High performance bicycle wheels, wearable tech that warns of heart attacks and an app that lets you find – and pay – for your parking space are the winners of the New Venture Institute at Flinders University’s 2015 Business Plan Competition.
The three category winners received their prizes from Professor Phyllis Tharenou at a special New Venture Showcase Event on December 7 attended by guests that included some of Adelaide’s leading business figures and most creative innovators.
Professor Tharenou is Executive Dean of the Faculty of Social and Behavioural Science and Interim Dean of Flinders Business School, which has been a partner in the competition with the NVI for the past two years.
As well as a cash prize to put towards startup costs, the winners will receive support from advisory firm BDO.
The Venture Showcase was also an opportunity for the NVI to thank its business and support network after a year in which it supported local entrepreneurs through key initiatives including its Venture Dorm powered by Mega program.
Through engaging students with business at Flinders Enterprise Consulting, to offering co-working with a difference through eNVIsion, NVI also helped a wide range of start-ups develop their business ideas and connect with key stakeholders to take their concepts to the next level in 2015.
Past participants of the Venture Dorm powered by Mega program and students involved in consulting projects were also invited to the event, with Abbie Allen from Lifestyle Elements Concierge Service delivering a special presentation.
After founding Lifestyle Elements Concierge Service in 2004 at the age of 23, Ms Allen went on to receive international recognition as a leader within the personal concierge industry and was a finalist in the 2012 SA Telstra Business Women of the Year Awards.
Special guests at the event included:
- Nick Begakis, Chair of the New Venture Institute Advisory Council,
- Stephen Hains, Deputy Chancellor of Flinders University and member of the New Venture Institute Advisory Council
- John Hood, member of the New Venture Institute Advisory Council
- Kishen Vijayadass, Partner at event sponsors BDO
Business Plan Winners:
Undergraduate category winner: Finch Composites – Ben Tripodi and Brodie Syrus. Their product was high-performance carbon fibre disc-brake cycling wheels for enthusiast and professional cyclists.
Staff and Postgraduate Students at Flinders category winner: Remotele – Toms Berzins. Remotele is a software platform for medical wearables, designed to detect heart attacks before they happen by employing predictive algorithms.
Alumni of the New Venture Institute category winner: Park List – Melanie Miller, John Wang, Sarmad Al-Kufiash and Sebastian Roldan. Park Mate is an app that provides three major functions: a parking information search engine, a mobile payment system and a car park advertising platform.