be noted that these projects should contain a healthy dose of reality, and can actually be accomplished or implemented. Three Innovation Challenge Stages Innovation Challenge has three stages: the initial Innovation Proposal; the Semi-Final Progress Review and the Final Presentation. At each stage, judges will select which innovative ideas will move on to the next round, with the winners being announced at the awards ceremony. Following these guidelines will ensure you have the best chance of advancing through each stage. 1. Innovation Proposal All initial entries will be evaluated by an independent panel of judges, based on the content of the written innovation proposal. Proposals must be submitted via www.ndsuresearchpark.com/ innovationchallenge by 11:59 p.m., Thursday, January 31, 2019. The semi-finalists will be announced by Friday, February 8. The proposal is the first exposure judges have to each idea. The proposals should be clear, concise, and as simple as possible. The innovation proposal should encompass the three judging criteria of defining: 1) the problem, including who they are solving this problem for and why the team is passionate about solving this problem, 2) the innovative solution and its impact including what makes it innovative (why is it new/different/better), and 3) the path to implementation, demonstrating that the team has thought about the reality of the innovative solution and how to move the project forward. The proposal should be written in a way that people from all disciplines can understand it. Specific requirements for the innovation proposals are: Cover Page (single page) with: Name of Team, Team Members, Adviser(s) Body of Proposal: maximum of two-pages, single-spaced Reference page Section headers for: Problem, Innovative Solution and Impact, and Path to Implementation Submitted as a PDF document
2. Semi-Final Progress Review The semi-final progress review is a 15-minute interaction between the teams and judges midway through the Innovation Challenge competition. Each team may use visual aids to show their progress toward the final presentation. Judges will provide feedback both during and after the presentation to help teams advance their concept. The team should be prepared to concisely describe their innovation using visual aids, as well as answer any questions from the judges. The discussion should include the three aspects of the judging criteria: defining the problem, the innovative solution and its impact, and the steps to implementation. Students may choose the visual medium that best fits their topic. Examples of visual aids may include prototypes/demonstrations, mock-ups, screenshots, videos (no more than two minutes), poster (maximum dimensions 36 x 48 ), or trade show type booth. Students may use a combination of these methods. There will be 15 minutes to setup and 15 minutes of judging and discussion. One or more members of the innovation team must be present at the semi-final progress review judging. 3. Final Presentations The final presentations of Innovation Challenge will be Thursday, March 28, 2019 in the Memorial Union. At least one member of the innovation team will provide an oral and visual presentation to judges and general attendees. Each presenter should be prepared to answer questions from judges. The final presentation should meet the following guidelines: Be no more than ten minutes in length, followed by five minutes of judges questions. It should summarize the project, concentrating on the definition of the problem, explaining its innovative solution and impact, and outlining the path to implementation. When describing the impact, describe who is being impacted (the target audience or customers for the innovation), what the impact is (revenue/profits, social change, better choices, addresses a major world problem, better education, doing something previously impossible, saving lives, etc.), and explain why the impact is good or necessary. It should give enough technical detail to show the innovation is feasible and that the project has been well thought out. Keep in mind, however, that the audience may not have the same background as you and explanations should not require that they do. The final presentation should outline the path to implement after the Innovation Challenge. The team is not required to move beyond the Innovation Challenge, but team members should be prepared to discuss the what s next of the project.
Judging Criteria The judging criteria includes defining 1) the problem, 2) the innovative solution and its impact, and 3) the path to implementation. The primary assessment for all phases of the competition will be content. Judges will also assess originality, creativity, presentation, grammar, language and professionalism; including speaking skills, attire, and demeanor. Be sure the innovation proposal, semi-final progress review and final presentation depict the work of the innovation team clearly. The audience and judges should be able to easily grasp your ideas. Each stage of the competition: proposal, semi final progress review, and final presentations, should be self-contained, meaning judges should not need to refer to a previous stage to understand your concept. An independent panel of judges drawn from the innovative and inventive community will judge the proposed innovations, semi-final progress review and final presentations. The judges will be from a variety of backgrounds for a well-rounded team of reviewers. All judges will be external to NDSU and their decisions are final. 1. THE PROBLEM Teams must define the problem they are solving in clear, easily understandable language. Teams should clearly define why this problem is worth solving, specifically addressing why current solutions are ineffective. Teams should describe why they are passionate about solving this problem. Teams should explain who they are solving this problem for? Who are the people that would need the solution you are about to explain? This area acts as justification for the innovative solution and impact section. Examples of problems that could be solved include: Solving a particular socioeconomic problem for a large population or a specific group Improving a particular service for a specific market Addressing a recognized need of a specific group of people Improving the quality of life for a defined segment of the population Teams should identify who they are solving this problem for, or the population that will use the solution to this problem. Examples of that population could be: College students Business establishments in a specific industry Primary school children Senior citizens afflicted with a chronic disease Individual home owners People who live in a flood-prone zone
2. INNOVATIVE SOLUTION AND ITS IMPACT Teams must define the innovative solution, specifying how it is innovative, or new and progressive. Is the innovation an introduction of something completely new and disrupting how the current industry works? A large-scale example of this is the advancement of transportation, from horses to automobiles. The innovation could be incremental, and be building, improving, or adding on to something that exists. An example of incremental innovation could be moving from Myspace to Facebook (social media and sharing sites existed, but were improved upon). In the Social Impact Track, the innovative solution may not completely eliminate the problem but it will make a difference or move the needle contributing to easing the problem. Teams will define the innovation, including, but not limted to the following points: What output good, service, or opportunity is being defined or developed How the innovation solves the problem expressed in the previous section What is new and progressive about the innovative good or service? Teams should describe the impact their innovation will or could have on either society at large or the focused target population. The impact may, in part, be described by comparison with existing goods or services produced for the targeted users, such as: Less expensive Easier to use More easily packaged and distributed Faster More durable More portable More easily maintained Improving health, welfare or other societal outcomes 3. PATH TO IMPLEMENTATION Innovation Challenge is not a business plan competition, however, the completeness of the innovative thought process is an important parameter for the judges to see the feasibility of the project. Questions to consider include but are not limited to: How do you plan to further develop your innovation? How will you prepare for actual utilization by the target audience? Have you identified the barriers to implementation and a strategy to overcome them? What is the path to implementation? Have you identified goals to be accomplished? Did you conduct a basic search to see if your solution is truly unique and has not been developed before? In part, a path to implementation may be demonstrated by preparing and testing a prototype of the good or service. Other possible measures to describe a path to implementation could include: Market research results Beta testing Public or focus group demonstrations
INNOVATION PROPOSAL JUDGING CRITERIA PREQUALIFICATION 1. Were all innovation proposal guidelines met? If all YES answers, the proposal can move to competition. a. Required cover page with required content? NO YES b. Page limits met (two or fewer for body, one cover page)? NO YES c. PDF format? NO YES d. References? NO YES JUDGING CRITERIA 2. Was the problem clearly defined? NO YES 3. Was the target audience clearly defined? NO YES 4. Did the team demonstrate passion behind solving this problem? NO YES 5. Was the innovative solution clearly defined? NO YES 6. Do you see something truly innovative about the proposal? NO YES 7. Does the innovation seem realistic? Can it be achieved? NO YES 8. Is it worth doing? Are the rewards worth the challenges? NO YES 9. Were the steps needed to implement the innovation described? NO YES 10. Was the impact clearly defined? NO YES 11. Should this project move on to the semi-finals? NO YES WOW FACTOR Each judge may assign a number between 1 and 10 representing a wow factor. Things that will increase the wow factor number are whether the proposal grabbed your attention, the level of the innovation (moderately innovative versus game-changing, for example), the quality of the proposed approach, etc. Unimpressive Impressive Very impressive Comments will be provided to help encourage improvements during the course of the competition.
SEMIFINAL JUDGING CRITERIA Scoring: 1 = low, 10 = high PROBLEM DEFINITION 1. Did the team clearly and concisely define the problem they are attempting to solve? 2. Did the team define the target audience they are solving the problem for? 3. Did the team demonstrate passion for the problem they are attempting to solve? INNOVATIVE SOLUTION AND IMPACT 4. Did the team clearly and concisely explain their innovative solution? 5. How innovative is the proposed solution to the problem? 6. Did the team describe the level of impact of their innovative solution? PATH TO IMPLEMENTATION 7. How clearly did the team outline the steps to bring their solution to market? 8. Based on the presentation is this concept achievable? PRESENTATION 9. How confident and prepared were the team members in their responses to judges questions? 10. How well were visual aids used? Were they used effectively? WOW FACTOR The judges may assign a number between 1 and 10 representing a wow factor to help choose between competing proposals. The judges will consider prior scores as well as items that may increase the wow factor number such as whether the proposal grabbed their attention, the level of the innovation (moderately innovative versus game-changing, for example), the quality of the proposed approach, etc.
FINAL PRESENTATION JUDGING CRITERIA Scoring: 1 = low, 10 = high PROBLEM DEFINITION 1. Did the team define the problem they will be solving? 2. Did the team define the target audience they are solving the problem for? 3. Did the team demonstrate passion for the problem they are attempting to solve? INNOVATIVE SOLUTION AND IMPACT 4. How well did the team define their innovative solution? 5. Is the project, as it has been described in the final presentation, truly innovative? 6. Has the team made clear how their innovation will impact them, others, the nation, the industry, the world? PATH TO IMPLEMENTATION 7. Has the team outlined the steps required to move beyond the Innovation Challenge? 8. Has the team defined the barriers to the path to implementation? PRESENTATION 9. How well did the team answer questions? Were they well prepared and confident in their responses? 10. What is the overall quality of the presentation (professional attire, presence, creativity)? 11. Were team members clear and concise in their explanation (limited jargon)? 12. How appropriate were the visual aids? How well were they used? WOW FACTOR The judges may assign a number between 1 and 10 representing a wow factor to help choose between competing projects. The judges will consider prior scores as well as items that may increase the wow factor number such as whether the project grabbed their attention, the level of the innovation (moderately innovative versus game-changing, etc.), the quality of the proposed approach, etc.
The Entrepreneur Proving Ground Boot Camps It starts with an idea. Then, it takes vision for entrepreneurs to create new ventures to share their ideas. Whether the new venture has an economic or social aim, it needs to be viable. That s the role of the Proving Ground a place where ideas are tested and the first steps taken for a dream to become a valuable reality. Dr. Jeffrey Stamp, Ph.D., a scientist and educator who created the Baked Lays TM Potato Crisps, will lead the Proving Ground Boot Camps. He ll share his thrilling story as a serial entrepreneur of nine startup ventures. Bring your ideas to the Proving Ground. Hear from an expert and learn what it takes to turn your concept into a winning entry in this year s Innovation Challenge. Boot Camp #1: After The Big Aha! What Ideas Need To Become Innovative. After the dust settles from brainstorming, it s time to convert your eureka moment into a cohesive, understandable venture concept. In this boot camp you will learn what ideas need to survive. Using the 5 Laws of Opportunities, you will see ideas need to be experienced not only as an innovative approach to solving a problem, but also as an opportunity for others to gain a benefit that improves their lives. This boot camp will help you prepare a competent proposal for the round 1 judging deadline. Boot Camp #2: Designing The Future. How To Leverage Your Innovation. The next step in your innovation journey is to demonstrate that your idea also contains an innovation vision that can impact lives. In this boot camp you will learn design thinking skills that will help you leverage the impact you wish to make with your idea. Putting together a path from prototype to implementation to market launch brings credibility to your efforts. This boot camp will help you prepare a visual display project showcase that will be noticed by judges. Boot Camp #3: Pitch Like a Pro. How To Get People To Back Your Innovation. Now that your vision is starting to take shape, key skills need to be developed in the not-so-subtle art of the pitch. Without a cohesive and compelling pitch of how you will bring your ideas to the real world, your vision will dissipate. In this boot camp you will learn keys to pitching like a pro and practice in front of former judges to get ready for the final oral presentation round of the Innovation Challenge. NOTE: While entrants are not required to attend boot camps, they will be responsible for all boot camp information. There is a high correlation between past winners and their participation in boot camps.