The Change the World Challenge Competition
Extraordinary achievements in student innovation at Rensselaer were recognized recently with several hallmark entrepreneurship awards—the spring 2015 and the overall “Best of the Best” in the Change the World Challenge, and the Rensselaer Class of 1951 Student Entrepreneurship Award.
Sean O’Sullivan ’85
The Change the World Challenge competition is a twice-yearly event for Rensselaer students created to support entrepreneurship education and inspire Rensselaer students to consider ways to improve the human condition. Each semester a $10,000 prize is shared by the winning students and student teams who develop innovative ideas and inventions.
Established in 2005 by Rensselaer alumnus and entrepreneur Sean O’Sullivan ’85, the Change the World Challenge competition has helped to validate more than 150 new student ideas.
“When Rensselaer students work together across academic disciplines, they transform their ideas into innovative products and services,” said Thomas Begley, dean of the Lally School of Management. “We are grateful to Sean O’Sullivan ’85 for making this competition available to our students each year and expanding their experiences to include endeavors for social and global impact.”
The competition is overseen by the Paul J. ’69 and Kathleen M. Severino Center for Technological Entrepreneurship in the Lally School of Management.
“The Change the World Challenge program has allowed us to identify and encourage students looking to make an impact on the world through entrepreneurship,” said Jason Kurozovich, faculty director of the Severino Center. “While taking part in the intensive six-week program, students perform extensive customer discovery while receiving coaching and engaging actively in the entrepreneurship ecosystem at Rensselaer.”
The winning ideas for the spring 2015 Change the World Challenge are:
A Brave New Educational Model
An experiential-based approach to classroom learning by leveraging the field of virtual reality software to develop environments for both visual and physical interaction with information. Created by Antony Giunta ’15, Mechanical Engineering; Matthew Jahnes ’17, Electrical Engineering; Tommy Fang ’17, Computer Science/Games and Simulation Arts and Sciences; and John Rollinson ’17, Electrical Engineering.
Ilium VR
An inertial-visual system for accurately tracking items such as guns and tools in a player’s 3-D world. This system could be applied to gaming, military/police training, and recruiting efforts. Created by Jazmine Olinger ’16, Computer Science/Mathematics; Sebastian Sarbora ’16, Computer Science; and Robert Rouhani ’16, Computer Science. Ilium VR recently placed third in the 2015 Rensselaer Business Model Competition.
IntraBlue
IntraBlue applies current medical industry technology to increase combustion engine efficiency and reduce harmful emission output. Created by Keegan Lombard ’16, Business and Management; Michiel Stultiens ’15, Accounting; Ian He ’16, MBA and M.S. in Technology, Commercialization, and Entrepreneurship; Tan Yuan Song ’16, Finance; and Evan Perreault ’15, Mechanical Engineering.
KIMTEX
KIMTEX uses black silicon composite, a potent bactericidal agent in markets like the mobile device industry, to reduce harmful bacteria on everyday surfaces. Created by Hyung Joo Kim ’16, Mechanical Engineering.
Learn Blitz
A platform that can serve many learning niches by using spaced repetition learning (SRL) that breaks concepts down into multimedia flash cards and optimizes their order and review times to improve memorization. Created by Christopher Morrison ’17, Ph.D. candidate in Nuclear Engineering.
Branch Band
A wearable device that uses an intuitive networking system to passively connect with other users in a geographic location, ultimately eliminating the exchange of business cards. Created by Jason Bernotsky ’15, Design, Innovation, and Society/Mechanical Engineering.
Dyad
A mobile application that addresses the human need for love and belonging by promoting meaningful conversations that are psychologically designed to strengthen relationships. Created by Devon Bernard ’16, Computer Science.
Inspiration
A software/app that provides notifications about gifts that friends may want based on their interests as indicated on social media. Karl Appel ’15, M.S. in Technology, Commercialization, and Entrepreneurship; Alexandra Damiano ’15, M.S. in Technology, Commercialization, and Entrepreneurship; and Griffin Fillman ’15, Business and Management/Mechanical Engineering.
Momentum Mechanics
Incorporates responsive technology into firearms to reduce police back-up response and ambulance mobilization times in active shooter scenarios. Created by Adam Ware ’15, Aeronautical Engineering, and Sylvia Sorriento ’15, Business and Management.
uSpot
An all-inclusive wearable that allows users to stay connected to their group’s real-time activity and locations during an outing while allowing venues to passively capture big data and real-time analytics from their customers. Created by Sandra Besso Plowinske ’15, EMBA, and John Rodis ’15, EMBA.
Change the World Challenge “Best of the Best” Award
The Change the World Challenge “Best of the Best” award is chosen from the fall 2014 and spring 2015 entries. This award was created to accelerate the progress of a fall or spring student entry that demonstrated a strong commitment and clear momentum in pursuing the commercialization of its idea.
“Best of the Best” $5,000 grand prize
CULTURE-SHIFT
A device designed to capture the critical physiological factors of vascular endothelial tissue to produce highly representative in vitro tissue models in high-capacity, while integrating with standard laboratory supplies, equipment, and experimental protocols. Created by John JP Trasatti ’15, Ph.D. candidate in Chemistry; Paige Trasatti ’16, Business and Management; Chris Lamplough ’17, Mechanical Engineering; and Greg Merrill ’17, Chemical Engineering.
(L to R) Chris Lamplough ’17, Mechanical Engineering; Paige Trasatti ’16, Business and Management; Greg Merrill ’17, Chemical Engineering; and JP Trasatti ’15, Ph.D. candidate in Chemistry. Photo is courtesy of CULTURE-SHIFT
The Rensselaer Class of 1951 Student Entrepreneurship Award
The Rensselaer Class of 1951 Student Entrepreneurship Award was established over a decade ago to encourage undergraduate and graduate students to pursue early development of entrepreneurial ideas into successful ventures. The Class of 1951 is one of the most active, generous, and supportive alumni groups at Rensselaer.
“The Class of ’51 believes in and supports the entrepreneurial ideas and vision of Rensselaer students,” said class member Bob Fopeano. “We are proud to see the challenges that can be impacted through entrepreneurship and the good that can come of such globally minded efforts.”
Class of 1951 Student Entrepreneurship Awards:
First place—$2,500
Tone Tree
Tone Tree creates a world of sound at your fingertips by making any surface into a precise and expressive interface. Any touch, movement, or gesture can be used to control any sound or parameter. Created by Brian Cook ’15, MFA in Integrated Electronic Arts; Ronald Sardarian ’16, Computer Science; Patrick Strohbeen ’16, Materials Science and Engineering; and Max Escaler, Electrical Engineering ’16.
Second place—$1,500
Momentum Mechanics
Momentum Mechanics incorporates responsive technology into firearms to reduce police back-up response and ambulance mobilization times in active shooter scenarios. Created by Adam Ware ’15, Aeronautical Engineering, and Sylvia Sorriento ’15, Business and Management. Momentum Mechanics is also one of the spring 2015 Change the World Challenge winners.
Third place—$1,000
Ilium VR
An inertial-visual system for accurately tracking items such as guns and tools in a player’s 3-D world. This system could be applied to gaming, military/police training, and recruiting efforts. Created by Jazmine Olinger ’16, Computer Science/Mathematics; Sebastian Sarbora ’16, Computer Science; and Robert Rouhani ’16, Computer Science. Ilium VR recently placed third in the 2015 Rensselaer Business Model Competition and is one of the spring 2015 Change the World Challenge winners.
More information about the Lally School of Management.