ANN ARBOR – Students at the University of Michigan received $51,000 in grants from the Samuel Zell & Robert H. Lurie Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies/Center for Venture Capital & Private Equity Finance as part of the Fall 2008 Eugene Applebaum Dare to Dream Grant Program, where students apply for funding to advance their business concepts to launch.
In addition to the financial awards, grant recipients will
receive counsel from leading business experts on business plan development
and funding strategies.
“The innovation and industries represented by this year’s Dare to Dream
student teams reflect the unique, research-rich environment the University
offers to aspiring entrepreneurs,” stated Tom Kinnear, executive director
of the Samuel Zell & Robert H. Lurie Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies.
“Participating in the competition itself is a fantastic learning experience
for our students. They are forced to evaluate market potential for their
ideas, develop a business case and conduct due diligence. Then, selected
teams benefit not only from the financing but they also gain access to
business experts and venture capital leaders to determine next steps in the
development of their business concepts.”
Grants are administered at three funding levels: opportunity grants at
$500, assessment grants at $1,500, and up to $10,000 for design grants. The
following student teams received grants in October 2008:
Integration Grants ($5,000 — 10,000 each)
Barn Wake Park — indoor wakeboarding facility
dusoto — online resource for youth travelers to discover nightlife
around the world
GIDEON — CAD software that enables and accelerates nanotechnology R&D
i2 — online service for custom home improvement design and instruction
information on a modest budget
Assessment Grants ($1,500 each)
Cook for Cure — low-iodine meals for thyroid cancer patients preparing
to receive radio-active iodine therapy
Elder Tree — online money management solution that enables families to
manage finances for an elderly family member
enDep — technology integrator for a Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle
(PHEV) powertrain that provides increased fuel efficiency, reduced
driving costs, reduced vehicle emissions and a reduced reliance on
foreign oil to high net-worth Toyota Prius owners
Fontis Biotechnologies — manufacturer of NovaPatch to deliver drugs
directly through the skin
Genuinely Organic — organic beauty products that are environmentally,
socially and economically sustainable, and at least 95 percent organic
and USDA certified
GHG Capital Partners — sources, builds, and operates landfill gas
projects that deliver high quality carbon credits to aggregators,
financial institutions and end-users through the voluntary markets
Magnetic Ventures — magnetically assisted artificial joint, which is
low cost, long lasting and reduces the likelihood of revision surgery,
to patients who require total joint replacement
ReLive — sales and distribution infrastructure for live recordings to
small and mid-sized performance venues and organizations
Residential Energy — professional energy efficiency (EE) retrofit
solution for residential customers
Design Grants ($500 each)
Brain Sense — customized service to functionalize neural probes for
sensing neurochemicals in the brain
Buerre d’ Karite — organic shea butter
Dental Film Carriers — dental film carriers to capture set of x-rays
Draught Resist — genetically modified grass to prevent susceptibility
to draughts
Enertia — new micro-gyroscope design method, fabrication and vacuum-
packaging technologies
Fantasy Sports Junkie — customized analytical models to allow users to
select players
Hanyu High School — online Chinese classes for high schools
MHEAL — surgical lamp that utilizes building power with a backup to
prevent frequent grid outages
Play Safe — high efficiency electrical generator attached to
playground equipment to create renewable electricity
Real Time Fatigue — micro-sensors that measure fatigue in airplane
Wings
Remodeling Coach and Crib — certified remodeling coaches to assist
homeowners with renovations
SalesinSight — infrared sensing devices capable of signaling to stores
which marketing tools appealed to consumers
Structured Microsystems — integrates silicon and glass into a single,
standard-sized wafer
Track Africa — RFID tags with medical information to help clinics
improve medical records
Vitro Graft — in-vitro skin grafts
The Dare to Dream program, a hallmark of the Zell Lurie Institute, has
been aiding student-run high growth business concepts since 2002. The
program distributes up to $100,000 per academic year to Ross School of
Business students. The program benefits students, as well as the local and
university community, by stimulating entrepreneurial efforts and starting
new businesses.
About the Samuel Zell & Robert H. Lurie Institute for Entrepreneurial
Studies / Center for Venture Capital & Private Equity Finance
For more information, click on Zil.Bux.Umich.Edu
a>>
