Katherine Olives
This year's startup cohort is made up of incredibly unique ideas, but all 28 teams have one thing in common–they're attempting to disrupt the status quo and change the world for the better. Each team will develop an innovative product or service that will change the way certain industries, or communities, operate. So they'll not only need to focus on their businesses, but they'll need to learn how to portray themselves as leaders of innovation. Who better to learn from than leaders of innovation at Google, Standard Chartered Bank and Impact Hub NYC? Last week, our Zahntrepreneurs visited these organizations to participate in workshops and learn from experts who have positioned themselves as innovators in their fields.
On Thursday, the teams competing for the Kaylie Connected Hardware Prize visited Google to learn how their products can play a role in the “Internet of Things” sphere. Some teams, like Applied Motions, are developing technology that will gather important data. Experts at Google helped Applied Motions determine how to make this data easily accessible and beneficial. Other teams, like UpWalk and Migo, will introduce smart hardware to low-tech fields. UpWalk, a smart walker, will transform the way the elderly move; and Migo is a smart closet that allows you to dry clean your clothes at home in under ten minutes. The workshop at Google helped them better understand how to introduce their products and compete with existing technology.
The next day, teams competing for the Zahn Social Impact Prize met social entrepreneurs at Impact Hub NYC. They had a chance to explore the coworking spaces there and learn what services an organization like Impact Hub provides to its members. Afterwards, teams pitched their ideas and were given feedback. For Handy NYC, a team with the dual mission of bringing 3D-printed prosthetics to the developing world while also teaching STEM to local students, this exercise was incredibly helpful.
During the same time, teams competing for both the Zahn Technology and Standard Chartered Women + Tech4NYC prizes visited Standard Chartered Bank for a business development workshop and pitch practice. Experts taught teams what a business plan will look like at a later stage in their development, and teams worked on their SWOT analyses. After a quick tour, teams broke out into groups and pitched their ideas to individual mentors. They also got a chance to pitch to other teams in their cohort, something that is becoming increasingly the norm around our centers. Our teams love giving each other feedback, and getting feedback from experts. Gleam, Proxie (previously Share) and Frip (previously Sensei) pitched to Standard Chartered's Global Head of Public Affairs and Sustainability, Vasuki Shastry.
We owe a big thank you to Google, Standard Chartered and Impact Hub NYC for hosting us last week and sharing their knowledge with us. For pictures from these site visits, check out our Instagram!