2009 VIEW Elevator Pitch Results

The VIEW Elevator Pitch Competition was held on November 19, with 17 teams competing in two tracks—Innovative Ventures (7 teams) and Small Business (10 teams). Each team was allowed two minutes to pitch their idea to a team of judges:

• David Alexander, CEO of Ivus Industries
• Hank Artis, Vice President of Development of Idaho TechConnect
• Doug Davidson, Owner, ExSitement Optical
• John McCabe, Vice President of Wells Fargo Bank (Moscow)
   

During Round 1, each team presented their idea without any questions from the judges. After the first round of judging, the top two teams in each track presented their idea second time and the judges asked more detailed questions of the team members.

In the second round, R3 and Vandal Lanes emerged as the finalists in the Small Business Track and ReacPack and ReedWorks were the finalist in the Innovative Ventures Track. In this round the judges asked more detailed questions about the idea and then selected the winning team in each track.

Small Business Track
In the Small Business track, Vandal Lanes earned the first place cash award of $500. Vandal Lanes’ team members was Aaron Cruse, Marissa Duncan, Jim Rahlston and Carrie Youderian. The focus of Vandal Lanes is to provide a quality bowling experience at highly competitive rates, while keeping travel at a minimum. Along with this, we greatly emphasize the value of customer service as we will strive to meet the entertainment needs of both the college and family communities. Unlike similar entertainment venues in Pullman, Vandal Lanes will differ from competitors through the diverse services it will offer. In addition bowling, there will be other forms of entertainment including a miniature golf course, a go-cart track, laser tag, and a full service dining center. Having such a center in Moscow, which offers an array of activities at affordable prices, makes Vandal Lanes a viable business venture.

Runner up was R3 and received a $150 cash award. R3 team members were: Toni Broyles, Tasha Thomas, Nancy Webster and John Abraham (all EMBA students). R3 table wine service allows you to refill, recycle, wine bottles for engaged eco-friendly, funky, frugal adults by reducing, reusing and recycling many cases per day. R3 will provide an opportunity to recycle glass in locations without glass recycling programs; therefore, incorporating green thinking while providing excellent customer service in the wine industry.

Innovative Ventures Track
In the Innovative Ventures Track, Reed Works emerged as the first place winner and received a cash prize of $500. The team members were James Bartholomew, Jeston Delvan and Amy Hansford. The “Clarinet Reed Blank” machine was developed for instrument reed consumers, providing a convenient, reliable, and customizable means of producing clarinet reeds (along with other instrumental reeds having design specifications in order to maximize utility and increase market share), while remaining cost effective. The manufacturing of this product brings an automated and mechanized method of producing the reeds with a minimal defect rate, high standard of quality, and opportunity to modify style through customizability. The design for this product will be done in-house, while the production will most likely be subcontracted or outsourced, with emphasis on targeted advertizing such that the target consumers will be reached with a minimal cost to the firm.

ReacPak was the second place winner in the Innovative Ventures Track. The team members were Marc Boisvert, Robert Myers, Tyler Martin, Brandon Newland, Jordan Houpt and Jesse Jessup. It is widely known that women are often targeted when walking in the dark. The problem varies from our current social scene of college, to women commuting after dark. We offer a device called the ReacPack to improve the safety of any walker. Our product is designed to help insure the safety of anyone walking in the dark who is worried about being attacked. Our device attaches to any bag that you carry. With a remote close by, anyone who feels like they may be assaulted can push a button on the remote activating the device, emitting an extremely high pitch siren and flashing an extremely bright light deterring the assailant, allowing the potential victim to get to a safe location. The device would point behind the owner to minimize the effect and attract anyone nearby to come and help the person who activates the device.