The Dinner Choosers team is one of five finalists for the 2020 Koch Innovation Challenge.McKenzey Bell
Five student teams move on to final round of innovation competition
Dec. 9, 2019
By WSU Strategic Communications
Koch Innovation Challenge
The Koch Innovation Challenge, sponsored by Koch Industries, is an annual competition
that will support the WSU College of Engineering in fostering a culture of creativity,
innovation, entrepreneurship, and teamwork among students.
Five teams of Wichita State University students emerged as finalists in today’s (Friday,
Dec. 6) Koch Innovation Challenge.
The business pitch competition, sponsored by Koch Industries, is an annual competition
supporting the WSU College of Engineering in fostering a culture of creativity, innovation,
entrepreneurship and teamwork among students.
Cross-disciplinary teams of new freshmen and transfer students studying engineering,
art and design, business and other disciplines compete for funding and scholarships
to invent products and technologies via a freshman introductory course.
The teams moving on to the final round May 8 are:
Dinner Choosers -- A mobile app called Fork that allows users to vote on what’s for family dinner
tonight. Logan Bramble, mechanical engineering Isaiah Esau, computer science Marion Jackson, aerospace engineering
Lock Down-- A bicycle security device to prevent wheel theft. Wyatt Abell, industrial engineering Richard Oswalt, mechanical engineering Ethan Piland, computer science Madycen Ranney, biomedical engineering Chin Teng Tan, engineering technology
Securi-team-- A secure box to elude porch pirates. Boshra Althafir,engineering technology Taylor Cazabat, biomedical engineering Duncan Snook, applied computing Joshua Storm, engineering technology
The Collectors -- A way to quickly and easily collect Nerf Gun ammunition. Bailey Beck, media arts Yakelyn Gonzalez Rodriguez, computer science Monterrell Nelson, undecided engineering Octavio Nunez, computer engineering Alexander Olson, undecided engineering
Wire Installation -- A magnetic device to make pulling wires through walls easier. Braden Botkin, engineering technology Adam Brown, undecided engineering Christopher Lam, undecided engineering Nicholas Ridpath, applied computing
The final round in May will determine the overall champion team, which will be awarded
a travel grant to attend the National Collegiate Entrepreneurs' Organization Conference
and compete in the Global Pitch Competition in 2020.
In addition to the naming of the overall winning team, the People’s Choice Vote team
will be crowned. This team is selected by the community through an online voting portal
and receive an extra judge’s vote during the Grand Champion Competition.
