A tool that helps nurses get their shifts done. Improvements to healthcare made possible through nanoscale research and design. A social network-style app aimed at educating individuals about personal finance. A device designed to allow for blood recycling in the hospitals of developing nations.
All of these items and ideas were on display at I-20 Top Twenty May 1, where individuals with innovative ideas gathered in one space. Connections were made as attendees conversed and ate fried catfish, exchanging thoughts about entrepreneurship, resources, and what they wanted to do in the community and beyond.
Stephen Brents, president of Brents Sportswear and mentor to WRLDINVSN (a participating venture), attended the event and said the evening allowed for connection between individuals and entities with a wide variety of thoughts and experiences.
“There is a very diversified group—there are some groups here that do things just because they want to make things better on a campus,” Brents said. “There are some groups here that are just very innovative; like that blood-recycling business [HemoCycle] that just blew my mind—it looks like that is going to be huge. I was thinking that the energy and the excitement and the vibe about it [I-20 Top Twenty] is just tremendous. It’s a good networking thing for people to meet and greet and share ideas.”
Stephen Bierschenk, a mechanical engineering major at Tech and member of Faidd, said I-20 Top Twenty was a chance to spread the word about their proposed product. Faidd is an app being developed to help the general public learn more about finance in one centralized and easy-to-access location.
“[I-20 Top Twenty] is important so you can hear ideas from other people,” Bierschenk said. “Even just after the presentation, I have had people come up to me with different marketing ideas, different groups they feel that would benefit from it that we could market to—stuff like that.”
As was seen at I-20 Top Twenty, innovation and ideas are thriving at Tech and in the surrounding communities, and connections are being made. Ideas are being made a reality, and for those who want to pursue this, check out more on latechinnovation.org for resources that may be suited to helping you follow your dreams!
