Innovation Competition | College of Business

Showcase your leadership and innovation skills

Every year, University of Findlay students have the opportunity to showcase their leadership and innovation skills in the business industry in the Innovation Competition! The purpose of the Innovation Competition is to promote leadership skills, problem-solving, and creative thinking. The competition is open to ALL students to compete individually or in teams of two to five students.

The BRITE Center aims to use this challenge to provide students with an opportunity to share their business ideas. Selected students will present their ideas to a panel of judges, where five cash prizes will be given out:

1st Place- $500, 2nd Place- $400, 3rd Place- $300,

4th Place- $200, 5th Place- $100

Submission Form

Finalists compete in front of a panel of judges. The 2022 judges included:

JJ Preston, from Premier bank

How It Works

Students choose one category to compete in:

Innovative Business
Green / Sustainability Initiative

Contestants from each category go through a selection process before moving on to the final round. Each category in the final round will be judged by local business leaders that showcase exceptional entrepreneurial and leadership qualities.

Feb. 25, 2022: Last Day to Register for event.

Now until March 6, 2022: Students will compile information based on their business idea into a written document, this will be reviewed by the panel of judges and scored. The top 5 scoring high school students and top 3 scoring UF students of each division will move forward in the competition.

Monday, March 7, 2022 at 5 p.m.: Deadline to submit a business idea with all details compiled in a document for judges to review and preliminarily score based only on written submission. Email your documents to [email protected] before 5 p.m., March 7.

No later than Monday, March 14, 2022: After the written submission and preliminary scoring, students will receive an email invitation if they are selected to move forward in the Innovation Competition. Those selected must prepare a presentation of the business idea that was submitted.

Wednesday, March 23, 2022 at 6:30 p.m.: FINAL INNOVATION COMPETITION

Location will be College of Business and Student Life. The final judging is open to all who would like to attend and will be livestreamed on UFTV's YouTube channel. Students will present their business idea to a panel of judges that will score provide a final score. Prizes will be awarded after presentations.

If you have any questions, please direct them via email to [email protected].

2019 Winners

Innovative Leadership

1st – Active Campus Emergency Seminar (A.C.E.S.)
Nicole Bosserman proposed an on-campus seminar to increase awareness of active shooter emergency plans, provide knowledge and tools on active shooter situations, and allow individuals to get first aid and Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) certifications.

2nd – 4 Paws for Ability
This is a non-profit organization based in Xenia, Ohio, that places quality service dogs with children with disabilities and veterans who have lost use of limbs or hearing and educate the public regarding use of service dogs in public places. Rachael Quandt proposed an on-campus club that would foster 4 Paws puppies to enhance their socialization and obedience training.

3rd – Fearless Financial Club
Bonnie Vue presented her idea for a club that would educate students how to capitalize on financial freedom.

Innovative Business

1st – SudHub
Aaron Overhiser and Marissa Pellis presented their cellphone application that would provide a simpler and more secure laundry process for university students. The app would utilize all-in-one washer-dryer units with Wi-Fi capabilities to send notifications when loads are complete or when machines are available.

2nd – BLURRY
Sergio Palacio Martinez proposed an organization that would employ recovering addicts in a pottery and flower business. The employed individuals would use their story of recovery to inspire the pottery design and the act of gardening as a sort of rehabilitation.

3rd – Pathfinder
Nicole Bosserman presented her idea for a equine consulting company, where she would travel to various barns and business to train and provide equine business advice.