Purdue student solutions shine at Moonshot Pitch Challenge

The recent Moonshot Pitch Challenge at Purdue University showcased the innovative solutions proposed by four student teams, each of which won $5,500 for addressing global challenges. Organized by the Purdue Innovates Incubator, the event featured fifteen finalist teams who had the opportunity to pitch their ideas to judges within a two-minute time frame. The winning teams came up with solutions to tackle medical, battery, and business challenges.

The competition was open to active Purdue undergraduate and graduate students from all colleges, with over 50 teams submitting a two-minute video detailing the problem they aimed to solve and proposing their innovative solutions. Entries were categorized into three groups: Earth, Orbit, and Moonshot based on whether they focused on social challenges, business-to-business solutions, or aimed to solve seemingly impossible problems.

Doug Applegate, the Incubator associate director, emphasized the significance of the Moonshot Pitch Challenge in encouraging students to come up with bold and audacious solutions to global issues. He commended the participants for their commitment to addressing challenges that have far-reaching implications.

The first-place teams in each category received $1,500 each, while additional awards were presented for the Best Pitch and Crowd Favorite. Among the winners were SpheriLine in the Orbit category, which developed a redesigned central line to enhance patient comfort and reduce infection risks. Kelly Fulk and Maxwell Gootee, members of the winning team, expressed their appreciation for the financial support that would help them further develop their medical-grade SpheriLine prototype.

Mirri, the winner in the Earth category, aims to assist individuals with Type 1 diabetes by providing personalized insights and guidance for smarter insulin adjustments. The team members, Donald Kaplan and Greg Powers, explained that the funding would facilitate operational costs and the development of essential tools for launching Mirri. They credited the Moonshot Pitch Challenge for providing invaluable mentorship that enabled them to refine their pitch and strengthen their product vision.

In the Moonshot category, Biocell presented a biodegradable battery made from lignin and sugar water that offers a sustainable alternative to lithium and zinc cells. Sai Kasturi Kamila and Mayuka Valluri, the team behind Biocell, highlighted the flexibility that the funding would provide in exploring future research directions aligned with their mission and long-term vision.

Overall, the Moonshot Pitch Challenge at Purdue University proved to be a platform for nurturing creativity, innovation, and collaboration among students striving to address the complex global challenges of our time. Through their inventive solutions, the winning teams exemplified the spirit of resilience and determination in tackling pressing issues affecting society today.