College Park, Md. -- The 2018 AgI2C Undergraduate Ideation Competition officially began in November 2017 and now a total of 10 teams comprised of 33 students, primarily from the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources but with strong participation from Engineering, the Smith School of Business, Public Policy and CMNS, are moving forward.
Teams now enter the final competition phase, and will prepare a business pitch presentation to be delivered to a panel of judges on February 27 in 2204 Edward St. John Building. The competition is open to the public. Students will present innovative concepts that promote agriculture, natural resources and/or environmental sustainability and address a unique issue or opportunity in the marketplace.
Dean Craig Beyrouty launched the AgI2C initiative shortly after joining the college in 2016, with the goal of helping students lead through innovation and creativity, as well as teaching them the process of taking their idea from incubation to the marketplace. The 2018 competition will culminate on February 27 and the chance to compete for $5,500 in prize money.
The final ten teams are:
Feia Smoothies and Juices - Sustainable and trendy smoothie and juice shop using "ugly" produce
Wasted Spices - Use discarded fruits and vegetables as a spice blend
Urban Herbs - Mason jar hydroponic kitchen herb garden kits
Local Landscapes - Restoration landscaping for profit and the environment
Fergie: Algae Fertilizer - Using turf scruber algae byproduct as a fertilizer
Clever Cucurbits - Automated hydroponic system for optimizing urban curcurbit production
ARC (Artful Rainwater Cisterns) - Above ground rainwater cisterns that have light, sculpture, and plant components
New Eden BLLC - An ecological design firm that creates truly sustainable and resilient living spaces
Healing Walls - Portable green wall with sustainable irrigation system encouraging patient recovery
Flora Filter - Inexpensive and portable water filtration and food production system
