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Shiley School of Engineering students participate in Franz Center’s $100K Challenge Venture Competition

Engineering

May 2, 2017

Several groups of students from the Shiley School of Engineering participated in the Franz Center for Leadership, Entrepreneurship, and Innovation’s annual $100K Challenge Venture Competition, held at the University of Portland on Saturday, April 29.

First place in the Social Enterprise (non-profit) category went to Marisa Tottori for Green Char Solutions. Tottori worked with a team of Shiley School of Engineering students to develop a natural fertilizer to support farmers in Indonesia. The engineering team included students Brandon Chan, Patrick Lum, Callie Quezada, and lead researcher Ben Bui.

Second place in the For-Profit Venture Track went to a team of biomedical engineering master’s students. Monica Figueroa and Sarah James conceived, prototyped, and developed a detailed commercialization plan for an implantable port that can dramatically reduce infection and port failure.

Mechanical engineering students Thomas Manfredonia and Ben Murphy were recognized for their invention Atlas' Shoulders. The product allows for the shifting of weight and balance, offering easier portaging of canoes and kayaks. The team will receive money to prototype their invention, receive mentoring support, then participate in a statewide competition in October 2017 at the InventOR event.

The $100K Challenge Venture offers individuals or teams of students an opportunity to present their business concepts and business plans before a panel of industry judges. Students receive feedback from experts in the entrepreneurial community, win monetary prizes, and acquire legal, accounting, and other services that will help advance an idea to the next stage in the entrepreneurial process.