In the glow of the floor-to-ceiling ballistic blue foam pyramid at the Ryerson Sandbox DMZ, the Mako Student Innovation Award contestants excitedly discuss each other’s presentations. They await the decision of the eight judges who have been sequestered behind an adjacent glass door. The contestants discuss anything from force-sensing medical products to post #MeToo artificial intelligence trauma software. Behind the dazzling glass facade of the newly constructed Ryerson Student Centre, the Sandbox is the community arm to the DMZ – North America’s leading business incubator, and is an open and collaborative space that provides access to creative, digital and entrepreneurial skills and opportunities to students and the community. The participants are competing for the $10,500 Mako Student New Innovation Award. An award designed to help the winning team to take their inventions from the prototype stage to market-ready products. “The Student New Innovation Award is designed to nurture the creators and purposeful thinkers behind new product innovations,” says Kevin Mako, CEO of Mako Design. “It provides the necessary tools and the right strategic guidance to help prepare these young individuals to become the successful inventors and new innovators that will positively transform our society.” The prize money represents a significant and meaningful prize to the contestants. By their nature, start-ups are forced to operate on a shoestring budget, and these teams of contestants are no exception. As a student award, at least one team member must be part of the Ryerson Zone network and in good academic standing. The teams are not only staffed by students but also PhDs, engineers and scientists. “These presentations were something I would expect from full-on start-ups,” says Kevin Mako. “It’s impressive”.

The 2018 new innovation award entries:

• Medical Diagnostic Imaging Device For Smart Phones
• Force-sensing Medical Suturing Device
• Multi-tenant, Electric Vehicle Charging Management System
• Psychoacoustic, AI Driven, Mental Health App
• Online Marketplace to Rent and Lend Clothing
• Online Size and Style Suggestion Software for Women (Size 12 – 32)
• Post #MeToo Artificial Intelligence Trauma Software

The Winner!:

Shinny Yang & Leon Nsengiyumva of  Odessu.co – Online Size and Style Suggestion Software For Women! Congratulations to Shinny and Leon, we look forward to following you as you continue to grow your new innovation. Are you a member of a student team that has a invention idea? Start preparing your prototypes and business plans for the 2019 Mako Student Innovation Award.

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