Record numbers for entrepreneur challenge 2010

Last year's eChallenge winners, Saxony's SMS

Last year's eChallenge winners, Saxony's SMS
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Friday, 25 June 2010

A record 50 teams of young entrepreneurs have entered the 2010 University of Adelaide's eChallenge competition and could be in the running to win a share of $50,000 in cash, prizes and services.

The competition is run by the University's Entrepreneurship Commercialisation and Innovation Centre (ECIC) and incorporates business and entrepreneurial workshops, team mentoring by industry professionals, networking opportunities and help in developing new business ideas.

eChallenge aims to foster the development of new ideas into investment-ready early-stage companies, creating genuine commercial prospects that benefit South Australia.

Teams including students from the State's three universities and TAFE join members from the broader community to develop a business plan for a new, previously unfunded concept. One member of each team must be a tertiary student.

Previous winners include:

  • Saxony's SMS (2009 winner), a system for texting surf and weather conditions to potential surfers;
  • ProScales (2008), a system for weighing and labelling food products, which works through a touchscreen;
  • Pyglet (2007), a device which can copy music from a compact disc to an MP3 player such as an iPod or Zune without the need of a computer;
  • Vinetology (2006), a robotic grapevine pruner;
  • Purely Cotton Company (2005), an Adelaide clothing store which sells environmentally friendly underwear;
  • Microbric (2004), an electronic construction set company which has gone on to launch the hugely popular i-bot, Ai2 and viper products.

"The interest and support for eChallenge is growing every year as shown by the record entries this year and the continuing strong support from our broad range of sponsors," says ECIC Director Professor Noel Lindsay.

"Through eChallenge we are helping to develop an entrepreneurial culture in South Australia and stimulate our business community. Our young people have the ideas, the talent and the drive and eChallenge helps them turn these foundations into real business prospects."

Semi-finalists will show their concepts to judges, business people and University staff at the Venture Showcase on 17 August. The winners will be judged and announced at the eChallenge Awards Presentation night on 29 October.

For more information visit www.adelaide.edu.au/echallenge/

The ECIC's mission is to develop entrepreneurship, innovation, technology commercialisation and project management capability in individuals and organisations. The Centre offers a range of academic programs in the fields of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Commercialisation and Project Management. For more information visit: www.ecic.adelaide.edu.au/

 

Contact Details

Professor Noel Lindsay
Email: noel.lindsay@adelaide.edu.au
Website: https://www.adelaide.edu.au/directory/noel.lindsay
Pro Vice-Chancellor Entrepreneurship;
Dean of Business - Adelaide Business School
The University of Adelaide
Business: +61 8 8313 7422
Mobile: +61 (0)428 842 024


Media Team
Email: media@adelaide.edu.au
Website: https://www.adelaide.edu.au/newsroom/
The University of Adelaide
Business: +61 8 8313 0814