Technology, Entrepreneurship and Commercialization Students Sweep the 2021 NC State eGames

Poole College of Management Technology, Entrepreneurship and Commercialization (TEC) Program entered five student teams to the NC State eGames. Each of the Poole College teams were finalists in their category winning over $26,000 in scholarship.  

Since 2009, the NC State eGames have awarded over $100,000 in scholarships to students through the annual startup competition. This year, due to COVID, the competition was split into two categories: “Think” and “Do”. The “Think” category means students can compete with an idea or business in the early stages or in the “Do” category with an established startup that has a product and team.

“We’re extremely proud of our students for their outstanding work to create technology-based product ideas with high growth potential throughout the year, and it’s wonderful to see that the external judges also recognized the value of the business opportunities that they pitched,” said Lisa Chang, director of the TEC Program. “The eGames are a fantastic platform for our students to showcase what they’ve learned and garner additional resources to support their startup ideas. We look forward to seeing what else they are able to accomplish as they move forward.”

Poole College Teams

VertiBra | First Place, Think Category ($9,000) 

• Jeanine Fry, Master of Science in textile and apparel technology
• Bryson Boettger, Master of Science in biomedical engineering
• Daniel Olson, Master of Science in biomedical engineering
• Marta Pasqualini, Master of Science in biomedical engineering

VertiBra supports the growing awareness of the importance of maintaining proper posture as an effective method for treating back pain. Our posture-correcting technology is comfortably integrated into everyday garments, providing the user with an immersive and effortless pain-relief experience. VertiBra encourages muscle engagement using dynamic feedback, helping to build healthy muscle memory rather than competitive products that provide static support.

DEVO | Second Place, Think Category ($7,000)

• Erik Anderson, Master of Science in biomedical engineering
• Miracle Walters, Master of Science in biomedical engineering
• Eli Moskowitz, Master of Science in biomanufacturing 
• Andrew Buchanan, Jenkins MBA Program
• Olivia Wedegaertner, Ph.D., animal and poultry science 

A critical raw material, plasmid DNA (pDNA), is a key ingredient for both gene therapies and DNA-based vaccines. However, the industry average rate of producing this ingredient is terribly inefficient, achieving only a 0.1% yield and lead times up to 18 months. DEVO addresses these production short falls by offering a plug-and-play solution providing pDNA manufacturers up to a 25x increase in production efficiency while requiring minimal, if any, adaptations to their existing manufacturing processes or procedures. 

iVlo Medical | Third Place, Think Category ($4,000)

• Brady Anna, Master of Science in biomedical engineering
• Alex Nadimi, Master of Science in biomedical engineering
• Daniel Olson, Master of Science in biomedical engineering

iVlo Medical is devoted to creating simple, innovative solutions to improve patient care before they reach the hospital. Our debut product streamlines the process of administering intravenous therapy to patients in a prehospital setting, allowing the healthcare provider to focus on critical tasks and giving them peace of mind with their IV drip.

Valish | Third Place, Do Category ($6,500)

• Grace Carrell, Jenkins MBA Program
• John McGarrahan, Ph.D., materials science and engineering

We are working to create a superior nail polish alternative with all the benefits of gel nail polish, but without the negative consumer and salon level drawbacks. Our product is water based and non-toxic, and is cured using a visible light as opposed to an ultraviolet source. Valish will also provide at least a 30% reduction in the manicure application time due to the one step application process. No need for a base coat or any harmful nail preparation for durable, beautiful nails!

Choir Baton | Finalist, Do Category

• Beth Philemon, Jenkins MBA Program

Choir Baton originated from Philemon’s personal need for community and resources as a choir conductor. The startup gives adults interested in starting a platform to develop their ensemble skills.

This post was originally published in Poole College of Management News.