Idea-2-Product - How To Participate

Here is how you can participate in the 2008-2009 competition (closed)

Step 1. Select a team and develop your idea/product or environmental service, and notify us.
Student teams (made up of graduate, undergraduate, or a combination) will develop a service, process, or product that addresses a particular problem related to environmental sustainability. Examples include new ways to use wastes or by-products, products that can reduce the release of pollutants into the environment, new products that replace more toxic ones currently in use, a service that benefits the environment and society/communities, or a combination of these. It is important that the ideas and designs originate from one or more of the team's members.

Student teams will be self-assembled. We encourage teams to recruit students from science, engineering, management, communication, and social science backgrounds. Teams will need to assign ownership for the intellectual property produced and should determine how prize money or profits should be distributed among team members. For guidance on developing intellectual property, see the EEI Web site. Teams will also need to identify a faculty mentor who is willing to provide input. If you would like assistance in finding faculty mentors, contact Brent Ladd (laddb@purdue.edu) or Lesley Oliver (loliver@purdue.edu ).


Step 2. Submit a Notice of Intent by December 12, 2008
Teams who wish to move forward in the competition must submit a Notice of Intent that includes the following information: Team members- list names, phone numbers, emails, and majors or programs of study, status (undergraduate or graduate) for all team members Faculty mentor- provide the name, department, phone number, and email for your faculty mentor.

Include signatures of all members and the faculty mentor.

Problem and product- Describe in a few sentences your product or service and the environmental issue it will address. Notices should not be more than one page and should be submitted to laddb@purdue.edu or to Cindy Taylor in room 301 of the Exponent building by 4:00 p.m. on December 12, 2008.

An itemized budget for product development or testing (if any).

Indicate where space is available for product development. If space is provided by someone other than the team's mentor, please include a signed or emailed statement from them indicating their approval of space usage.

Step 3. Develop Feasibility Plan and submit by February 11, 2009
See the link on our EEI Web page for Feasibility Plan Guidelines for more information. Skill sessions covering important issues related to entrepreneurship and technology commercialization will be held throughout the year. Information presented at these sessions will be helpful to the groups as you put together your plans and presentations. A schedule of these sessions can be found on the Competition Schedule page within the EEI web. We strongly encourage you to have at least one member of your team attend these sessions. Examples and advice can be found on the Web site.

EE-I2P Teams should follow the guidelines below (included in the feasibility plan):

• Identify and describe how your team’s idea (a service, process, technology, or product) helps to solve or prevent an environment problem, and how you will minimize any "unintended environmental consequences"* of implementing your idea. Additionally describe any clear social, or economic benefits.
• Clearly describe the service, process, technology, or product and its current status (are there similar existing concepts?).
• Identify and describe your target audience.
• Identify opportunities for developing your idea for use by the target audience.
• Demonstrate the completion of an initial prior search to insure your team’s new service or product does not infringe on other protected Intellectual Property (IP).
• Identify the potential to protect your team’s intellectual property (IP) embodied in the services or products your team intends to create. (both traditional IP pathways, and alternative creative commons and open source pathways are all encouraged)
• Identify any barriers to delivering or marketing the service, process, technology, or product.
• **Partnership with a local, national or international non-profit organization.

*unintended consequences refers to not solving one problem while creating more problems in its place. Life-cyle analysis is helpful in this regard.
* * this final criterion is not required for competition in the local EE-I2P, however it is required for competing at the National I2P event should your team qualify (typically the top award team is nominated for the National competition).

Step 4. Final Team Selection Announced by February 16, 2009
A panel of judges will review all feasibility plans and select up to six teams to participate in the final competition on (TBD) where they will make presentations to a panel of judges. See Competition Presentation Guidelines on the Web site for more information.

Final Plan. February 20, 2009 [if necessary, submit a final feasibility plan should changes be necessary to your draft feasibility plan]

Step 5. Competition held March 7 at Purdue University, Pfendler Hall, Dean's Auditorium (download schedule)
Teams will give 10 minute presentations followed by 15 minutes for Q&A by a judges panel. Awards up to $10,000 across all teams will be awarded to the best environmental service and product concepts. In addition, one team will be selected to participate at the 2009 National I2P™ Competition at Purdue University!

For more information, please contact Brent Ladd or Linda Lee with the Center for the Environment at laddb@purdue.edu or 494-5146.