Contact: Allison Matthews and Sasha Steinberg
Photo by: Russ Houston
Some three dozen Mississippi State students are winners of the university's third annual Investing in Innovation Day.
Officials in the university's Office of Entrepreneurship and Technology Transfer termed this year's I3 Day as another success, with more than 20 student start-up businesses receiving awards.
The annual conference and Entrepreneurship Week, of which it is part, are designed to help nurture a campus entrepreneurial culture that has been expanding over the past decade, said Josh Jeanson, OETT director.
Bill Aulet, managing director for the Martin Trust Center for MIT Entrepreneurship at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, was the event's keynote speaker. Also a senior lecturer at the Boston institution's Sloan School of Management, he told participating students, faculty and administrators that "innovation-driven entrepreneurship" is key to solving problems and impacting the world.
Aulet said that, while some argue that the ability to "be entrepreneurial" cannot be taught, studies clearly have shown that entrepreneurship is a teachable skill. The keys to success include not only "spirit," but equally important "skills," he emphasized.
Throughout Entrepreneurship Week, MSU students competed in business plan competitions, with cash awards totaling more than $47,000. Plans were evaluated on company technology, management, financials, and market.
Eric Hill, OETT coordinator, said a total of 21 start-ups received awards, the average of which was $2,262.
The awards were made possible through private donations, along with support provided by MSU's Thad Cochran Endowment for Entrepreneurship and the College of Business and Bagley College of Engineering.
"Five start-ups were inducted into our Start-up Revenue Achievement Club," Hill said. "The Start-up Revenue Achievement Club is a brand new program that recognizes MSU-founded start-ups for reaching new major milestones in revenue."
Hill said the club has four levels--$50,000, $100,000, $500,000, and $1 million--and companies may only be awarded at each level one time.
"The purpose was to create an award that was meaningful, recognized the hard work of customer development, and provided an incentive for growth with the only currency that matters in the real-world," Hill said.
Dean of Business Sharon Oswald said the event demonstrated MSU's flourishing entrepreneurial culture.
"We have students with innovative ideas and faculty willing to help them take these ideas to the next level," Oswald said. "This week has given students the opportunity to pitch their ideas to a host of individuals who can serve as mentors in life; it gave them good practice and good feedback."
She said the business college plans to continue the collaboration with the engineering college "and we are in the process now of developing an academic program for entrepreneurship," Oswald said.
Senior Charles R. Parker of Emory, Texas, a wildlife and fisheries major representing the Rod Sox company, took the top 2014 award that included a $10,000 cash prize from the Tellus Operating Group LLC, as well as a People's Choice Award.
In addition to Parker, other student winners from the business plan competitions include (by hometown):
ATHENS, Ala.--Evan Suggs, a senior electrical engineering major, third place, Mark Dumas Prototype Innovation Challenge (part II), for Game Day Design Group.
BILOXI--Christian H. "Chris" Brown, a senior marketing major, second place, Early-stage Revenue Competition, for GetOmniTech.
BRANDON--Lorrin E. Webb, a senior art/graphic design major, third place, Early-stage Revenue Competition, for Wanderite.
BROOKHAVEN--Sylvester A. "Sly" Stafford, a graduate student in mechanical engineering, second place, Mark Dumas Prototype Innovation Challenge (part II), for Solid Technologies; Charles M. Vaughan, a doctoral student in engineering and applied physics, third place, Talos Energy Prototype Innovation Challenge (part I), for Sear-Lock; and Jewaun M. Washington, a senior kinesiology major, a People's Choice Award, Early-stage Revenue Competition, for WavyColors.
CLINTON--Val L. Camacho, a senior finance major, first place and a People's Choice Award, Student Elevator Pitch Competition, for Buckles Publications.
COLUMBUS--Josh A. Butler, a junior mechanical engineering major, second place, Talos Energy Prototype Innovation Challenge (part I), for High Velocity Cycles.
CRYSTAL SPRINGS--Russ Singleton, a senior biological engineering major, second place, Tellus Operating Late-stage Revenue and Final Competition, for Boardtown Technologies; and first place, Talos Energy Prototype Innovation Challenge (part I), for Boardtown Technologies.
DIAMONDHEAD--Tom J. Stockman III, a graduate student in mechanical engineering, third place, Mark Dumas Prototype Innovation Challenge (part II), for Game Day Design Group.
GREENWOOD--Stephenie L. McCrimmon, a senior business information systems major, second place and a People's Choice Award, E-Commerce Competition, for Runners Across America.
HATTIESBURG--Will L. Smith, a junior business information systems major, first place, E-Commerce Competition, for GamerChicz.
HOLLYWOOD, Ala.--Brooke L. Paris, a senior human sciences major, second place and a People's Choice Award, E-Commerce Competition, for Runners Across America.
HOOVER, Ala.--Daniel S. Crist, a junior electrical engineering major, a People's Choice Award, Talos Energy Prototype Innovation Challenge (part I), for Akimbo Games.
HUNTSVILLE, Ala.--David M. Hennigan, a senior interdisciplinary studies major, first place, Conceptual Start-up Challenge, for AntiSep Systems.
ITTA BENA--Kaimbreyan D. "Kam" Dunlap, a sophomore undeclared major, a People's Choice Award, Early-stage Revenue Competition, for WavyColors.
JACKSON--Jarett S. Rubin, a senior marketing major, second place and a People's Choice Award, E-Commerce Competition, for Runners Across America; and James A. "Jack" Strahan, a senior biological engineering major, second place, Tellus Operating Late-Stage Revenue and Final Competition, as well as first place, Talos Energy Prototype Innovation Challenge (part I), both for Boardtown Technologies.
KOSCIUSKO--Jessica E. Cheek, a graduate student in business administration, a People's Choice Award, Conceptual Start-up Challenge, for Jessica's Juicery.
MADISON, Ala.--Justin R. Matthews, a senior mechanical engineering major, first place, Early-stage Revenue Competition, for Jump-in.
NASHVILLE, Tenn.--Danae L. Carlson, a senior liberal arts major, first place, E-Commerce Competition, for GamerChicz; and Clayton T. Varner, a senior mechanical engineering major, second place, Mark Dumas Prototype Innovation Challenge (part II), for Solid Technologies.
PICAYUNE--Wil R. Whittington, a doctoral student in mechanical engineering, third place, Talos Energy Prototype Innovation Challenge (part I), for Sear-Lock.
PLANO, Texas--Ryan "Crownover" True, a senior electrical engineering major, second place, Mark Dumas Prototype Innovation Challenge (part II), for Solid Technologies.
SIKESTON, Mo.--Emily C. Eaves, a senior marketing major, second place and a People's Choice Award, E-Commerce Competition, for Runners Across America.
SLIDELL, La.--Chris Collins, a senior mechanical engineering major, third place, Student Elevator Pitch Competition, for Power of Ra, as well as second place, Conceptual Start-up Challenge, for Power of Ra.
STARKVILLE--Dustin W. Langford, a graduate student in landscape architecture, a People's Choice Award, Mark Dumas Prototype Innovation Challenge (part II), for Saving Ground; and Bryan J. Patton, a graduate student in mechanical engineering, second place, Mark Dumas Prototype Innovation Challenge (part II), for Solid Technologies.
VANCLEAVE--Tyler Ross, a senior electrical engineering major, third place, Conceptual Start-up Challenge, for Nook & Cranny.
VICKSBURG--Sam L. Stockstill, a senior electrical engineering major, third place, Tellus Operating Late-stage Revenue and Final Competition, as well as first place, Mark Dumas Prototype Innovation Challenge (part II), both for CoPilot; and Cody R. Thomas, a senior business administration major, first place, E-Commerce Competition, for GamerChicz.
WAYNESBORO--Cody J. Smith, a senior electrical engineering major, second place and a People's Choice Award, Student Elevator Pitch Competition, for Nook & Cranny, as well as a People's Choice Award, Talos Energy Prototype Innovation Challenge (part I), for Akimbo Games.
YAZOO CITY--Brian M. Greco, a graduate student in business administration, third place, E-Commerce Competition, for ShopSift.