Chuck Hoge, Interim Executive Director of the NDSU Research and Technology Park, provided a presentation at the conference Create, Challenge, Change: Economic Development Conference for the Denver Region in August 2016. This presentation occurred during the opening plenary "Innovations from Around the Region."

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The NDSU Research & Technology Park serves as a catalyst
for innovation in science and technology leading to discoveries
that contribute to North Dakota's economic development.
Chuck Hoge, Executive Director
John Cosgriff, Incubator Manager
Dave Zupi, Emerging Innovation Manager

2. Innovation Challenge
A non-credit innovation idea competition for NDSU students.
Objectives are to:
Encourage students to be innovative thinkers
Enhance student awareness for innovation as a precursor to entrepreneurship
Empower students to pursue entrepreneurship as a career choice
Expand student access to resources available for innovators and entrepreneurs
Engage the current entrepreneur and business communities with students
Conducted in collaboration with other campus innovation activities:
- New Entrepreneurship emphasis at NDSU
- Innovation Alliance
- University Innovation Fellows
- Various competitions
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4. Innovation Challenge – Overview
• Four Competition Tracks
• Three Rounds of Competition
– Innovation Proposal
– Semifinal Progress Review/Showcase
– Final Oral Presentation
• Prizes
– 1st - $5,000
– 2nd - $1,000
– 3rd - $500
– People’s Choice - $1,000
– Total - $27,000
• Business Community judges for each track
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• Products • Agriculture
• Services • Social Impact

5. Innovation Challenge – Additional Activities
• Bison Brainstorming
• Pitch Night
• Speaker Series
– Phil Soran – Serial Entrepreneur
– Dr. Roger Firestein – Creative Thinking
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6. Innovation Challenge – Boot Camp Training
• Dr. Jeffrey Stamp – Bold Thinking
1. The Big Aha! - What Ideas Need To Survive
2. Designing the Future – How to Leverage Your Innovation Vision
3. Pitch Like A Pro – How To Get People To Back Your Vision
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7. Events
Competitions
Training
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Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar
Recruit
Students
Bison
Brainstorm
Pitch
Night
Boot
Camp I
Innovation
Proposal
Boot
Camp II
Semifinals/
Project
Showcase
Final
Presentations
Awards
Ceremony
Boot
Camp III
One-on-One
Training
Innovation Challenge Timeline

8. Innovation Challenge Examples
Heparin QC
 A simple quantitative for the presence of Heparin contaminants
Aqua Motion International
 Provide free water safety and drowning rescue education in
countries where drowning is the 3rd leading cause for unintended
death.
Opti-M3D
 Developed a 3D printed, cell culture apparatus which can help in
screening efficacy of various chemotherapeutic agents on tumor
cells derived from individual cancer patients.
Protosthetics
 Developed a product that equips amputees with affordable
prosthetic devices, allowing them to efficiently perform their daily
activities.
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9. Innovation Challenge – Learnings
• Students have incredible ideas
• Very difficult to engage today’s busy students
– NDSU program may be too long
– Participation may increase if “for credit”
– Best to use students to recruit students
• Difficult to get cross-functional teams
• Money is not primary motivator
• Exposure to startup community is very important
• Students need encouragement to go from idea to market
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