UCF Tech Innovation Competition: Showcase Your Inventions & Win Cash Prizes!

Imagine. Invent. Ignite!

Overview

UCF’s Tech Innovation Competition is designed to challenge, inspire, and celebrate inventors and innovators across our campus who harness the potential of emerging technologies to address real-world challenges. Whether you're passionate about sustainable solutions, AI advancements, digital health, or other tech frontiers, we encourage you to showcase your proposals for better, faster, and/or cheaper solutions to important problems. You can make things better while you earn fame and fortune! Be the spark that ignites change!

 What is Tech Innovation? 

Technological innovation refers to the process of developing and realizing new or significantly improved products, services, or processes that leverage emerging technologies to address specific challenges, enhance efficiency, or improve quality of life. Innovations may represent improvements to existing products or processes, or entirely new solutions that could create new markets. This competition challenges UCF students to present innovative technological solutions that are not only novel but also desirable, feasible, sustainable, and impactful. It also asks contestants to consider entrepreneurial challenges associated with delivering these solutions to consumer, business, or government markets. We welcome ALL students from ALL disciplines to participate in this important innovation and entrepreneurship showcase event.

However, innovations do not create value unless they can be shared with others. To realize the potential of your solution, you must also describe how you intend to deliver it to others, who you intend to deliver it to, and revenue you intend to earn to pay for creating and providing your solution. Technology ventures may earn revenue by selling their innovations to consumers, businesses, or governmental agencies. Alternatively, they may monetize their intellectual property through licensing agreements, patent royalties, or by forming strategic partnerships with established companies. Thus, this competition requires consideration of who solutions will be delivered to and how revenue needed to sustain those deliveries can be earned. Thus, in addition to describing a solution to a problem, this competition asks you to consider how you will provide that solution to those who would benefit from your vision.

✨ Eligibility 

• Open to all UCF undergrad and grad students from 2023-2024.
• Individual or team submissions are welcome. One idea per team, one team per student.
• Teams must have at least one key UCF student. Alumni and non-students can join but only UCF students may present.
• Previous winners are not eligible. Step aside for new Knights!

Support for Participants

We offer information session, one-on-one expert mentoring, and a special orientation to all students who are interested in our innovation competitions held during Global Entrepreneurship Week (see Key Dates below). Create and build your idea on our amazing new startup platform called SlyngShot – use your @ucf.edu and our access code “unofceflge2023” to gain access – and share your idea with a unique URL you’ll get with each idea you create! You can further develop your ideas by scheduling a Blackstone LaunchPad mentor to refine your proposal.

 Key Dates 

• Info Session #1: Oct. 23rd, 12-1pm in the Blackstone LaunchPad
• Info Session #2: Oct. 24th, 4-5pm in the Blackstone LaunchPad
• Deadline: Oct. 30th, 11:59pm
• Finalists Announced: Nov. 6th
• Orientation: Nov. 7th, 3-4pm in the Blackstone LaunchPad
• Finals and Awards Reception: Nov. 14th, 3-5pm in BA1 135

 Judging Criteria 

1. Understanding the problem: Demonstrates an understanding of issues involved and uses data and examples to characterize the problem’s significance.
2. Target population: Clearly identifies, understands, and expresses empathy for the needs of the target population, and uses data and examples to engage others.
3. Proposed solution: Offers a solution that is innovative, practical, directly addresses the core problem, and shows potential for long-term success.
4. Expected Impact: Provides clear metrics or indicators of success and sets ambitious, but realistic, goals for impact.
5. Revenue and growth strategies: Identifies potential revenue sources and presents a clear and credible roadmap for launching and growing the initiative.
6. Founders: Offers interests, expertise, and emerging capabilities well-aligned to the problems, people, and solutions described.

 Event Flow 

• 3:00 - Introductions and Kickoff
• 3:15 – Presentations begin, 6 minutes to present and 4 minutes for Q&A
• 4:20 – Judges Deliberate, reception begins
• 4:40 – Winners announced, attendees applaud, pictures are taken!
• 5:00 – Reception concludes

 Prizes 

• 1st Place: $2,500
• 2nd Place: $1,500
• ️ 3rd Place: $1000

 How to Enter 

Enthusiastic competitors may complete an application by clicking the “Apply” button on this page, creating an account, and following the instructions on the application page. At any time during the application process, you may save your application and log back in to complete and submit your application.

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