Da Vinci Innovation Celebration

Date: November 6, 2019 | Great Hall and Auditorium

Presentations & Judging | 12:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Awards Ceremony | 3:45 PM

The UWF Center for Entrepreneurship is proud to present the Da Vinci Innovation Celebration, where UWF students can showcase their innovative ideas to fellow students, staff, and faculty for a chance to win their share of $10,000 in cash prizes. Community judges will determine the winning concepts.

Share your solutions in any way you choose. Items for a successful entry will include:

• Idea for a product or service
• Two to Three minute pitch to judges
• Poster, Handouts/Brochures, and/or Prototype (Note: Remote entries can be included, but you will have to supply your own power)
• Evidence of customer research will improve chances of winning!

Note: To prepare you for the event, coaching sessions will be available every Wednesday at 4:30pm in the Library's Idea Space (1st Floor). Gain advice from campus and community experts for both this event and entrepreneurship in general. These sessions are free and open to the public. Pizza and beverages will also be provided. 

Submit your application by October 24, 2019.

Here are some guidelines for participating in the Da Vinci Innovation Celebration:

1. Eligibility

Participants must be enrolled at UWF for the 2019 Fall Semester. Undergraduate and graduate students in any major are encouraged to apply.

2. Prizes

Prizes will be given to first through fourth place winners in the following categories:

• Clever Concept: Does this project push the boundaries? Is it clever? Does it have a high novelty quotation? Does it show genuine creativity? Does this project have a “buzz factor”? In guerilla marketing, the primary goal is to get people talking about the product, the all-important word-of-mouth. Is this the project that everyone can’t wait to tell their friends about when they leave the Commons? Could it be one of YouTube’s most watched?

• Artistic Appeal: Does the project have intrinsic merit based on its design elegance? In many fields beauty sells. Is this a highly appealing project?

• Targeted Market: Does the project address the specific needs of a very specific albeit small group of customers? Is there a focus and clarity to the project’s solution that has special merit? Does the solution dovetail smoothly into a pretty obvious value proposition. It’s not a billion dollar home run, but it’s a clean single.

• Commercial Potential: Does the project have the ability to attract investors? Is the market large? Is the idea likely to be commercially viable? Is the problem the project aims to solve big? Would you buy one? 

• Civic Engagement: Does the project have the potential to improve some aspect of our community? Does it streamline processes for services such as utilities and infrastructure in a city or government? Does it include an innovation or improvement to civic life? Does it generate new knowledge from civic data? Does it increase civic engagement through public participation and outreach?
  
  
• Social Entrepreneurship: Social enterprises seek to maximize profits while also maximizing benefits to society and the environment. These profits are principally used to fund social programs. The main difference between social entrepreneurial endeavors is these businesses focus beyond simply generating profit, by measuring performance on the positive impact the business makes on society--whether social, cultural or environmental.
  
  
• Dean's Choice: Each college will select its favorite entry.*

• People's Choice: Take a picture of your favorite innovation; post it on your Instagram story; write "UWF Da Vinci", and tag @uwfcob. Photos of people's favorite entries will be uploaded to the @uwfcob Instagram story.

Each category will award up to four winners:

• 1st Place = $1000
• 2nd Place = $300
• 3rd Place = $200
• 4th Place = $100

*Dean's choice winner from each college, as well as one interdisciplinary, will win $250. There will be 6 Dean's choice winners.

*People's choice winner will win $500. 

3. Judging Criteria

• PROBLEM: DID PROJECT IDENTIFY A NEED? WHY DOES IT EXIST?
  1. Need is clear
• SOLUTION: WHAT IS THE SOLUTION AND HOW CREDIBLE IS IT?
  1. Solution addresses problem
  2. Solution is innovative
• COMMUNICATION OF CONCEPTS: HOW WELL IS THE IDEA EXPLAINED?
  1. Delivery of problem and solution is clear
  2. Supplemental materials (demonstration, poster, mock-up or video) is compelling
• SUMMARY RATING: 
  1. Okay/Superior
  2. Entry could be “Best in Category”

4. Entry Terms

• Maximum of 4 participants per group.

• A table will be provided for your exhibit. For students presenting their idea in poster format, make sure to provide an easel, or create a poster that will stand on its own. Be as creative as you can so people will see your idea!

• You will need to do market research and gather feedback to aid your entrepreneurial venture.

• If the exhibit requires electrical power, the teams will be responsible for providing the extension cord(s). 

• There is no formal presentation time; this is an exhibition of concepts, so guests and judges will stop by your table to view your display. Students will only have 2-3 minutes to share their concept with the judges, so be prepared. 

• The Expo is from 12:00-3:00pm, with winners to be announced at approximately 4:30 pm. Teams may set up after 11:00am the day of the event, and must break down your display by no later than 6:00 pm.

• Be prepared to answer any questions you may be asked by judges or attendees. Handouts, brochures and/or fact sheets may be helpful. Prototypes are encouraged, if applicable.

• It is up to students to create your own means of collecting feedback from your audience. Make this a worthwhile investment of your time and energy. 

• Instructors will be advised of students’ participation for an excused absence, but participants must do assigned work.