Research Foundation News

February 22, 2018

Competition at Purdue is offering cash prizes for innovative solutions in the education market

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – SDI Innovations of Lafayette is partnering with the Purdue Foundry and Discovery Park at Purdue University to sponsor a competition looking for innovative solutions in the education market.

The edupitch™ competition is offering more than $13,000 in cash and gift-in-kind prizes to teams and individuals from the Midwest as well as a chance to establish new connections with investors and other entrepreneurs.

“At SDI Innovations, we believe that new, impactful ideas and concepts can come from anyone,” said Ty Martorano, a product development specialist at SDI Innovations. “Our goal for the edupitch competition is to provide not only a platform that will allow and encourage these ideas to be shared, but the resources and experience to develop and implement them. The solution does not have to be complex or high-tech. It just has to be innovative and applicable.”

Entrepreneurs can enter their original solutions, ranging from early development to finished products. The competition is open to anyone who has a passion for entrepreneurship or education.

Sign up for the competition is free on pitchedu.com. The deadline to enter is March 1. The online entries must include a one-page summary of the idea, solution or product. Judges will review the entries and select finalists to present their ideas on April 14 at 3 p.m. at Discovery Park’s Burton D. Morgan Center for Entrepreneurship at Purdue. There will be a networking session prior to the presentations, at 2 p.m.

“This competition is a great opportunity for anyone who is passionate about education and the innovations that can be made in education. Chances to break into a market with a new idea, product or solution can be hard to come by. We plan to provide a base on which that solution can be built,” Martorano said. “Whether the concept is just an idea that has been in the back of their head for years, or a finished product that is ready to sell, edupitch is a unique opportunity where either of those ideas can succeed.”

The event is sponsored by The National Group, Paradigm Health and Wellness, DelMar Software Development, MatchBOX, the Purdue Railyard, Heath CPA and Associates, and Look.

For more information, visit www.pitchedu.com, email ty@sdiinnovations.com  or call the SDI Innovations office at 800-705-7526.

About SDI Innovations

SDI Innovations is the parent company of School Datebooks, Ag Printers, Eventlink and other brands. In the 33 years since its founding, SDI Innovations has grown into a leading company across several markets, with products in 12,000 schools across the United States and 21 other countries.

About Purdue Foundry

The Purdue Foundry is an entrepreneurship and commercialization accelerator in Discovery Park's Burton D. Morgan Center for Entrepreneurship whose professionals help Purdue innovators create startups. Managed by the Purdue Research Foundation, the Purdue Foundry was co-named a top recipient at the 2016 Innovation and Economic Prosperity Universities Designation and Awards Program by the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities for its work in entrepreneurship. For more information about funding and investment opportunities in startups based on a Purdue innovation, contact the Purdue Foundry at foundry@prf.org.

Purdue Research Foundation contact: Tom Coyne, 765-588-1044, tjcoyne@prf.org 

Source:
Ty Martorano, ty@schooldatebooks.com 


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