![\"Tello_Idea_Challenge\"](\"http:\/\/blogs.uml.edu\/differencemaker\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2014\/01\/DSC_5042-300x200.jpg\")
<\/p>\nDifferenceMaker\u00a0and the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship hosted the first annual $25K Idea Challenge in Spring of 2013. The goal of this challenge was to engage UMass Lowell students in creative and innovative problem solving around major issues that affect our region and future; it is a competitive place to pitch your idea to make a difference. Real solutions to real problems were the focus, addressing issues that people in the real world face every day.\u00a0 Interdisciplinary teams were encouraged in order to help students understand that different approaches to the same problem can yield more creative and effective solutions.<\/p>\n
45 teams participated in the Idea Challenge, working hours on end identifying problems, evaluating possible courses of action, and developing solutions to these problems that are competitive in the real world. 19 teams went on to pitch at the preliminary judgement\u00a0round, and ten teams went on to pitch<\/p>\n
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at the final Idea Challenge. Winning the idea challenge represented the ultimate success: getting funding for the project to lift off the ground and become successful. With the prizes, the winners were able to fund their project and continue their research, effectively enabling them to spearhead a start-up with the help of DifferenceMaker.<\/p>\n
Out of six categories, there were ten winners of a total of $25,000:<\/p>\n
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Grand Prize: Campus-Wide DifferenceMaker<\/strong><\/p>\n Developing Nation Prosthetic – $5,000<\/p>\n Low cost high functionality replacement limb with an acceptable amount of customization for children in other nations.<\/p>\n Katherine Cain <\/p>\n Significant Social Impact<\/strong><\/p>\n 1st Place – $3,500<\/p>\n Healthy Habits<\/p>\n Inspire children to achieve healthier lifestyles by eating nutritious foods, exercising and being active to prevent sedentary lifestyles.<\/p>\n Jacqueline Bradley 2nd Place – $1,500<\/p>\n Bright Future Generation<\/p>\n Non-Profit organization: Mental health services addressing the needs of Rwandan youth.<\/p>\n Vanessa Colomba <\/p>\n Sustainable Environment<\/strong><\/p>\n 1st Place – $3,500<\/p>\n Lowell Sprouts\/Lets Grow Lowell<\/p>\n Uses school gardens as a way to educate middle school children about the importance of sustainable, organic agriculture.<\/p>\n Mary Beth Burwood 2nd Place – $1,500<\/p>\n Hybrid Power Tricycle<\/p>\n Assistive Tricycle for handicap kids that utilizes pedaling power and a motor together. It also has a full support system and wireless shutoff.<\/p>\n Anthony Capone <\/p>\n Innovative Technology<\/strong><\/p>\n 1st Place – $3,500<\/p>\n Robotic Feeding Arm<\/p>\n Produces robotic arms to assist people where debilitating circumstances inhibit them from performing daily living activities.<\/p>\n Philip Colangelo<\/p>\n <\/p>\n 2nd Place – $1,500<\/p>\n Notoja<\/p>\n School enrichment collaboration application. It provides modules for student note-taking, book trading, as well as discussion groups.<\/p>\n Avery DeCesare <\/p>\n First to Market<\/strong><\/p>\n 1st Place – $3,500<\/p>\n Grab a Bite<\/p>\n Social Food Network that engages users and helps increase restaurants customer traffic through marketing, ease of use and convenience.<\/p>\n Aldo Beqiraj 2nd Place – $1,500<\/p>\n PointStick<\/p>\n A produce that gives tactile\/kinesthetic feedback for both correct spinal alignment and correct breathing mechanics to demand quality movement.<\/p>\n Ramez Antoun <\/p>\n Honorable Mention DifferenceMaker<\/strong><\/p>\n U.R. Corp – $500<\/p>\n Recognizes the importance of small businesses and what they do for the economies of local and national marketplaces and helps them compete with larger companies by expanding their market reach.<\/p>\n Robert Fisher<\/p>\n The next Idea Challenge is being planned for 2014, with the hopes of being even more successful than 2013\u2019s with more funding and more overall participation.<\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" DifferenceMaker\u00a0and the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship hosted the first annual $25K Idea Challenge in Spring of 2013. The goal of this challenge was to engage UMass Lowell students in creative and innovative problem solving around major issues that affect … Continue reading ![\"IC_NonSpec\"](\"http:\/\/blogs.uml.edu\/differencemaker\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2014\/01\/DSC_4996.jpg\")
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\nJonathan De Alderete
\nBrendan Donoghue
\nSean Gibson
\nOlivia Keane
\nErin Keaney<\/p>\n
\nMeghan Hathaway
\nKaterina Kafkas
\nNicole Leblance
\nHaley Mayne
\nMichelle Racioppi<\/p>\n
\nSteve DiPerna
\nIsaie Mihigo
\nYousef Theeb<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n
\nSean Hicks
\nChristopher Horne<\/p>\n
\nDerek Dempsey<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n
\nRohit Krishnan
\nEric Marcoux
\nTanjil Mustafa
\nBrian Tran<\/p>\n
\nDenis Lemos
\nAndrew MacRobert
\nAndrew Webb<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n
\nNick Bleil
\nRyan Connor
\nMichael Tadros
\nRobert Roufail<\/p>\n