The Oregon New Venture Championship (NVC) is one of the original and most highly-regarded six-round graduate student business competitions. NVC strives to develop skilled and knowledgeable entrepreneurial leaders. Its core mission is to educate, inspire, and empower future entrepreneurs.

After three days of competition from April 11-13, 2019, in Portland, Oregon, the Lundquist College of Business is pleased to announce this year's winners. These competitors have survived tests of skill and of conviction, worked past obstacles, found within themselves the spirit of innovation and growth that drives them ever forward. They're ready to go out and change the world.

Grand Prizes

The 2019 New Venture Champion and winner of the Reinmuth Cup is Cohesys, whose team consists of students from both Western University and the University of Toronto. They will receive $20,000 to launch their venture. Cohesys has developed a novel product for facial fracture stabilization called BoneTape, an easy-to-use, flexible, low-profile, biocompatible, and bioresorbable system for the alignment and stabilization of craniomaxillofacial (CMF) fractures to the midface and cranium.

Vita Inclinata Technologies from Seattle University placed second and will receive $10,000 for their endeavor. Vita Inclinata is a small aerospace company developing critical technology for dangerous and potentially deadly sling load and rescue operations. Leveraging Vita Inclinata's technology, helicopter operations are more effective, efficient, and safer than current day operations.

In addition to the grand prizes, RentCheck from Tulane University and Turbodega from McGill University each received $2,500 as finalist runners up.

Additional Awards

NVC judges also awarded additional prizes to the following groups:

• Best Elevator Pitch ($1,500): BetterLife Monitors, Nanyang University
• Best at Trade Show ($1,500): BEEWARE, Thammasat University
• Best Written Business Plan ($1,500): Turbodega, McGill University
• Palo Alto Software Best One-Page Pitch ($1,000): BEEWARE, Thammasat University

Sustainability Round

The Sustainability Round required teams to present an executive summary addressing how their venture would address environmental or social issues. The winning teams of this round are:

• First place ($3,000): BEEWARE, Thammasat University
• Second place ($1,000): AlgenAir, University of Maryland, Baltimore
• Runners-up ($400 each):
  • HeatBuddy, Portland State University
  • Turbodega, McGill University

Lightning Round

Teams that did not qualify for the final round participated in the Lightning Round. Four teams won their Lightning Round track and $1,500 each. These winners include:

• AlgenAir, University of Maryland, Baltimore
• BEEWARE, Thammasat University
• Corrosense, University of Arkansas
• Hubly, Northwestern University

The remaining teams were awarded $750 each as Lightning Round runners-up.

Frontier Management Undergraduate Competition

Current undergraduate students of Oregon 4-year universities took part in the Frontier Management Undergraduate Competition on Friday, April 12. The winners are:

• First place ($2,000): Tutortree, University of Oregon
• Second place ($1,250): Turn Automotive, Portland State University
• Third place ($750): Medivac, Oregon State University

All other teams received $250 each for participating.

High School Competition

Through collaboration with TiE Young Entrepreneurs Oregon (TYE) and Young Entrepreneurs Business Week (YEBW), a pitch competition was held for high school students on Friday, April 12. The winners are:

• First place ($1,250): Aquasense (TYE participant)
• Second place ($750): Garantir (YEBW participant)
• Runners Up ($500 each):
  • BTD (TYE participant)
  • Holocorp (YEBW participant)
  • Slapit (TYE participant)

On behalf of the participants, faculty advisors, and staff of the 2019 New Venture Championship, we would like to express a heartfelt thank you to all of our sponsors. Without you, NVC truly would not be possible, and we are tremendously grateful for your support.

Competitors

The following teams competed at semifinalists in the graduate competition of the 2019 New Venture Championship

AlgenAir
University of Maryland, Baltimore (United States)
AlgenAir is an e-commerce company that creates functional and artistic algae installations to improve the public’s health. Its natural air purifier uses algae to combat the problem of indoor air pollution.

Ama Smart Home Inc.
Loyola Marymount University (United States)
Ama Smart Home is a passive senior health and safety monitoring system of connected home sensors that act as a safeguard, giving individuals access to on-demand emergency response services as well as providing direct communication to their virtual neighborhood of caregivers and friends. Ama Smart Home Inc. provides its customers with a holistic view of their loved one’s health and safety, allowing caregivers the ability to care from anywhere. Just because a senior lives alone does not mean they need to be alone.

BEEWARE
Thammasat University (Thailand)
BEEWARE is an innovative beehive monitoring technology that helps U.S. commercial beekeepers minimize colony losses, increasing profit by up to 28 percent.

BetterLife Monitor
Nanyang Technological University (Singapore)
BetterLife monitor is a non-invasive continuous glucose monitoring device that intends to eliminate the current painful process involved in self-monitoring of blood glucose level. The device will help diabetes patients in gaining more control over their life. At the same time, the device is cost effective and environmentally sustainable.

CAREERQUO
The University of Memphis (United States)
CAREERQUO is an on-demand social video platform that provides career discovery sessions by connecting students with alumni or professionals in any field globally for career guidance and feedback on areas of improvement. It provides additional income to professionals who are willing to help mentor students across different fields and industries. Professionals can also choose to donate their proceeds directly from the platform.

Cinco Technologies, Inc.
University of Oregon (United States)
Cinco Technologies, Inc.—named after the five major food groups—is a marketing ecosystem which provides food distribution. Its mission is to disrupt traditional food distribution in the five major categories by connecting local agricultural and business partners through a community-driven, on-demand ecosystem.

Cohesys
Western University and University of Toronto (Canada)
Fractures to the cranium and face (craniomaxillofacial, CMF) are common and generally occur after trauma such as car accidents or sporting injuries. Current fixation techniques for these fractures utilize titanium or resorbable plate and screw systems. These systems are limited by surgical complexity and high complication rates. Cohesys has developed a novel product for facial fracture stabilization called BoneTape. BoneTape is an easy-to-use, flexible, low-profile, biocompatible, and bioresorbable system for the alignment and stabilization of CMF fractures to the midface and cranium.

CorroSense
University of Arkansas (United States)
CorroSense is a structural health monitoring company focused on corrosion monitoring in new and aging civil structures. The systems utilize radio frequency identification (RFID) technology to collect data from embedded and hard to access sensors for data computation and life-cycle monitoring. CorroSense’s proprietary business intelligence software indexes and analyzes corrosion specific data for predictive and detective analytics.

HeatBuddy
Portland State University (United States)
The HeatBuddy is a product which redirects the airflow from home heating vents direct to the user with a convenient, pop-on unit. When heating the entire room is less desired than having additional heat where it matters, the HeatBuddy provides an adaptable option. The unit installs in seconds, conveniently stows when not in use, and is safer than other electric heating options.

Hubly
Northwestern University (United States)
Hubly is focused on modernizing bedside medical intracranial access. Targeting neurosurgeons, its first product is an integrated electric drill system that streamlines the bedside neurosurgical procedure, decreases operating room reliance, and facilitates treatment for emerging indications. The Hubly intracranial drilling system reduces complications and operating room dependence through three key features: accuracy, safety, and integration. The Hubly team consists of a neurosurgeon/entrepreneur, investment banker/financial analyst, electrical engineer/law student, bioengineer/businessman, and neuroscientist/software engineer.

RentCheck
Tulane University (United States)
RentCheck is a nationwide provider of transparency and security, enabling landlords and residents alike to achieve serenity. RentCheck can service 21 million independent landlords and small businesses who manage 95 percent of the rental market. Its app saves the user money and time and prevents grief by standardizing move-in and move-out inspections and streamlining the security deposit deduction process. RentCheck solutions empower residents to emulate owners in order to maximize the return of their security deposit. Users are united on one platform, which ensures hassle-free rentals, expedited turnover and tenants with an incentive to produce successful outcomes that become a virtuous cycle for business.

SPES Tech
Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Hong Kong)
SPES Tech is a Hong Kong-based company that designs and markets LitGel, a patent-pending light-sensitive hydrogel for smart drug delivery. Its initial target indication is melanoma—the most fatal form of skin cancer. Initial target markets are Australia and New Zealand, which have the highest number of melanoma incidents.

True Adherence
Brigham Young University (United States)
True Adherence is a biomechanics company that provides real-time feedback to end users. Its initial application aims to enhance weight training at gyms by providing users with a digital personal trainer. The AI-driven platform recognizes individual users through near field communication (NFC) with its phone-based app. This allows users to quickly jump into a workout upon approaching a True Adherence kiosk. The platform gives suggestions for exercises, weights, and reps based on the user’s goals. With its infrared camera, users get vital feedback on form while having all their routine (weights, velocity, volume, and exertion) automatically logged for them. Future applications will enhance physical therapy, running, and eventually sports specific activities.

Turbodega
McGill University (Canada)
Turbodega builds and grows small grocer networks in emerging countries, enabling grocers to access better prices, credits, delivery, and business support by connecting them to key stakeholders on a technological ad-hoc solution. It aims to be the world’s largest community of independent small grocery stores.

Vita Inclinata Technologies
Seattle University (United States)
Vita Inclinata is a small aerospace company developing critical technology for dangerous and potentially deadly sling load and rescue operations. Leveraging our technology, helicopter operations are more effective, efficient, and safer than current day operations. With Vita’s system in operation, hoist deaths will be a thing of the past.

Wunderite
Boston College (United States)
Wunderite shortens the long and tedious commercial insurance sales and underwriting cycle for the entire insurance value chain. The platform is sold to brokers to collaborate and automate transactions with insurance companies, shifting the broker’s focus and improving client safety with real-time data analytics.