edited by Nikola Tzenov
Six student teams from McDaniel College will compete for a $5,000 top prize during the college’s 10th annual Innovation and Entrepreneurship Challenge on Tuesday, April 28.
The event begins at 7 p.m. in Naganna Forum at Roj Student Center on campus and is free and open to the public. It will also be streamed live by the Community Media Center of Carroll County.
Students enrolled in the college’s Entrepreneurship course, taught by adjunct lecturer Jonathan Pernell, will present business ideas and innovative products to a panel of judges. In addition to the top prize, a $1,000 People’s Choice award will be presented.
The competing teams and their concepts include:
- ChillPods, a solar-powered cooling system designed to protect outdoor workers from extreme heat.
- Field Flow, autonomous robots that collect balls for sports practices to improve efficiency.
- PreppedAI, an AI-powered meal prep platform focused on personalized nutrition and weight loss.
- PupConnect, a smart harness that monitors canine stress levels using biometric sensors.
- Silent Shield, a modular smartphone case designed to block camera and microphone access for privacy.
- SpotShare, a crowd-powered parking platform aimed at reducing congestion through real-time data.
Winners will be selected by a panel of judges with experience in entrepreneurship and technology, including venture development executive Graham Dodge, investor and McDaniel alumnus Greg Merril, and nonprofit leader Kim Samuelson.
Kathleen Pratt, a lecturer in economics and business administration at McDaniel, will serve as master of ceremonies. Each student team has also worked with an alumni mentor to refine their ideas ahead of the competition.
The challenge is organized by McDaniel’s Economics and Business Administration Department and is part of the college’s Program in Innovation and Entrepreneurship, which offers students hands-on opportunities to develop business and leadership skills.
The event will take place at McDaniel College, 2 College Hill, Westminster.
