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WSU’s 17th annual Business Plan Competition winners include four I-Corp teams

Four of the five winning teams in Washington State University’s annual Business Plan Competition participated in the WSU I-Corps program.

The competition, hosted by WSU’s Center for Entrepreneurial Studies on April 25, featured more than 30 student venture teams presenting their business ideas and competed for cash and in-kind prizes totaling more than $75,000.

The College League winning teams include:

  1. Appiture
    Created a device and app pairing system that can screen for Autism Spectrum Disorders.
  2. Crimson Medical Solutions
    Created a noninvasive modular organization system for intravenous lines in the medical environment.
  3. Hitchhiker Carpooling
    Created a ridesharing app for college students traveling long distances.
  4. All Aboard
    Created an Airbnb model for personal boat sharing that allows for customizable experiences on the water.
  5. Obsidian Bot
    Created a website that enables cryptocurrency traders to automate their trading strategies.
  6. Honorable Mention: BioMech
    Building a Grip Glove that improves dexterity and grip strength for people with impaired hand function.

The National Science Foundation developed the I-Corps program in 2011 to help move academic research to the marketplace. WSU I-Corps uses the LEAN Accelerator Program curriculum to teach entrepreneurship skills while encouraging interdisciplinary collaboration, industry mentorship, and alumni engagement. WSU I-Corps participants attend weekly sessions in which the teams, directors, and mentors develop and refine their business models, discuss lessons learned, and prepare for further customer discovery. Each team will have access to up to $2,500 for prototyping, travel, attending conferences, and other needs related to refining the team’s business model.