Cincinnati Innovates wrapped up its four-month online competition by recognizing eight winners in at an Awards ceremony Friday night at the Contemporary Arts Center in downtown Cincinnati.
The winners, listed below, share $50,000 in prizes with the top prize of $20,000 going to Michael Bergman of LPK, who entered a test-prep Facebook application called Numbskull 2.0.
Numbskull 2.0 allows students to quiz themselves using provided questions or creating their own from class notes. It also allows classmates to create a league where they create and share quizzes customized to their classes and compete against each other.
Bergman was among 273 people who completed online entry forms for the contest - the entrants ranged from 12-year-old Natalie Brady of Milford to 90-year-old Logan Dreibelbis of Cincinnati. The competition was open to anyone with an idea or an invention who has a connection to the 15-county Greater Cincinnati region. Ninety percent of entrants were from Southwest Ohio.
"The best innovations come from the most unexpected places," says Elizabeth Edwards, a venture capital investor at Neyer Holdings, which launched the competition with its partners, law firm Taft Stettinius & Hollister, and public-private venture capital firm CincyTech.
Public interest in the competition exceeded expectations, with more than 65,000 votes cast for the HYPE! Community Choice Award, a $2,000 prize for Ryan Eder of Liberty Township for his fitness system for those in wheelchairs.
"At the heart of Cincinnati Innovates is the belief that our region is a great place for innovation, and this competition proved that belief to be reality," said James Zimmerman, a partner at Taft Stettinius & Hollister. "From biotechnology and the Internet to consumer products, medical devices and green technology, the range of innovation has been amazing."
Bob Coy, president of CincyTech, says the competition helps spur local entrepreneurial activity, which then spurs economic growth. "According to the U.S. Census Bureau and the Kauffman Foundation, startup companies accounted for all net new job growth in the U.S. between 1981-2008," he said. "This competition is aimed at helping to launch the next startup companies."
The Award Winners with their innovations and prizes:
Commercialization Awards sponsored by CincyTech:
First Prize, $20,000: Michael Bergman, of Mariemont, "Numbskull 2.0"
Second Prize, $10,000: Daniel Stull, of Hyde Park, "Venturepax - Families in Motion"
Third Prize, $5,000: Noel Gauthier, of Norwood, "FireStop"
Patent Awards (pro bono legal services sponsored by Taft, Stettinius & Hollister):
First Prize, $10,000: Jason Heikenfeld, of Newtown, Electrofluidic Displays
Second Prize, $2,500: Dan Clifton, of Monfort Heights, Ox Handcuffs
Third Prize, $1,000: Phil Gettinger/Amro Kamel, both of Covington, the Ulcer Scale
Student Innovator Award: $1,000:
Winner: Patrick Yovanov, of Clifton Heights, Central Line Catheter
Sponsors of the contest included CincyTech,The Haile Foundation, Taft Stettinius & Hollister, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, C-Cap, Hamilton County Business Center, Queen City Angels, Neyer Holdings, HYPE Cincinnati, BIOSTART, Northern Kentucky e-Zone, Soapbox Media, and the Greater Cincinnati Venture Association.
Photography by Scott Beseler
Phil Gettinger
Natalie Brady
CAC hosts Cincinnati Innovates
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