A portable shower, a recycling service and combining a bakery with a smoothie shop were just a few of the ideas presented at the Next Bright Idea competition Thursday at The Loft, 414 Michigan Ave., in Lansing.
The first competition of its kind in the Lansing area, Next Bright Idea was started by the Lansing Economic Area Partnership, or LEAP, to foster and reward smart and innovative thinking and ideas aimed at making the world a better place.
The competition was open to any student enrolled in a Lansing area higher education institution, and also was meant to show students that Lansing area is committed to cultivating a culture and spirit of creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship.
“The idea behind this is to encourage that entrepreneurial spirit in the Lansing area,” LEAP President Denyse Ferguson said. “The intention is to repeat this at the collegiate level and host other competitions at the high school and middle school level. I would really love to have 150 to 200 applicants for the next Bright Idea competition.”
The Next Bright Idea competition was launched in December and of those who entered, the top 10 ideas were chosen as finalists through an online voting process that drew about 10,000 voters. Contestants explained their ideas in a three-minute presentation in front of a panel of judges.
Finance senior Adam Root took first place and the $5,000 prize with his winning idea for a Web-based grocery delivery service, and said he has worked on the project since April.
“We were trying to find a business we could start in school,” Root said. “We did surveys in the dorms and focus groups to help get us started.”
The surprise of the evening came when a second-place winner was unexpectedly announced — fisheries and wildlife senior Chip Kosloski — for his idea The Timshel Project, a Lansing urban ecosystem study. Kosloski received $2,000 for his project.
“I have a passion for both urban areas and nature. I saw a disconnect between the two. With my idea, we can connect people to nature that’s right in their backyard,” he said. “It’s to foster an appreciation for those ecosystems in the Lansing area.”
The event featured guest speaker Michael Simmons, an entrepreneur who started a Web development company when he was 16 and has given 80 presentations this year on entrepreneurship at universities nationwide.
“In our presentations, we bring in entrepreneurs and business people 30-years-old and under,” Simmons said. “They’re really close to the students in age which gives students confidence to start their own ideas. Entrepreneurship is one of the best ways to create wealth, make a difference and to have a lifestyle you want,”
For now, Root said he will work on pushing his business idea further and will work on generating more money for the grocery delivery system.
“Getting this influx and resources is a big thing for us,” Root said. “I just hope we can see it grow.”
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