New Ideas for a New Carolina

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SC Business Review Radio show interview about New Ideas SC

Listen here to the founder of the New Ideas SC Business Idea contest, Bobby Pearce and his interview with Mike Switzer, host (and former New Ideas SC Grand Prize Winner) of the SCETV South Carolina Business Review radio program. Bobby Pearce, an attorney with Nelson Mullins and Chairman of the Board, Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce shares his perspective on where New Ideas SC began and how the contest works to promote innovation and new business growth in South Carolina.

Winners Announced

Henry Muhler Hay of North Charleston won the New Ideas SC Contest with his patent pending integral attachment system for windows and exterior doors called the “Storm Stud”, which is an affordable solution for hurricane or wind protection of windows and doors that starts with a simple addition to the frame during construction of the window or door. Once it is in place, the homeowner has a secure place to support whatever type of protection they want to install.

More than 300 South Carolina residents from 28 counties entered their new business idea in the New Ideas SC Contest. Winners were announced at the Small Business Innovation Summit in Charleston based on the idea’s viability, innovation/vision and profit/revenue potential.

As grand prizewinner, Mr. Hay will receive $5,000 of seed money for his business idea, a scholarship to a FastTrac® entrepreneurial training program and a Dream Team of Mentors to help him cultivate his idea for one year. Five first place prizes were also awarded in the categories of Bio-Science, Software/Information Technology, Engineering, Environmental Sustainability and the Wild Card. Each winner will receive $2,500 and a scholarship to FastTrac®. There were also five $1,000 honorable mention prizes distributed in each category. Winners and Honorable Mentions in each category include:

Bio-Science

• Winner: Richard Wenger, Greenville, SC - Device that would monitor your ‘verticality’ top detect abrupt changes in velocity and then notify by text message a caregiver down the hall or a center half way around the world. While a ‘panic’ button can be added, you can’t call for help if you’re unconscious.
• Honorable Mention: Ron Norris, Irma, SC - Sock-ON is a simple device used to assist cancer, lymphedema or any patients experiencing swelling of the arms or legs and is having difficulty putting on their compression garment(s).

Software/Information Technology

• Winner: Joe Dozier, Conway, SC - Website called "What is THIS?". It is a search engine that allows you to upload a photo and then it searches the web for the same or similar image. It is a search engine for quick and easy identification of plants, animals and objects.
• Honorable Mention: Barbara Iaquinto, Columbia, SC - Website for advanced social networking with a focus on the real-world pursuit of hobbies, lifestyle, entertainment, arts & culture simultaneously through just in time postings of events and activities from throughout the U.S. and beyond.

Engineering

• Winner: Henry Muhler Hay, North Charleston, SC - "Storm Stud" patent pending integral attachment system for windows and exterior doors.
• Honorable Mention: Andrew Streit, Lexington, SC - "UnderMate", a device for helping contractors move not only themselves but their materials without crawling and dragging on their hands and knees.

Environmental Sustainability

• Winner: Pearce Gilbert, Charleston, SC - Household glass grinder that will convert all the glass containers we use into sand to be recycled in yards or as a more efficient delivery method to your local municipality.
• Honorable Mention: Rusty Ashby, North Charleston, SC - Machine that compacts yard waste and other biomass products into a fire-log.

Wild Card Category

• Winner: Brian Bowers, Charleston, SC - "KEB-Lock" or the "Keyless Entry Bike Lock", automatic lock/unlock mechanism – point and press for bikes.
• Honorable Mention: Peter Hoffman, Greenville, SC - Rice based liquor, flavored with palmetto berries, packaged in pineapple shaped bottles that are made of indigo colored glass and protected by a basket of woven palmetto leaves with branding inspired by pirates and our crescent moon.

The New Ideas SC Content Begins!

Everyone Has A Dream or a Great Idea- What's Yours? Do you want to win $5000? Do you have a big idea for a business? Then share your ideas for a business that will stoke your fire, blow your mind and show your get-up-and-take-charge-of-my-dream spirit. Your idea could bring new jobs, new energy, new talents, new life and new wealth to South Carolina. Enter your idea from July 27, 2009 until September 21, 2009.

The winners will be announced at the Small Business Innovation Summit and Expo in Charleston on November 4, 2009. This year's contest awards the grand prize winner $5,000 of seed money for their business idea, a scholarship to the FastTrac® entrepreneurial training program of their choice, tickets to the Small Business Innovation Summit and a Dream Team of Mentors to help the winner cultivate their idea. Four first place prizes of $2500, a scholarship to FastTrac® and tickets to the ThinkTEC Innovation Summit will be distributed as well as five $1,000 honorable mention prizes. Also, the contest will feature once again, the People's Choice category where the residents of South Carolina will be able to vote for their favorite idea.

So what are you waiting for? Enter your idea by September 21st for a chance to win!

Winners Announced

The New Ideas SC statewide business idea contest announced the latest winners of the competition at the ThinkTEC Innovation Summit in Charleston held on February 11, 2009. The Grand Prize of $5,000 seed money, and access to a Dream Team of mentors to help cultivate the idea went to Mike Switzer from Richland County. Each category winner received $2,500 to cultivate their idea and runners-up in each category received $1,000. All category winners received a scholarship to the FastTrac® entrepreneurial training course of their choice (NewVenture™, GrowthVenture™ or TechVenture™). Winners and Runners-Up in each of our five categories were as follows:

Engineering

• Winner: Mike Switzer- Wall outlet for the new construction and replacement markets that eliminates wasted power usage. This idea was also our Grand Prize Winner as best new business idea.
• Runner Up: David Witter- Lower cost solar grade silicon for photovoltaic energy systems.

Software/Information Technology

• Winner: Vickie Waller- USOBE, Inc. (Ultimate Source of Boating Excursions), a website that offers search and find functions with ratings and availability of boat captains in the United States. www.USOBE.com
• Runner-Up: Ron Fulbright- EmA, a network appliance for seniors designed for email and photos only.

Bio-Science

• Winner: Michael S. Kitchen- Minimally invasive placement of orthopedic instrumentation with minimal damage to tissues and structures.
• Runner-Up: Robert J. Wolff- Clean2Touch, antimicrobial products for commercial use in public places.

Environmental Sustainability

• Winner: Andrew Epting- Palmetto Solar, a solar sail that utilizes the forces generated by photons to turn a turbine within a partial vacuum to produce clean and renewable electricity.
• Runner-Up: Dannie B. Hudson- A dual fuel homogenization system that reduces residual fuel consumption 2% to 5% and NO, SO2 and CO2 more than 90%.

Wildcard

• Winner: Bryan Bowers, Jr.- BikeBack, a small weatherproof GPS technology to track and retrieve a bicycle if it is stolen.
• Runner-Up: Ron Fulbright- 'Spockets', add pockets to any garment using a magnetic backing.

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