Imagine that you have an idea that could change the way a
part of the world or the world as a whole functions – perhaps it is a customizable
electric longboard or a device that gamifys Nanoengineering (just two of the
ideas percolating at the Jacobs School of Engineering at UC San Diego). Now
imagine you were given the chance to explain your idea to a panel of judges in
just 60 seconds – could you do it?
As a function of “
The
Basement” at UC San Diego – a campus-wide enterprise operated by Alumni
& Community Engagement and dedicated to UC San Diego’s entrepreneurial
community – students across all disciplines were given the opportunity to do
just that at the Moxie Center Pitchfest, which takes place every quarter. “No
sign-ups, no requirements,” the quarterly event signage boasts.
As you can imagine, the Jacobs School is a breeding ground
for new ideas that can easily translate into a business pitch. We reached out
to a few of the engineers that gave a pitch at last quarter’s event:
Josh Cohen, Bioengineering,
2015
 |
| Josh Cohen |
“Together, my partner Aditya Bansal and I founded Trainio, and we are currently developing the
SpeedTrain device,” said Cohen.
“This is the first device to give individual athletes and
coaches of all levels the ability to intelligently improve their speed/agility
and train smarter.
“The SpeedTrain device features easy to set-up wireless
sensors that go on the track/field/training surface and connect with your
smartphone to effortlessly record, track, and analyze your speeds in a variety
of agility and sprinting exercises.
“Furthermore, the SpeedTrain app provides feedback and
training suggestions custom to your sport(s) and your training results to
provide you with the best possible competitive advantage.
“In recent years, new technology and the capabilities of
smartphones combined with the Internet of Things has revolutionized many
industries, but athletic training cannot yet be included in that list. Our goal
at Trainio is to use this new technology to develop better athletic training
solutions for athletes and coaches of all sports and across all levels of those
sports.
"I would encourage anyone interested in athletic technology
to please join or email list and/or contact us for more info at http://trainio.net/ .”
Cohen took home the judge’s choice award ($100) for his business
pitch.
Carl Demolder, Mechanical Engineering, 2017
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| Carl Demolder |
“Slithr Electric Vehicles is developing customizable
electric longboards for urban commuters, tech enthusiasts, and action sport
junkies,” said Demolder.
“With our adaptable module, our unit can fit on any
longboard or skateboard deck allowing users to customize their vehicle to match
the rider’s height, weight, and skill level. We offer a 13 mile range through
our drive hub motors and low friction Shark Wheels that gives our electric
longboard a non-intrusive design. To control the speed and acceleration of our
2000 Watt vehicle, users have the option of using a wireless hardware
controller, a smartphone app, or the Myo Armband.
“In the future, I see Slithr Electric Vehicles expanding
from electric longboards into other unique vehicles for urban commuters such as
skates, decks, and cycles. We have been researching 4-phase motors
and fluoride batteries, and we hope we can advance our
research to the point where we can
integrate this technology into vehicles for
urban commuters.”
www.slithrboards.com
Demolder, who is CEO & Head Engineer at Slithr
Electric Vehicles, took home the audience choice award ($50) for his business
pitch. Outside of building his company, Demolder has interned with
Advanced Projects Research, Inc. and tutored
math students.
Steven
McCloskey, Nanoengineering, 2015
 |
| Steven McCloskey interacting in a virtual atomic environment |
“My idea is to take simulations of atomic
systems into virtual reality using new Head Mounted Displays – the displays
provide a hands on approach to learning about the fundamental forces in our
universe by allowing the players to build atoms,” said McCloskey. “They also
create a fully immersive 3D modeling environment for building atomic structures
including crystal structures, chemicals, and biological systems. We are
currently using Oculus Rifts.
“We are gamifying the entire process of
becoming a Nanoengineer to make Nanoengineering more accessible to millions of
people around the world. As the player progresses through the game, each
achievement/level-up instructs the player in tangible Nanoengineering skills as
they interact with simulated atoms. At the end of the game, players unlock a
sandbox mode where they can freely build and simulate atomic systems, as well
as design materials-dependent 3D printable files.
“In 5-10 years, I see millions of players
developing new nanotechnologies using our software, collaborating in virtual
spaces and self-organized groups. The software represents a decentralized,
crowd-sourced approach to space exploration and the enrichment of our life on
Earth.
“Our project website is www.volvox.co – be aware, we still need to
update and refine it.”
Ryan Hill, Computer
Engineering, 2017
 |
| Ryan Hill |
“I'm working with Joseph Le (Computer Science,) Mike Shi
(Math/CS,) and Thomas Chang (Human Computer Interaction), and our idea focuses
on providing a platform that allows users to explore the world and share their
adventures via a Google map-like interface that results in a photo/video map of
the world,” said Hill.
“We want you to see breaking news, historical wonders, local
celebrations and much more, all through the eyes of those who are there to
experience them live.
“The concept is brand new, and we are only a recent admit to
The Basement, so it's hard to tell exactly where my team and I will end up.
However, I know our entrepreneurial spirit will push us to continue working,
even if the idea doesn't. We've talked to a few large venture capitalist firms in the bay area, and the idea really found traction with two of them."
In addition to his involvement with The Basement, Hill
currently serves as an officer for the Triton Engineering Student Council and
as Professional Development Chair for the
Computer
Science and Engineering Society.
Stay tuned for more as we keep up with these engineering
entrepreneurs!
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Founded in summer 2014, Divergent Engineering began as an Arduino microcontroller workshop for six students before eventually becoming an incubator and community for students of all majors to pitch ideas and work on projects, as well as a self-funded UC San Diego student organization.
