ideaLabs

April 8, 2021 
Virtual event hosted by John Carroll University
Every year the EEC sponsors ideaLabs, an idea competition where undergraduate students from across the region compete for prizes and recognition as the champion. ideaLabs encourages all students, from all disciplines, to think about new venture ideas, apply the feasibility study methodology and answer the three key questions: Is there a market? Do the financials make sense? And what resources are necessary?
ideaLabs 2021
April 8 - 4pm (virtual)
Hosted by John Carroll University
Event Sponsor and Speaker
Mike Maczuzak, Founder &CEO
SmartShape Design
http://smartshape.design
​Prize Recipients
1st Place - $4,000
LEAF Solar Design
Evan Haug and team
Case Western Reserve University
We provide an automated design process for the expanding solar industry that replaces the current bottleneck of manual design that can take several days with a simple, integrated CAD plugin.
2nd Place - $2,500 
Food Rescue
Rita Lakhssassi and team
Case Western Reserve University
Our app allows food suppliers to list their excess food for pickup and for nonprofits to view these listings and schedule pickups resulting in more donations, larger tax deductions, and less time spent on food sourcing.
 4th Place - $500 
Hoppr​
Jonathan Sayre and team
Cleveland State University
A smart phone app that helps craft beer novices and veterans find and try out new craft beers by utilizing beer descriptions and the swiping method found on many popular dating sites.
3rd Place - $1,000 
College Cribz
Brett Clarke and team
​John Carroll University
College Cribz is a platform that gives college students a stress-free  one-stop-shop for all their off-campus housing needs including houses or apartments, furniture, and roommates. 
5th Place - $250 
Branch Light​
Jonathan Schroeder
Baldwin Wallace University
Branch Light is a modern alternative for house plant storage. With an integrated lamp and UV light, Branch Light can act as both a piece of furniture and plant care.
Honorable Mention Award Recipients
Bag Buddy $100
Evan Norris and team
John Carroll University
Bag Buddy is a motorized golf bag that uses GPS technology to follow golfers around the course helping both competitive and recreational players avoid fatigue or injuries from either pushing or carrying their bag. 
Cancer Cure Wigs $100
​Kaela McMullin
Hiram College
For cancer patients suffering from hair loss, Cancer Cure Wigs includes a cap underneath the wig that releases two new FDA approved drugs as a gel or oil to promote hair growth even during treatment.
GreenScape $100
Kailyn Ritenour
Ashland University
A landscaping app that offers tools for individuals to easily find plants that match their climate, to connect with local landscaping businesses, and to streamline the landscape design process.
JobNow $100
Conner Montgomery
Kent State University
​​JobNow is a cross-platform mobile and web application that supports the growing gig economy by connecting people seeking work to jobs. Users are never more than three clicks away from finding or posting a job.
U-Recruit $100
Hannah Riddle
Ashland University
Mostly geared toward future college athletes, my app assists with the college recruiting process using filters and questions to make sure students find the right fit.
Past winners