One of my favorite entrepreneur events of the year is the Idea 2 Product Competition held at UT. The I2P® Global Competition is an early-stage technology commercialization plan competition hosted by the Murchison Chair of Free Enterprise at The University of Texas at Austin. The I2P® competition focuses on the education and creation of the next generation of technology entrepreneurs. Teams benefit from valuable feedback from the entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, engineers, and intellectual property attorneys on the judging panels. Previous teams have produced work that has increased research funding, licensing of technology, and creation of new ventures. The competition has also served as a commercialization forum for faculty and members of the community. Faculty have been able to consider societal needs of technology and members of the community have been given an early preview of cutting-edge technology.
Fifteen invited university teams, representing four continents and eight countries, will descend upon Austin on October 30-31st for the 7th Annual Idea to Product Global Competition. The teams will present their breakthrough technology commercialization plans and compete for over $52,500 in cash prizes that may be used to advance their innovations, as well as a chance to enter the Global MOOTCORP® competition. Each year, the competition draws a large audience from Austin’s technology and entrepreneurial community. The event is in the AT&T Conference Center.
The competition will debut three themed championship tracks and a technology showcase where you can see the teams’ innovative technologies. Which technologies will become the next cure for cancer? Which technologies have a potential to revolutionize the battery technology? What technology will answer the world’s changing energy demands? What technology will drastically improve quality of life for less-privileged communities around the world?
The event is free and open to public.
What? 7th Annual Idea to Product® Global Competition
Where? AT&T Executive Education and Conference Center
When? Friday, October 30th
9:00am-12:00pm Feedback Rounds (Classrooms 201, 202, 203)
Saturday, October 31st
9:00am-12:00pm Ted Roden Championship Rounds (201, 202, 203)
1:15pm-2:30pm Technology Showcase (Covered Courtyard)
2:30pm-3:00pm Ted Roden Awards Ceremony (Amphitheater 204)
Why? To see the next generation of technology innovations
Who? Free and open to public.
The Idea to Product® Global Competition is sponsored by the Cockrell School of Engineering, the College of Natural Sciences, several engineering departments, along with student organizations. Supporters of the event include the National Science Foundation, NCIIA, MOOT CORP, the Austin Technology Incubator, the Office of Technology Commercialization, Fish & Richardson, P.C., and the Herb Kelleher Center for Entrepreneurship.
