Blackstone Ideas Competition Campus Round Winners
11/08/2023
The Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurial Development (CIED) proudly announces that four student teams from Clark Atlanta University (CAU) have won the campus round of the annual Blackstone Launchpad Ideas Competition. This marks CAU's third participation in the competition, which featured four categories: Social & Climate Impact, Health & Life Sciences, Consumer Products & Services, and General. A record-breaking 75 entries were received this year, surpassing the previous year's 57. Each winning entrant, one from each category, receives $1,000 for their idea and will represent CAU at the national competition, competing against 60 universities in the Blackstone Launchpad network for an additional prize of $10,000 per category.
The Ideas Competition, powered by partner StartupTree, is a virtual ideas pitch competition designed for students with no prior entrepreneurship experience. It enables students from all majors to practice the skills of ideating, refining, and presenting innovative ideas. Undergraduate and graduate students with an idea or prototype were encouraged to apply.
CAU has achieved national victories for two consecutive years (2021 and 2022) in this competition, according to Dr. Bruce Berger, the Center's Director. "We are committed to guiding our students toward excellence and endless possibilities through innovation and entrepreneurship". This competition was made possible through the support of the Blackstone Launchpad Charitable Foundation, a key supporter of the CAU Robert H "Bob" Bell Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurial Development.
CONGRATULATIONS to the 2023 campus-round winners:
Joseph Little, History Now - (Social & Climate Impact)
History Now offers immersive Virtual Reality experiences of historical eras curated by AI content and visuals, allowing users to step into the past. This venture “explores significant historical events, revealing our connections and distinctions from our ancestors."
Jamellia Clark, Her Harmony, HH - (Health & Life Science)
Her Harmony is a women's health solution, consisting of "HH-Tech," a wearable smart patch for real-time health monitoring. It detects insulin spikes and sends alerts to an app, offering personalized advice on workouts, meals, stress relief, and hormonal health awareness for women with imbalances.
Bobbie Wade, Empower Tenant - (Consumer & Product Services)
Empower Tenant is a mobile app designed to empower renters. It will enable users to document and rate properties, serving as a valuable resource for those seeking a new home. The app includes features such as user profiles, community forums, issue reporting, photo evidence, location details, resources, privacy settings, and messaging for a comprehensive tenant experience.
Latajah Lassus, Uni.Ver.Ai - (General)
A Web 3 AI software creates quick mockups for apps, courses, and websites. Users can sell their ideas or develop them using built-in tools or a virtual team. It provides all necessary resources and supports decentralized and centralized payments for idea realization.
For more information about student opportunities with CIED or Blackstone LaunchPad, please e-mail Associate Director Dr. Ronald Cetoute at rcetoute@cau.edu.