Cincinnati Innovates Contest Lives Up to Its Name with More Than 120 Ideas Submitted to Date

If you're looking for Greater Cincinnati's creative class, hop on over to the ongoing Cincinnati Innovates contest where more than 120 people have submitted a wide variety of innovative concepts for businesses, products and nonprofits.

Cincinnati Innovates 2010 is offering Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky entrepreneurs and inventors more chances at start-up prize money this year, with more than $80,000 in awards.

The second annual competition is open to anyone now or originally from the 15-county area of Cincinnati, Northern Kentucky and Southeast Indiana. It has a broad reach and can include innovative products, devices, business processes and more.  The top prize of $25,000 is sponsored by CincyTech.

This year's competition ups the stakes and opportunities for innovators. There are several new prize categories including a $5,000 web development award sponsored by CoStrategix, a $10,000 award in branding and design services from LPK, and a $10,000 commercialization award to a Kentucky-based company sponsored by The Northern Kentucky eZone, Tri-Ed, Vision 2015, and  Biologic.

Have an idea to add? You can submit them through Sept. 1. Winners of a total of 10 prizes - including a community choice award picked by online voters - will be announced September 22 at the Cincinnati National Underground Railroad Freedom Center. Entries will be judged by investors and other industry experts from a wide variety of backgrounds.

So far about 124 entries have been submitted, said Cincinnati Innovates founder and organizer Elizabeth Edwards.

"This is just a bit less than we saw this time last year, but the quality is much better this year.  I think after seeing the caliber of last year's winners, people now know the level of quality the judges are looking for," Edwards said.

Following is just a sampling of this year's ideas in the entrants own words. You can browse through them all and vote for your favorite at the Cincinnati Innovates website.

FRE Snowboarder Protection System: "Fre is a protective system for beginner snowboarders to rent from mountain resorts. This concept uses high-impact, smart materials in areas prone to injury, which are flexible to the touch and harden upon sudden impact. The key areas of protection are the hips, spine and wrists. Combining this with performance textiles creates a protective system in the otherwise male-dominated market of snowboard gear [and] keeps riders both safe and comfortable."

Complete composting portable restroom: "Complete's waste tank is located beneath the floor of the restroom instead of under a bench-style seat. This opens up more room within the restroom, resulting in a more comfortable user experience. Sawdust is dumped into the tank after each use of the restroom. The sawdust primes the waste for composting and minimizes odor within the restroom. Periodically, the waste and sawdust are pumped out of the tank and transported to a municipal composting facility. At the composting facility, the waste can be processed and will eventually yield healthy, sterile, fertile planting soil."

Doggie Discrimination: "a heart-breaking phenomenon has swept through rescue shelters across the nation; it has been labeled the "Black Dog Syndrome." Unfortunately, a fur color bias has been identified in shelter adoptions - meaning that dark colored dogs, especially large black dogs, seem to be the last to be adopted and the first to be euthanized. My idea is to spread the word about the "Black Dog Syndrome". I would like to organize a "Black Dog Walk" for the community, where current owners and local shelters can come out and show off their black beauties!"

Digital Menus: "My device would basically eliminate the middle man (server) and would directly send over the order to the computer screens in the back by the cooks. All the restaurants are going to need is a few food runners to get the food and drinks to the tables. This menu will also have facilities like refills buttons, or a customer assistance button, in case of additional service assistance."

Ergonomic Crutch: "A pateted shock absorption technology device is seamlessly incorporated in the support leg to absorb the weight of the patient and reduce exertion, resulting in decreased impact stress on the supporting shoulders as well as reduced weight load on the injured leg. The end result is a much more comfortable and expedited recovery process and a cost savings of millions of dollars annually to the healthcare providers and insurance companies."

Writer: Feoshia Henderson
Source: Elizabeth Edwards, Cincinnati Innovates founder

You can follow Feoshia on twitter @feoshiasoapbox