Groups of students with ideas for ergonomic dishcloths, custom microphone stands and gluten-free pulse snack bars are all finalists in the Wilson Centre for Entrepreneurial Excellence's i3 Idea Challenge.The challenge is designed to provide upcoming entrepreneurs with the chance to build a business. The event is hosted by the Wilson Centre – an educational institution at the U of S promoting innovation and entrepreneurship – and sponsored by Enterprise Saskatchewan, KPMG Enterprises, and the Saskatchewan Ministry of Advanced Education, Employment and Immigration.
The finalists come from across campus, including the Colleges of Kinesiology, Agriculture and Bioresources, Engineering, Arts and Science, and the Edwards School of Business.
The top 11 teams will pitch their ideas live to the panel of judges on May 10 at the i3 Idea Challenge Finale where the top three winners will walk away with over $80,000 in cash and start-up services to launch their businesses
This year's top 11 finalists are:
- Farm Lead Resources: A platform that allows for more proficient communication and connection between buyers and sellers of agricultural products.
- Garage Escapes: A garage community focused towards those who love their prized vehicles and need a special place to keep then
- Gicki: A user-friendly all-in-one marketing platform for small business owners
- Glovely Cleaning Solutions: A company that is bringing a new ergonomic dishcloth (CDN and U.S. Patent Pending) to the market to increase the efficiency of washing dishes
- Konan Koalition: A non-profit organization designed to mitigate unnecessary pain and suffering in animals that cannot access veterinary treatment because of financial constraints facing their owners.
- Pawsitive Solutions: A service providing "Doggy Daycare" in Southeast Saskatoon
- Pulse+:Â A nutritional snack bar that comes from simple ingredients produced by Canadian farmers.
- Renterra: A land rental auction website that offers tenders for land sanctioned by landowners which can then be bid on by prospective farmers.
- Saskatoon Book: A used book exchange where students can buy and sell books without ever having to meet in person.
- Soldier Stands: A line of high quality, unique, customized microphone stands.
- Independence: A private transportation company specializing in the safe and preâ€paid transport of seniors and disabled people.