Ideas Challenge
What’s your big idea?
Each spring, the Ideas Challenge asks students from across campus, "What is your big idea?" We challenge everyone from freshmen to doctoral students to dream up the next great product or service and enter their big idea in this campus-wide competition.
Typically, hundreds of students, in majors from agriculture to zoology, submit essays describing their concept.
Members of the business and academic worlds judge each submission and the top 40 are named finalists. On judging day, the finalists present their concept to judges from the business community who also pepper them with questions.
Over the last five years, the judges have seen plans as diverse as duct tape sandals and a method for directing the color of cultured pearls. Students from all colleges and academic levels have participated. Several students have participated multiple times. In addition to cash prizes, students receive valuable experience developing business concepts, writing skills and presentation abilities. Networking with the judges is also invaluable to them.
The annual Ideas Challenge shows the world the quality of Texas A&M students. Our students never fail to impress and several have come away with job offers or investment interest as a result. The judges also find the day rewarding. They leave energized by the creativity and poise of the students.
Congratulations to our 2012 Ideas Challenge Winners!
Our judges and the staff at CNVE were greatly impressed by this year's finalists. Great job to all, and here are our winners:
- First Place: Patrick Daniels, I.Q. Stat: Intelligent Climate Control
- Second Place: Qun Liu, PolyFilm Absorbable Adhesion Barrier
- Third Place: Shelly Brenckman, House of Geekdom
- Third Place: Ben Bates, Allison DeHaven, Erin Evetts, Kelsey Hermanson, and Valerie Hernandez, Garment Drying Tags
- Third Place: Shelly Brenckman, Kinectic People Power LLC
More information
- Past results
- Become a sponsor
- More information for students
- More information for alumni and community members
A Special Thanks to the 2012 Ideas Challenge Sponsors
Ideas Challenge Title Sponsor
Prize and General Sponsors
