What would you do with $1,500? More than 40 students with ideas for the grand prize presented their proposals during the Engaged Learning Big iDeas Pitch Contest this afternoon. A competition that is awarding up to 20 thousand dollars to students’ business ideas.
If you too have an idea worthy of the cash you might be too late, but the good news is that the event was just the first iteration of the Big iDeas Pitch Contest. It was at held at the Big iDeas CUBE, the Engaged Learning offices at The Towers from three to four p.m. However, two hours was not enough for all students to pitch their ideas. According to the group’s director, Susan Kress, the turnout was much larger than expected.
Twenty students submitted applications online and by 4 p.m., the office was filled with more than 15 walk-in contestants.
Kress was excited to see what participants would bring to the table and congratulated all of them for their initiative before presentations began.
“I applaud all of you for you big idea, which I haven’t heard yet,” She said. “I applaud you all for being intrepid travelers and preparing yourselves.”
Participants entered in one of two rooms in which they pitched their proposals to some of the six judges in the panel. These were professors from disciplines that ranged from English, Social, and Business fields.
Students had two minutes for their pitching, which was then followed by three minutes of questions from the judges. The queries focused on details like how much money and time much time they would need to carry out their idea.
The pitches presented were varied. New phone apps, dance companies and even a diet supplement idea were amongst them.
SMU students who enjoy Yik Yak might like Kellam Witherington’s big idea. He proposed a new phone application concept called Ripple. He explains it is basically Yik Yak for music in which users can “drop” tunes rather than posts and other “Ripplers” can re-drop others’ songs. Like Yik Yak, users can also up-vote and down-vote posts. Unlike the popular Yaking app, Witherington’s app would reward users who got lots of up- votes with valuable “amplitude” points.
“You can then use these points to buy concert tickets,” the marketing major said.
Many know Witherington for his participation in the Southern Gentlemen vocal group but his business proposal could earn him the money to create this app. He believes it can bring together artists and ripplers who are musical influences in their communities because they can act as promotional outlets for singers.
His idea and those of other contestants are up in the running for the grand prize. Winners will be announced Monday at 3 p.m.
