Technology Innovation Challenge

Judges

The sponsors or their representatives, plus industry experts invited by the sponsors to provide special expertise, will serve as judges for the competiton.

Judging Guidelines

Judges are looking for innovative thinking with regards to new markets, products, designs and/or services. They will favorably view technology based on ideas developed at the university and will look for teams that demonstrate a significant commitment and ability to take an idea forward.

Summaries and mini-plans will be scored on a point system. This point system will be made public prior to competition and will align itself with the distributed outline/objectives.

Oral presentations should catch the audience & judges attention and demonstrate professionalism on the part of the team. Presentations should be thorough and demonstrate an understanding of the details and material.

In general, there needs to be a technology and a market, as well as a clear plan for investment and an exit strategy. A competitive advantage should also be demonstrated. Each team must display appropriate effort in identifying and recognizing issues/threats/problems their plan may encounter. If certain skills are deemed to be missing by team members, they should be identified in the plan.

Judges will make final decisions based on the overall concept & plan. Although concepts with a huge and convincing upside potential (“home runs”) are welcome, they are not required for consideration. The point system score as well as the following components carry equal weight during final deliberations. Key components/criteria used for final decisions are: feasibility, viability, profitability, implementation, and innovation.