Idaho Entrepreneur Challenge Success

Prize Winning Ideas

In January, four student teams from throughout the university traveled to Boise to compete in the Idaho Entrepreneur Challenge. Of the four ISU teams that made it to the finals, three placed, taking home a portion of the competition’s $100,000 in prize money. Division of HealthSciences student Donald Young and healthcare administration student, Kaylie Johnson won overall runner-up for their idea “MaxVac”. MaxVac is a unique plastic device that would store and dispose syringes for safer use in hospitals and medical settings. College of Business students, Kastil Gregory and Samantha Jimenez-Castro won best minority-led company for their idea “Mezclilla Jeans”. This line of jeans is targeted at curvy Hispanic and Latina women. And winning best marketing and trade show was College of Business students, Matazie Hobbs and Alexis Christiansen. This duo’s idea, “Sani-Station,” included a prototype which would automatically spray disinfectant inside a diaper changing station when no longer in use. According to the teams’ mentor and director of the College’s Center for Entrepreneurship and Economic Development (CEED), Jeff Street, the IEC had over 200 applicant teams this year. After the competition, at least two of these winning teams have already begun working with the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) to work on taking their products to market. “Our students gave their all in representing ISU,” said Street.