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The inaugural I-69 Collegiate Innovation Challenge takes place November 10-12, 2006 at Swan Lake Resort in Plymouth, Indiana. Four schools (Taylor, Indiana Wesleyan, Anderson, and Ball State) will each provide five exceptional undergraduate students to create teams composed of one student from each university. To balance the teams, each participant receives a problem solving style assessment. All teams are given an identical problem to conceptualize and develop the best for-profit solution to present to a panel of keynote judges from the community. Topics will be distributed to participating students two weeks prior to the event. Each member of the winning team receives a prize valued around $500.
The purpose of this competition is to encourage entrepreneurship in the area, foster collaborative market solutions through team building, promote cross-pollination, and generate creative ideas. Emmett Dulaney, Assistant Professor at Anderson University said, “The concept of the I-69 Collegiate Innovation Challenge is intriguing and appealing to the students and the most difficult aspect has been choosing who will go among the many that have expressed interest. Anderson University is excited about being a part of this event and hoping it will be the first in a series of collaborative efforts with surrounding institutions.”
Mick Bate, Innovative Enterprise Program Director at Taylor University, also commented, “The Challenge is a fantastic next step in fostering entrepreneurial collaboration among the public and private institutions in the I-69 corridor from Anderson to Indiana Wesleyan. It is my hope this event stimulates our undergraduate students to consider new venture possibilities right here in East Central Indiana and for the universities to collectively leverage their strengths for improving the local economy and associated quality of life.”
Financial supporters for this event include Taylor University, Indiana Wesleyan University, Indiana Municipal Power Agency, Energize East Central Indiana and the Grant County Economic Growth Council. The Growth Council sees this as another venue to promote Grant County as the ideal place to grow or start a business.
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