Grand Prize
 |
Company Name: |
qcue |
| University: |
University of Texas-Austin |
| Prize(s): |
| The GOOSE Society of Texas Grand Prize Overall Winner |
$125,000 |
| Opportunity Houston (GHP) Technology Award |
$100,000 |
| Kenda Capital & Shell Grand prize Winner |
$20,000 |
| Misc Prizes |
$80,000 |
| DJF Mercury Best IT Award |
$2,500 |
| TOTAL: |
$327,500 |
|
|
The University of Texas at Austin won first place this year’s Rice Business Plan Competition, the world’s largest and richest business plan competition for a total of $327,500 in cash and prizes.
qcue is a dynamic pricing solution for concert promoters, sports teams, and venues. It’s software application transforms existing box offices into electronic markets by implementing elements of airline pricing and NASDAQ trading to provide dynamic pricing based on market conditions, while hosting a secondary market which is seamlessly integrated with the primary market.
|
|
Second Place
|
Company Name: |
Klymit |
| University: |
Brigham Young University |
| Prize(s): |
| Finger Interests Second Place Overall Winner |
$15,000 cash + $5,500 in-kind |
ContentActive and Houston Business Journal
Sales & Marketing Award |
$2,500 |
| TOTAL: |
$23,000 |
|
|
Klymit, from Brigham Young University won second place and took home $23,000 in this year’s Rice Business Plan Competition, the world’s largest and richest business plan competition. Klymit won $20,500 for second place and $2,500 for the Sales and Marketing Award presented by ContentActive/Houston Business Journal for a total of $23,000.
The team, comprised of Nate Alder and Michael Albright developed Klymit which is revolutionizing the insulation technology industry. Its noble-gas-based insulation enables outdoor enthusiasts to regulate apparel insulation at the touch of a button.
|
Third Place
 |
Company Name: |
NeuroBank |
| University: |
Carnegie Mellon |
| Prize(s): |
| Opportunity Houston (GHP) Life Sciences Award |
$100,000 |
| Sirius Solutions 3rd place overall Winner |
$7,500 cash + $5,500 in-kind |
| Essex Woodland Health Venture Life Science Award |
$2,500 |
| TOTAL: |
$115,500 |
|
|
NeuroBank, from Carnegie Mellon won third place and took home $115,500 this year’s Rice Business Plan Competition, the world’s largest and richest business plan competition. NeuroBank won the $100,000 for Opportunity HoustonSM Life Science Award, $13,000 for finishing third place overall, $2,500 for the Essex Woodland Health Venture Award.
The team, comprised of Raymond F. Sekula, Jr., MD, and Sasha Bakhru, developed NeuroBank which is an early-stage life science company focused on the storage of adult neural stem cells for individuals with and without neurological disease. NeuroBank enables patients to harness the power of their own neural stem cells with a relatively noninvasive procedure to gather a person’s stem cells at an earlier age before they deteriorate with time.
|
Fourth Place
 |
| Company Name: |
MicroTransponder |
| University: |
University of Texas at Dallas |
| Prize(s): |
| Sirius Solutions 4th place overall Winner |
$5,000 + $1,950 |
| Austin Ventures 4th place Elevator pitch Winner |
$500 |
| HPEA Best Written Business Plan Award |
$2,500 |
| Fairway Medical Technologies Medical Device Award |
$2,500 |
| TOTAL: |
$12,450 |
|
|
MicroTransponder from the University of Texas-Dallas won fourth place overall and took home $12,450 in this year’s Rice Business Plan Competition, the world’s largest and richest business plan competition. MicroTransponder won $6,950 for fourth place overall, $500 for fourth place elevator pitch, $2,500 Best Business Plan Award and $2,500 for Best Medical Device Award for a total of $12,450.
The team, comprised of Will Rosellini, JD, MS, Frank McEachern, Charles Lusk and Ali Abbassi developed MicroTransponder which is a medical device company commercializing a novel wireless interface to the nervous system. This patented subcutaneous neurostimulation device will address up to 20 million Americans who suffer from chronic pain.
|
Fifth Place
|
| Company Name: |
Enexra |
| University: |
Harvard University |
| Prize(s): |
| Dow Sustainability Award |
$20,000 |
| Administaff 5th place overall Winner |
$4,000 + $1,950 |
| British Consulate General, Best International Team |
$2,500 |
| TOTAL: |
$28,450 |
|
|
Enexra, from Harvard and Hanover Medical University, Germany won the coveted $20,000 Dow Sustainability Award, $2,500 Best International Team and $5,950 for fifth place overall for a total of $28,450.
The team, comprised of Christian Pfeffer, Vanja Lichtensteiger and Lukas Lichtensteiger, developed Enexra which is a revolutionary wafering technology reduces the costs of silicon wafer based solar cells by over 30%, enabling competition with conventional (non-renewable) electricity generation. “The Dow Sustainability Award encourages the identification and development of breakthrough technologies, in tandem with viable business models,” says Christopher M. Jones, Ph.D, Dow Venture Capital. “Partnerships with Universities like Rice are critical to Dow’s long-term business strategy and the demands of sustainability. Dow knows it is imperative to identify solutions to the greatest challenges facing our global community and to create businesses around those solutions to ensure they are sustainable.”
|
Sixth Place
|
| Company Name: |
Heartsounds |
| University: |
University of Illinois at Chicago |
| Prize(s): |
| NASA Earth/Space Life Science Innovation Award |
$20,000 |
| Administaff 6th place overall Winner |
$3,000 + $1,950 |
| TOTAL: |
$24,950 |
|
|
HeartSounds of University of Illinois, Chicago won $20,000 NASA Earth/Space Life Science Award and $4950 for a sixth place overall finish for $24,950 total.
Heartsounds comprised of Matthew W. Norris, Mike McCoy and Amir Bastawrous developed a platform medical device company specializing in the emerging field of computer-aided auscultation utilizing patented sound-separation technology to provide non-invasive diagnostic devices. The company has developed a fetal heart monitor that is more accurate and provides greater ease of use than current devices.
|
Seventh Place
|
| Company Name: |
Etoh Pharmaceuticals |
| University: |
University of Chicago |
| Prize(s): |
| Administaff 7th place overall Winner |
$3,000 + $1,950 |
| TOTAL: |
$4,950 |
|
|
Etoh Pharmaceuticals from the University of Chicago won $4,950 for a seventh place overall finish.
Dave Martinelli and Steve Fausch of Etoh Pharmaceuticals are developing Aidinase, a proprietary triple combination drug for the treatment of alcoholism.
|
Next by amount of money won:
| Company Name: |
HydroCoal |
| University: |
Kennesaw State University |
| Prize(s): |
| Fish & Richardson IP Powerhouse Award |
$2,500 cash + $12,500 in-kind |
| AAI Global Equity Challenge Round Winner |
$750 cash + $750 in-kind |
| RPSEA Energy Award |
$2,500 |
| TOTAL: |
$19,000 |
|
HydroCoal Technologies, from Kennesaw State University won $15,000 for the Intellectual Property Powerhouse Award sponsored by Fish & Richardson, $1,500 Challenge Round Winner and $2500 for the Energy Award sponsored by RPSEA for a total of $19,000.
The team, lead by MBA student Randy Taylor developed HydroCoal Technologies which develops and markets systems and processes based on its disruptive platform technology that enable utilities, refiners, and industrial users of gas and power to produce significantly cheaper, cleaner synthetic fuels from coal.
|
| Company Name: |
Potentia |
| University: |
University of Michigan |
| Prize(s): |
| Element Markets Sustainability Award 2nd place Winner |
$5,000 |
| Murphree Venture Partners Wildcard Round 4th place Winner |
$1,000 |
| Austin Ventures Elevator pitch 5th place Winner |
$500 |
| TOTAL: |
$6,500 |
|
Potentia from The University of Michigan won $5000 for the second place sustainability award sponsored by Element Markets, $1000 for a fourth place finish in the Wildcard Round, and $500 for fifth place in the elevator pitch which simulates 60 seconds pitching your business in an elevator with Warren Buffet. They took home a total of $6500.
The team, comprised of Ruba Borno, Tzeno Galchev and Rishiraj Das developed Potentia which will commercialize an energy harvesting battery replacement technology that will last ten times longer than current batteries and will be placed in wireless sensors. By using energy from the environment, Potentia’s solution can outlast toxic electrochemical batteries tenfold.
|
| Company Name: |
Filigree Nanotech |
| University: |
Wake Forest University |
| Prize(s): |
| Austin Ventures Elevator Pitch Winner -1st |
$1,000 |
| Diamond Healthcare Corp. Teen Elevator Pitch Award |
$1,000 |
| Murphree Venture Partners Wildcard Round 6th place Winner |
$750 |
| Rice ELEC 391 Student Award - Best Elevator Pitch Award |
$500 |
| TOTAL: |
$3,250 |
| Filigree Nanotech intends to improve battery performance through utilizing silver nanowires for silver zinc batteries. The nanowire enabled battery extends the battery life of mobile electronics, extend the range of electrical vehicles, and reduce recharging time. |
| Company Name: |
Nolia Athletic Apparel |
| University: |
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill |
| Prize(s): |
| Murphree Venture Partners Wildcard Round 2nd place Winner |
$1,500 |
| Greenberg Traurig Best Company Showcase Award |
$1,000 |
| Austin Ventures Elevator pitch 3rd place Winner |
$750 |
| TOTAL: |
$3,250 |
|
Nolia produces stylish running apparel startup that leverages cutting edge greentech to deliver clothing that meets the major pain points of technical athletic apparel users, utilizing an all-natural permanent anti-microbial treatment to stop odor, soften cloth, improve durability, abate friction, and reduce discomfort.
|
| Company Name: |
Aura Biosciences |
| University: |
Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
| Prize(s): |
| 2nd place Challenge Round |
$600 |
| Herrera Partners Hispanic Team Award |
$2,500 |
| TOTAL: |
$3,100 |
NanosmartTM is a nanotechnology platform developed by Aura Biosciences in collaboration with the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), which enables the selective delivery of chemotherapeutic drugs to tumor cells. The targeting of the tumor cells allows to: maximize the efficacy of the drug, increase the patient survival rate,
and greatly minimize the chemotherapy side effects. |
| Company Name: |
IMMUTELL |
| University: |
University of Aarhus, Denmark |
| Prize(s): |
| Challenge Round |
$200 |
| Enaxis Best Business Plan Analytics/Analysis Award |
$2,500 |
| TOTAL: |
$2,700 |
| IMMUTELL’s mission is to develop, produce, and market cell mediated immune response diagnostics to help combat diseases that are difficult to diagnose. |
| Company Name: |
BioRegenix |
| University: |
University of Illinois at Chicago |
| Prize(s): |
| Murphree Venture Partners 5th place Wildcard Round |
$750 |
| Austin Ventures 2nd place elevator pitch |
$750 |
| TOTAL: |
$1,500 |
| BioRegenix is an early stage biotechnology company committed to the regeneration of injured tissues. With a patent-protected heart muscle regeneration lead product, BioRegenix stands at the forefront of modern medicine. |
| Company Name: |
Traycer Diagnostics |
| University: |
Ohio State University |
| Prize(s): |
| Murphree Venture Partners 3rd place wildcard round Winners |
$1,000 |
| TOTAL: |
$1,000 |
| Traycer Diagnostic Systems leverages a unique set of technology to become a leader in microwave and terahertz medical imaging with a strong focus on a replacement for x-ray mammography. |
| Company Name: |
AutoTB |
| University: |
University of Cambridge, UK |
| Prize(s): |
| 1st Place Challenge Round |
$750 |
| TOTAL: |
$750 |
| More than one-third of the world’s population is infected with tuberculosis (TB), a disease that kills over 2 million people annually. Improved diagnostics are desperately needed to combat this growing epidemic. AutoTB plans to create a device to automate sputum microscopy, which will decrease analysis time, increase sensitivity, and eliminate the human error present in current procedures, while integrating into the existing infrastructure and remaining inexpensive and accessible to developing countries. |
| Company Name: |
Callinix |
| University: |
University of Maryland, College Park |
| Prize(s): |
| 1st Place Challenge Round |
$750 |
| TOTAL: |
$750 |
| Callinix: The Evolution in Drug Delivery, offering in vitro drug screening and nanofunctionalized drug, targeting the pharmaceutical industry. |
| Company Name: |
DiagNano |
| University: |
Georgia Institute of Technology |
| Prize(s): |
| 1st Place Challenge Round |
$750 |
| TOTAL: |
$750 |
| DiagNano is an early stage technology company focusing on in vitro cancer diagnostics. We offer nanotechnology-based products for tissue biopsy analysis to provide clinicians with a patient-specific cancer fingerprint. |
| Company Name: |
Fantasy Action Network (FAN) |
| University: |
The University of Texas at Austin |
| Prize(s): |
| 1st Place Challenge Round |
$750 |
| TOTAL: |
$750 |
| FAN will deploy wireless gaming consoles that stream targeted advertising to sports bar and restaurant patrons using the devices. FAN will offer daily and season-long fantasy sports leagues, tournaments, and other interactive games, including trivia. |
| Company Name: |
Zeopane Microneedles |
| University: |
Hong Kong University of Science & Technology, China |
| Prize(s): |
| 1st Place Challenge Round |
$750 |
| TOTAL: |
$750 |
| Zeopane Microneedles designs and markets patent pending zeolite microneedles and insulin delivery patches. Microneedles are extremely small needles that are a safe, painless and an inexpensive substitute for syringes. |
| Company Name: |
AiB Pharma |
| University: |
Texas A&M University |
| Prize(s): |
| 2nd Place Challenge Round |
$600 |
| TOTAL: |
$600 |
| AiB Pharma is a drug development company commercializing a proprietary solution for the treatment of recurrent aphthous ulcers (RAU), commonly referred to as canker sores. AiB Pharma’s first objective is to complete the new drug’s commercial formulation. Upon completion of a commercial formulation, the Company will conduct clinical trials to demonstrate the product’s safety and efficacy. |
| AiB Pharma is a drug development company commercializing a proprietary solution for the treatment of recurrent aphthous ulcers (RAU), commonly referred to as canker sores. AiB Pharma’s first objective is to complete the new drug’s commercial formulation. Upon completion of a commercial formulation, the Company will conduct clinical trials to demonstrate the product’s safety and efficacy. |
| Company Name: |
Everlighting Innovation |
| University: |
University of Waterloo, Canada |
| Prize(s): |
| 2nd Place Challenge Round |
$600 |
| TOTAL: |
$600 |
| Everlighting Innovation Inc is a Light Emitting Diode (LED) start-up company that intends to develop new products with a licensing patented heat-dissipation technology for LED-based street lighting, in order to replace conventional street lighting. |
| Company Name: |
Lab Extensions Inc. |
| University: |
Rice University |
| Prize(s): |
| 2nd Place Challenge Round |
$600 |
| TOTAL: |
$600 |
| LEI will provide an RFID-based real-time locating system (RTLS) to hospitals to manage equipment flow. Hospitals waste nearly half a million dollars each year in excess labor, rental fees, and redundant equipment-all from not being able to find their high-demand equipment when it is needed. |
| Company Name: |
Perpetual Pharmaceuticals |
| University: |
University of Oklahoma |
| Prize(s): |
| 2nd Place Challenge Round |
$600 |
| TOTAL: |
$600 |
| Perpetual Pharmaceuticals uses proprietary Agglomerated Vesicle Technology (AVT) micro-particles that revolutionize drug delivery for several diseases, including diabetes. The initial insulin drug senses blood glucose levels and provides a customized dose of insulin to maintain more stable insulin levels. |
| Company Name: |
Wine with a Passion |
| University: |
Northwestern University |
| Prize(s): |
| 2nd Place Challenge Round |
$600 |
| TOTAL: |
$600 |
| Wine with a Passion (WWAP) is a socially-responsible venture offering high quality, distinctive wine derived from tropical fruits harvested in Thailand. WWAP will sell these premium tropical fruit-based wines from Thailand in various markets around the world. The company fills a void in the growing fruit wine segment which lacks a premium specialty wine. |
| Company Name: |
Boreas Snowboards |
| University: |
University of Georgia |
| Prize(s): |
| 3rd Place Challenge Round |
$450 |
| TOTAL: |
$450 |
| Boreas Snowboards is a company dedicated to revolutionizing the snowboarding experience with its innovative designs for high performance equipment, accessories, and apparel. |
| Company Name: |
Cerene Biomedics |
| University: |
Duke University |
| Prize(s): |
| 3rd Place Challenge Round |
$450 |
| TOTAL: |
$450 |
| Cerene Biomedics is developing an implantable cooling device to treat epileptic seizures. |
| Company Name: |
FiberView |
| University: |
University of California at Los Angeles |
| Prize(s): |
| 3rd Place Challenge Round |
$450 |
| TOTAL: |
$450 |
| FiberView is a new visualization solution for the fiber optic endoscope industry developed by physicians from the UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine. This technology enhances endoscopic procedures by providing portability, electronic information management, wireless capabilities, and universal compatibility to all current endoscopes on the market. |
| Company Name: |
Project Einstein |
| University: |
Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
| Prize(s): |
| 3rd Place Challenge Round |
$450 |
| TOTAL: |
$450 |
| Project Einstein is a consumer Internet startup that will become the premier web destination for men’s apparel e-commerce by providing an efficient, customized portal for men to shop for clothing based on their historical brand preferences and purchasing pattern, using a vertical search and collaborative filtering algorithm. |
| Company Name: |
Remedium Technologies |
| University: |
University of Maryland |
| Prize(s): |
| 3rd Place Challenge Round |
$450 |
| TOTAL: |
$450 |
| Remedium Technologies is a company dedicated to the development of advanced hemostatic and tissue sealant materials. Based on our proprietary technology, we offer a unique solution to effectively stop bleeding for an extremely wide range of injury types, by implementing the powerful natural phenomenon of self-assembly. |
| Company Name: |
TruSource Technologies |
| University: |
University of Arkansas at Little Rock |
| Prize(s): |
| 3rd Place Challenge Round |
$450 |
| TOTAL: |
$450 |
| TruSource Technologies has developed a multi-layered, anti-counterfeit security sensor targeted at the pharmaceutical industry. These patent-pending sensors will not only serve to generate a new source of revenue for large pharmaceutical companies, but they will also protect the health and safety of the consumer. |
| Company Name: |
Diamas Coats |
| University: |
Indian Institute of Technology |
| Prize(s): |
| 4th Place Challenge Round |
$200 |
| TOTAL: |
$200 |
| Diamas Coats intends to be the market leader in protective and biocompatible coatings for Razor, Surgical Instruments and for the Bio-implants industry. |
| Company Name: |
GlucoFast |
| University: |
Lancaster University, UK |
| Prize(s): |
| 4th Place Challenge Round |
$200 |
| TOTAL: |
$200 |
| GlucoFast has developed a non-invasive, continuous monitoring device that can provide advance detection of hypoglycemic episodes for diabetics. |
| Company Name: |
Husk Power Systems |
| University: |
University of Virginia |
| Prize(s): |
| 4th Place Challenge Round |
$200 |
| TOTAL: |
$200 |
| Husk Power Systems creates and maintains single-village power generation systems that run on renewable, local rice husks. The company has developed a technology innovation to enable gas generators to be converted to operate on biomass fuel which can provided a distributed source of power generation for rural India. |
| Company Name: |
LAB802 |
| University: |
Southern Methodist University |
| Prize(s): |
| 4th Place Challenge Round |
$200 |
| TOTAL: |
$200 |
| LAB802 has developed a patented digital recording device in conjunction with an accelerometer that detects vehicular accidents and saves a visual record of events and conditions surrounding a vehicle. The product will reduce insurance costs and liability risks. |
| Company Name: |
Vidyut Shakti |
| University: |
BITS Pilani, India |
| Prize(s): |
| 4th Place Challenge Round |
$200 |
| TOTAL: |
$200 |
| Our company is involved in rural electrification for villages in India. We will generate this electricity using biodiesel as the renewable source of energy. The company uses a biotechnology innovation to increase the yield of jatropha on farm land and a manufacturing innovation to increase the yield of biodiesel from jatropha. |
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