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Tech students compete for over $20K in scholarships at Shark Tank-style ‘Eagle Works’ competition
From left: Tech students Porter Davison, Addison Dorris, and Riley Bishop pose alongside
Eagle Works manager Andrea Kruszka with their $10,000 first place scholarship prize
for their board game concept "Sunshine Empire." Photo credit: Ryan Hall
Students at Tennessee Tech University pitched their business ideas and competed for
more than $20,000 in scholarship prizes at the annual Eagle Works Innovation and Entrepreneurship
Competition.
The Shark Tank-style event featured ten individual or group student competitors who
presented before a panel of five judges. Each student developed a business concept,
created a trade show display, delivered a presentation and answered questions from
the judges, who then determined the winners.
Andrea Kruszka, Eagle Works manager and assistant director of Tech’s Center for Rural
Innovation, praised the creativity and work ethic of the competitors.
“We had strong teams this year and almost all of them took advantage of the resources
available to help them succeed, whether it was closely following the advice in our
emails, attending workshops, meeting with Eagle Works staff or working directly with
faculty,” said Kruszka.
First place, a $10,000 scholarship prize and the $500 “crowd favorite” award were
given to "Sunshine Empire," a board game designed by Tech College of Business students
Julia Duncan, Porter Davison, Jacy Butler, Addison Dorris and Riley Bishop.
Davidson said the game seeks to make agriculture engaging and accessible to a new
generation of Tennesseans.
“Children are quite frankly unaware of what goes into farming or agriculture and financial
literacy courses are only optional until the high school level of education,” added
Davidson.
Dorris said the game will introduce “communication, critical thinking skills and strategic
decision making to children all across America,” while Bishop added that the game
emphasizes teamwork.
Second place and a $5,000 scholarship were given to Stephen Holmes, a mechanical engineering
major from Rutherford County. His eponymous device aims to offer a solution to employee
back pain, something he personally experienced while working at a local grocery store.
Tech student Stephen Holmes is pictured with his $5,000 second place scholarship prize
alongside Michael Aikens, director of Tech's Center for Rural Innovation (left) and
Andrea Kruszka, assistant director of the Center for Rural Innovation and Eagle Works
Manager (right). Photo credit: Ryan Hall.
Holmes’ invention attaches to bagging systems in grocery stores, raising or lowering
the bags’ height so that those bagging groceries can do so without placing strain
on their backs.
Third place and a $2,500 scholarship were awarded to Vivekanand Naikwadi, an international
mechanical engineering Ph.D. student, for the “PregaBelt.” According to Naikwadi,
an estimated 3,000 pregnancies are lost due to car crashes each year. His device offers
a harness-like replacement for the traditional seatbelt which he hopes will protect
expectant parents’ safety in vehicles.
Leah Brandon, an interdisciplinary studies major from Maury County, received the Rural
Reimagined Award and a $1,500 scholarship prize for “Farmer’s Friend,” a subscription
service that aims to connect people with local farmers and fresh food. The Rural Reimagined
Award is given each year to the business concept with the greatest potential to impact
Tennessee’s rural communities.
Left photo: Tech student Vivekanand Naikwadi is pictured alongside Eagle Works manager
Andrea Kruszka with his third place $2,500 scholarship prize for "PregaBelt." Right
photo: Tech student Leah Brandon is pictured with her $1,500 scholarship prize for
"Farmer's Friend." Photo credit: Ryan Hall.
Emily Armstrong, a marketing and business and information technology data analytics
major from Putnam County, received the Entrepreneurial Spirit Award with a $500 scholarship
for the "S n' S," a transportable shelf made from antimicrobial plastic and nano-suction
technology that users can attach to bathroom walls as a reusable beverage holder.
The Clouse-Elrod Foundation, a sponsoring partner for Eagle Works, presented three
awards, each for $600. Sunshine Empire won the Virgie Elrod Clouse Creativity Award
while Adam Butler, an electrical engineering major from Lincoln County, won the Robert
O. Clouse Innovation award for "Eclipse Hydroponics," which seeks to use the power
of artificial intelligence to simplify year-round plant growth.
Tech business students Gabriel Vasconcelos, Alexis Galves, Julian Fuss and Nikolas
Schlosser received the Dr. Wil Clouse Maverick Award for their app-based creation,
“OneCoupon.” The concept provides a one-stop shop for coupons and features an influencer-based
marketing strategy.
“We’re incredibly proud of all who competed and looking forward to seeing who moves
forward with their project!” said Kruszka.
For more information on the annual Eagle Works competition visit https://www.tntech.edu/innovation/eagleworks/.
