TEDCO’s Maryland Innovation Initiative (MII) program collaborated with Frostburg State University and Deloitte to create the inaugural Bobcat Innovation Launch Pad.
This unique competition brought 70 students together to brainstorm, innovate and pitch technology-based solutions to real-world problems relating to distributed energy resources, virtual power plants, climate change and Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) factors.
After two days of brainstorming, the event structure morphed, becoming akin to a pitch competition where each team pitched their solution to a panel of judges.
The top three pitches, Black Dimond, De-Lite and Deep Thinkers, left the competitions with funding to further explore and develop their proposed solutions. Black Diamond won first place and a $2,500 award, De-Lite was the runner-up and took home $1,500 and Deep Thinkers were third and won $1,000.
To submit photos for a future Business Album, email Assistant Editor Sean Wallace at [email protected].Devereaux Milburn, left, of Deloitte, chats with Michael Flinn, a professor and department chair at Frostburg State University, at the event. (Photo courtesy of TEDCO)Nathan Thompson, center, a Frostburg State University student, makes his pitch as Valery Gutierez, left, administrative coordinator with the Maryland Innovation Initiative at TEDCO, and Michael Flinn, a professor and department chair at Frostburg State University, listen. (Photo courtesy of Eagle Lens Media)Courage Tikum, a Frostburg State University student, chats with others at the event. (Photo courtesy of TEDCO)From left, Troy LeMaile-Stovall, the CEO of TEDCO; Stacey Wassell, director of the Remote Work Center at Frostburg State University; Timothy Pelesky, chief information officer at Frostburg State University; and Jennifer Walsh, associate vice president at Frostburg State University, judge the entries during the event. (Photo courtesy of TEDCO)From left, Troy LeMaile-Stovall, the CEO of TEDCO; Stacey Wassell, director of the Remote Work Center at Frostburg State University; Timothy Pelesky, chief information officer at Frostburg State University; and Jennifer Walsh, associate vice president at Frostburg State University, listens to the pitches from the college students during the event. (Photo courtesy of TEDCO)From left, Devereaux Milburn, of Deloitte; Arti Santhanam, formerly of TEDCO/MII; Al Delia, vice president for regional development and engagement at Frostburg State University; Troy LeMaile-Stovall, CEO of TEDCO; Bobcat Innovation Launchpad Participants Aiden Hemling, Shelby Sanders, Annie Martz, Noah Schlager and Laurence Andrews, from the De-Lite team; Everyme, an industry mentor; and Michael Flinn, a professor and department chair at Frostburg State University, celebrated De-Lite’s second-place finish and $1,500 award. (Photo courtesy of TEDCO)From left, Devereaux Milburn, of Deloitte; Arti Santhanam, formerly of TEDCO/MII; Al Delia, vice president for regional development and engagement at Frostburg State University; Troy LeMaile-Stovall, CEO of TEDCO; Bobcat Innovation Launchpad Participants Ryan Myers, Fernando Vasquez-Carino and Ire Maboudou from the Deep Thinkers team; Andrea, an industry mentor; and and Michael Flinn, a professor and department chair at Frostburg State University, celebrated the Deep Thinkers’ third-place finish and $1,000 award. (Photo courtesy of TEDCO)From left, Devereaux Milburn, of Deloitte; Arti Santhanam, formerly from TEDCO/MII; Al Delia, vice president for regional development and engagement at Frostburg State University; Troy LeMaile-Stovall, CEO of TEDCO; Bobcat Innovation Launchpad Participants Robert Knottsill, Zaniah Kwaw, Courage Tikum, Melvin Weeks and Stephen Springsteel of the Black Diamond team; Hassan, industry mentor; and Michael Flinn, a professor and department chair at Frostburg State University, celebrated Black Diamond’s victory at the event and the $2,500 first prize. (Photo courtesy of TEDCO)
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