Three of the top teams in last year’s College of Business and Economics’ (COBE) Innovation Challenge were selected as finalists in the seventh annual Idaho Entrepreneur Challenge (IEC) hosted by Boise State’s Venture College. A total of 58 teams from across the state entered the IEC, and 24 finalists will compete for prizes and funding on March 31.
The COBE Innovation Challenge teams that will be competing in the finals include:
- Beaming (Alaina Holland and Terra Miller-Cassman) partners with lumber yards to divert used lumber wrap away from landfills, reducing disposal costs for customers while maintaining the convenience of a typical waste hauler.
- Centralized (Dakota Bruneau, Matthew Daniels and Lynsie Pardo) eliminates late fees and penalties on common household expenditures through strategically planning for bills and other payments. Through its proprietary system and partnership network, the users of Centralized are able to streamline their bill paying process, alleviating the stress of multiple due dates across several different accounts.
- Makers Workshop (Ryan Donaldson and Rebecca Nelson) offers project-based classes for skill development and a well-equipped woodshop facility where hobbyist woodworkers will be able to work independently on their own projects.
Other COBE students that made the IEC finals are:
- Dream Driven Apparel (Alex Safiran) offers made-to-order customizable clothing and accessories. Designs are made in-house, printed, and then shipped to the customer’s doorstep. Over 130 products have been sold to date.
- Tap Network, LLC (Donovan Benko) is the byproduct of a passion for engaging and safe social media. It allows users to connect with businesses for marketing opportunities, promote their social portfolio and make passive income. Tap Network has access to over five million social media users through their creative networks.
The IEC will be live-streamed here on March 31 from 4-5:30 p.m. More information can be found on the Idaho Entrepreneur Challenge website.