VSU Seeks Innovative Students for Statewide Invention Competition

VALDOSTA — Valdosta State University’s Harley Langdale Jr. College of Business Administration is seeking students to participate in the inaugural Georgia InVenture Prize Competition, a statewide invention contest presented by the Georgia Chamber of Commerce.

Participating students will work as a team to develop and present an invention that will be judged by experts in late Spring 2019. The competition will feature teams from various Georgia colleges and universities and will culminate with finalists presenting their work to judges and audience members during a live televised event.

The Georgia InVenture Prize Competition is modeled after the Georgia Institute of Technology’s popular InVenture Prize competition, which brings together Georgia Tech student innovators from all academic backgrounds to foster creativity, invention, and entrepreneurship.

All full-time undergraduate students at VSU are eligible to participate in the Georgia InVenture Prize Competition, regardless of major or entrepreneurial experience.

The contest will act as an entrepreneurial incubator, allowing students to not only collaborate on inventions of any kind but also build a business plan based on that invention.

“Deep in the pines of South Georgia at Valdosta State University, entrepreneurship acts as the economic and social engine of change,” said Dr. Matthew Kolakowski, associate professor of management and healthcare administration, who will guide the VSU team alongside Jeffrie Shipley, computer services specialist and faculty advisor for VSU Enactus. “To ignite this engine of change, we call on VSU students from all colleges and majors to join the Georgia InVenture Prize Competition to turn your entrepreneurial aspirations into reality.”

Throughout the contest, students will have access to all the resources they need to start a business, including expert coaching and mentoring, peer networking, lessons on product development and business models, shared office space and equipment on the third floor of the Health Sciences and Business Administration Building, and more. 

Participating students will meet on various Fridays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in HSBA 3050, located on VSU’s North Campus. The first meeting will be held Friday, Nov. 2.

The Georgia Chamber of Commerce is presenting the Georgia InVenture Prize Competition in partnership with the Georgia Department of Education, University System of Georgia, Technical College System of Georgia, Georgia Institute of Technology, and private colleges across the state. The purpose of the initiative is to highlight Georgia’s innovation ecosystem and student entrepreneurs, enhance entrepreneurial culture, and strengthen Georgia’s pipeline of inventors and start-up companies.

Contact Dr. Matthew Kolakowski at mjkolakowski@valdosta.edu or Jeffrie Shipley at jkshiple@valdosta.edu to learn more.