MONT ALTO, Pa. — A racecar seat insert designed to reduce spinal injury, a device that allows musicians with hand injuries to keep playing, and an e-commerce solution for farmers earned Penn State students cash to continue developing their products during the 蒙特奥拓发射箱 LION Tank pitch competition on March 25.
LION Tank is a competition staged by the 蒙特奥拓发射箱, an innovation hub funded by a seed grant from the 创造欧博体育官网 倡议. The event was sponsored by the Patriot Federal Credit Union.
The top three pitches considered to be most viable received grants of $500, $1,000元及1元,500 along with a year's access to the 蒙特奥拓发射箱 and additional services to help get their products into the marketplace.
Current 宾州州立大学蒙阿尔托分校 student Jake Grim took first place for his startup Table Rock Markets— an online retail platform that helps connect farmers to produce purchasers in their area.
称其为“农民Etsy”,” Grim’s web platform allows farmers to build a digital presence to market to consumers with relative ease. His hope is that the Table Rock Markets will help farmers increase their overall sales and raise awareness among local consumers about the farms and produce available in their own backyards.
Penn State Harrisburg student Carley Furlow won second place with her business Bonded Bows. 小提琴家和学生运动员, Furlow leveraged her own experiences playing her violin while suffering from hand injuries to develop a device that allows musicians with hand injuries or medical conditions to be able to comfortably grip their bow.
尼古拉斯Anzalone, a senior at the University Park campus, took home third place with Crash Pad, a specially designed shock-absorbing seat insert for racecar drivers that reduces the risk of spinal injury. Anzalone collaborated on the product with his business partner and grandfather, 一位资深的赛车手.
Additional pitches presented included:
- Traduki Technologies LLC, founded by Penn State Berks alum Ryan Morris. 和另外四个人一起, Morris has created an integrated language interpretation software that provides access to professional language interpreters in 250 languages who are available 24/7 for use by medical, government and education entities and individuals.
- 达到一个.I., co-founded by University Park student Kareem Jelks and his business partner, J.P. 基林. 达到一个.I. is an artificial intelligence-powered big data analysis tool and supply chain solution for healthcare providers to reach underserved populations in rural 宾西法尼亚.
- WoodGoods Lacrosse, founded by Lehigh University student Justin Gelwicks. This sports equipment startup specializes in making high-quality wooden lacrosse shafts that can be customized by laser-engraving players' names, 数字和标志.
“The LION Tank competition gets better and better each year with ideas for products and services that are more market-ready,Francis Achampong说, 欧博体育官网蒙奥图分校的校长. “This year’s competition topped the previous three and took the competition to a new level. 法官, who are experienced not only with business start-ups but also in considering whether to fund them, 包括Linsey Covert, CEO and founder of TEAMology; John Rotz, a retired high-ranking bank administrator, most recently from First Community Bank of Mercersburg; and Tom Trgovac, executive vice president and general counsel of Global Data Consultants LLC."
The 蒙特奥拓发射箱 opened in January 2018 and offers free services to business entrepreneurs, such as receiving legal assistance from Penn State's Entrepreneur Assistance Clinic at University Park to set up a new company or file a patent for a product. 以前位于N. 钱伯斯堡第二街, 宾西法尼亚, the LaunchBox is currently providing services remotely due to COVID-19.
More information about the 蒙特奥拓发射箱 is available at montalto.事业单位.edu/launchbox.
创造欧博体育官网 is an 倡议 created to spur economic development, job creation and student career success.
