The Michigan Business Challenge (MBC) engages entrepreneurial students from the 19 schools and colleges at the University of Michigan. Over 100 students participated in MBC Round One this December. Only 20 student ventures from this diverse group advanced to pitch their business concepts in MBC Round 2 last Friday. Fourteen teams were featured in the Business Track and eight in the Seigle Impact Track; two of the startups were selected to participate in both tracks.
Two panels of esteemed judges selected eight teams to advance to the MBC Semi-Finals in February. The student startups moving forward in the competition include:
ALISE – Sanmeet Jasuja (MBA/MSI ’18), Brian Shahbazian (MS ’18), Ryan Branch (BSE ’18), Minjeong Cha (PhD) Advanced LIDAR Semantics (ALISE) is developing LIDAR devices with enhanced object recognition and reduced data processing capabilities leading to smarter and safer autonomous vehicles.
Arbor Automation – Alexander Mills (BSE CSE ’17), Owen Hughes (BS Math ‘21) Arbor Automation is developing a cloud-based software service for the automated conversion of 3D design files to executable CNC machine code, which reduces labor costs for companies that manufacture hardware prototypes.
Clot Buster – Yang Liu (PhD ’19) Clot buster develops a medical device to safely and rapidly remove clot for treatment of vessel occlusion-caused diseases, including but not limited to stroke.
MedKairos Inc. – Michael Moore (MD ’21), Andy Kozminski, (MSE ’19, MD ’20) One out of five biopsies have to be repeated due to the quality of the tissue collected. MedKairos has developed a platform that verifies the sample quality at the point-of-care so patients will only have to undergo the procedure once.
PedalCell – Adam Hokin (BBA ’19), Anna Moreira Bianchi (MBA ’19) PedalCell creates novel bike-powered phone chargers for the bike share industry that promote ridership usage by transforming traditional bicycle rides into engaging motion-powered experiences.
Quirk – Kiley Judge, Computer Science & History (LSA ’17), Rahul Agrawal Bejarano, Computer Science (COE ’18) Quirk crafts small batch, locally made drinking vinegars from quirky fruits. Our refreshing vinegars are made from the freshest, most delicious fruit that would normally be rejected based on their size, shape, or color.
Rent the Sari – Hira Baig (JD ’19) Rent the Sari is developing a mobile/web-based platform for women to rent high-end, designer clothes from Pakistan and India. Our service caters to women who can’t otherwise find their choice of beautiful, South Asian fashion.
Sonodontics – Jonathan Lundt (PhD, ’18), Nikita Jambulingam (MD/MBA ’18), Jonathan Macoskey (PhD, 19) Sonodontics is developing an intra-oral 3D ultrasound scanning device for early diagnosis of gum disease.
The Michigan Business Challenge Seigle Impact Track, with prizes totaling over $26,000, recognizes the business plan that best pursues a mission-driven goal. These awards aim to stimulate the creation of new businesses, products or services that prioritize social or environmental considerations.
Seigle Impact Track judges narrowed the pool from eight teams down to four. The mission-driven startups advancing to the Seigle Impact Track Finals include:
Adelie – Stef Rubinstein (MBA ’19), Tracy Wolfbiss (MBA ’19), Vanessa Lynskey (MBA ’19) Adelie is developing a digital platform to seamlessly manage parental leave for expectant mothers and fathers, reducing the stress and emotional burden placed disproportionately on women.
Canopy – Ann Duong (MHI ’18), Brandon Keelean (MDes ’18) Canopy develops digital tools to help families talk about and make end-of-life healthcare decisions and then share those decisions through a legal document with loved ones and medical providers.
FoodFinder – Jack Griffin (BBA ’19) FoodFinder is a registered non-profit organization that uses a website and mobile app to make it as easy as it should be to locate and learn about your nearest free food assistance programs.
PedalCell – Adam Hokin (BBA ’19), Anna Moreira Bianchi (MBA ’19) PedalCell creates novel bike-powered phone chargers for the bike share industry that promote ridership usage by transforming traditional bicycle rides into engaging motion-powered experiences.
Over the next 30 days, these student teams will continue to hone their business plans for a chance at $100,000 in cash prizes. Join us Friday, February 16, at the Ross School of Business for the final rounds of the 2018 Michigan Business Challenge.
The Michigan Business Challenge is a multi-round competition for students from across the University’s campus. The competition focuses on entrepreneurial teams testing real-world business concepts through engaging in customer discovery, vetting financial models, conducting market research, and developing a complete business plan. Throughout the competition, student teams have the opportunity to win cash prizes, gain feedback from leaders in the business community, and expand their business network.