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Announcing the winners of the 2021 COBE Innovation Challenge

COBE Buidling
Kristen McPeek photo

The College of Business and Economics is pleased to announce the winners of the 2021 COBE Innovation Challenge.

The challenge solicits innovative solutions to modern problems from teams consisting of COBE students, other Boise State students and — for the first time ever — international students from the Lebanese American University.

Christy Suciu, a lecturer in the Department of Management, oversees the Innovation Challenge each year.

The challenge gives undergraduate and graduate students a chance to workshop their ideas. A panel of judges made up of Boise State professors, local business professionals and international experts selects the best ideas.

This year 248 students in 61 teams competed for $14,000 in prize money. Winners competed in five categories.

Top Teams:

These teams won $1,000 each for their innovative ideas.

  • Wind Turbines Powered by Cars (Elie Abou Issa, Lauren Buckley, Abdelrahman Ghalayini, Justin Lavin and Caitlin Manfredo) fills gaps in normal electricity production while remaining eco-friendly and safe-to-use.
  • Magnify Me (Lisa Greene, Caitlan Hanmer, Trei Hansen, Doug Hansen and Grace Hernandez) is a mirror made with your glasses prescription that helps you put on makeup or insert contact lenses.
  • Quick Shop (Sadmir Alic, Grace Graham, Ashley Hanson, Amy Maldonado, Allison Rickards and Adam Saurey) is an app that makes shopping at your favorite store quicker than ever.
  • SimpleStructures (Steven Costanti, Kristin Denson, Eric Evett and Jennifer Suban) is an app-based housing company that connects first time homebuyers with contractors to develop affordable cargo-container homes.
  • The Illumirail (Steve Allgrunn, Melanie Doyle, Megan Jensen and Monica Moore) provides emergency lighting incorporated into handrails for improved safety and confidence.
  • Hush (Felicia Denk, K.D. Egizi, Justin Kopp, Austin Smith and Ashley Watkins) uses wall art to reduce unwanted noise from outside the room.

Plastics Awards:

These teams won $1,000 each for innovations relating to plastics.

  • Ecoboard (Lauren Celmer, Tayler Marshall, Stephen Martinez, Prasad Siddabattuni and Jacob Sodeman) is a plastic composite sheet that will reduce the environmental impact of construction by recycling used plastics.
  • House Salad Gardens (Jordan Packard) is a home garden system that uses the latest technology to reduce food waste and allow users to grow produce in their own homes.

Top International Teams:

These teams from Lebanese American University won $500 each.

  • Greenists (Rayan Moustafa and Abou Kansour) is an app for farmers that tracks things like soil condition, weather and soil-crop compatibility to make agriculture more efficient.
  • By Them, for Them (Reem Kaddoura and Lynn Al Jamal) is an app that aids local businesses in going viral on an inclusive and variety-rich platform.

Dean’s Choice Awards:

These teams won $500 each.

  • Vitrum Valles (Anthony Vitulli, Bandarla Bhargavi, Chad Rietze, Kate Everett and Silvanio Rodrigues Dos Reis) proposes a new system of collecting, recycling, and reusing local glass.
  • StickTracks (Brandon Shaw, Elliot Roldan, Sophie Schoen, Tanner Ruane and Taylor Rowe) is a sticker that can help people track frequently lost items like wallets, keys and sunglasses.
  • RejYOUvenation Station (Joel McCrory, Andrew Johnson, Deborah Kroeger and Arunmozhi Subramaniam) is a park to promote physical, mental, social and emotional well-being for seniors.
  • SiteSeer (Isaiah Grover) is an all-in-one security system that watches over construction sites to reduce theft.

Judge’s Choice Awards:

These teams won $500 each.

  • Life Flight Network Easy Button (Ben Clayton, Brook Barre, Elyse Villanueva and Leen Jughdharree) makes it easy for caregivers to call for emergency care.
  • Smartwatch Health Monitor (Shalyse Thompson, Hubble Holley, Mariam Tahsaldar) allows children to remotely monitor their senior parents’ health.
  • InfraRange (Jenna Fantle, Brandon Hill, Matthew Johnson and Marcus Miller) is a new type of oven that updates old technology.
  • Guardian by Yourside (Isaac Alles, Juli Wisor and Ariel Renicker) is an updated campus safety app.
  • Healthy at Home (Julie Haddock, Sarah Cook, Sarh Cushman, Jacob Asumendi and Shawn Norman) is an innovative remote monitoring technology for senior citizen safety and comfort.
  • Alzheimer’s App (Mariane Daher, Nicolaus Bou Frem, Patricia Balayan and Jamie Messmer) is an app to help Alzheimer patients gain autonomy.

Congratulations to all our winners!