Science Spark 3K Pitch Competition presented by BAM
Welcome to the Science Spark 3K Pitch Competition presented by Bioscience Association Manitoba (BAM) and hosted by the Science Innovation Hub at UM Faculty of Science. This competition is your opportunity to pitch your ideas to researchers and industry experts.
Join us on April 8th, 1:00 p.m. at Marshall McLuhan Hall as 9 teams of science students of all levels pitch their innovative ideas and compete for a chance to win a $3,000 cash prize!
On this page
2024 competition teams
Here is a list of 2024 projects and the teams working on them.
Addressing invisible threats: Applications of microbial DNA to prevent waterborne outbreaks
Jocelyn Zambrano-Alvarado
Conductive Battery Binder
Team members:
- Mariam Odetallah
- Angela Mai
- Gamaliel Azariah
Immobilized enzymes for novel flow reactors
Team members:
- Randi Roy
- Harman Gill
GradFinder
Team members:
- Devon Bath
- Mohamed Naim Ben Younes
- Ilyas Dawoodjee
SyphiStat: A Glucose Based Rapid Syphilis Test
Team members:
- Ian Kruk
- Laura Los
PLAnet Zero: A Bio-Based Device for the Degradation of Polylactic Acid Plastic
Team members:
- Jessica Marinelli
- Anotidaishe Chimutsa
- Rudra Patel
- Oyinkansola Oyateru
- Kevin Lim
Boob-y Trap: Capturing Microplastics in Breast Milk
Team members:
- Karthika Babu
- Snigdda Sharma
- Rabia Shuaib
- Tiana Steeves
Sats Capital
Saulo Quinteiro dos Santos
The Power of Electrical Current: Disease Detection in Newborns
Shubhneet Thind
Competition details
The Science Spark 3K Pitch Competition presented by BAM recognizes and inspires innovation and entrepreneurship in Science. The competition is open to any undergraduate student, graduate student, or postdoctoral fellow in the Faculty of Science (or any team up to 5 members) who has an idea, innovation, invention or technology to pitch and who has undertaken entrepreneurial or commercialization activities or plans to do so in future.
Students must submit an application to be eligible to pitch at the Science Spark 3K Pitch Competition presented by BAM.
Pitch training, coaching and mentorship will be offered by the Science Innovation Hub to all selected applicants to help support and prepare you for the pitch competition.
If you do not have a commercialization or entrepreneurship plan, but you do have an idea, innovation, invention or technology, we will support you in developing some commercialization or entrepreneurship plans for your pitch.
Application details
Applications for the Science Spark 3K Pitch Competition presented by BAM are now closed.
Eligibility and evaluation
Eligibility
The pitch competition is open to all current undergraduate and graduate students as well as postdoctoral fellows in the Faculty of Science who have an idea, invention, or technology to pitch and who have undertaken or plan to undertake entrepreneurial or commercialization activities. If you are a recent science graduate student (within 6 months of defending your thesis), you are eligible to apply.
Applicants may be individuals or teams of up to five members. The primary applicant and presenter have to be from the Faculty of Science. The prize will be distributed equally to all registered team members. All team members need to be registered on the application form.
At least one member must be a Faculty of Science student or postdoctoral fellow and that team member must:
- be the primary applicant and
- have contributed substantially to the idea or entrepreneurial activities and not merely be a spokesperson.
I don't have a business plan. Can I still apply?
Yes! You do not need to have a business or even a comprehensive business plan to apply. Research and development activities are considered as entrepreneurial and commercialization activities if they are undertaken to advance the technology readiness or commercial feasibility of your idea, technology, or invention.
My innovation, invention or discovery is part of a research project. Can I still apply?
If the idea, innovation, invention, or technology submitted is the result of a collaborative research project or PI-driven project, the student applying needs to be a significant contributing factor in the idea, innovation, invention, or technology and/or to entrepreneurial and commercialization plans surrounding it, and not just a spokesperson.
My innovation, invention or discovery is not part of a research project. Can I still apply?
If you are a current undergraduate or graduate student in Faculty of Science or a current postdoctoral fellow in Faculty of Science you are eligible to apply, even if your idea, innovation, or invention is not the result of a scientific research project and your commercialization plans do not involve scientific research and development.
My idea, invention, or technology was the result of team effort or collaboration. Can I still apply?
Teams of up to five members may apply provided:
- The primary applicant is a current undergraduate or graduate student or postdoc in Faculty of Science
- A current undergraduate student, graduate student or postdoc in Faculty of Science has contributed to the idea or entrepreneurial activities substantially and is not merely a spokesperson
However, this question is best addressed on a case by case and individual basis.
Please contact Christa Kruck to determine if your idea is eligible for this competition.
Evaluation
Applications to the Science Spark 3K Pitch Competition presented by BAM will be evaluated by a selection committee and selected applications will be invited to pitch at the Science Innovation Showcase.
Applicants will be notified whether they will be invited to participate in the pitch competition.
The pitch competition will be judged by external judges and the top prize will go to the individual or team with the highest score.
Past competitions
2023 Science Spark Pitch Competition presented by Thompson Dorfman Sweatman, TDS Law
On April 27, 2023, 11 students pitched their innovative ideas and technologies as they competed for a $3,000 cash prize. Thank you to all our amazing presenters!
Congratulations to our winner, Daniel Heschuk, and the team of Laura Los, Ian Kruk, and Shayna Giesbrecht, our audience choice winners.
2023 sponsors
Contact us
-
Christa Kruck
Business Development Officer
237 Machray Hall
Christa.Kruck@umanitoba.ca
204-474-7520 -
Daniel Heschuk
Program Development Specialist
Daniel.Heschuk@umanitoba.ca -
Ryan Sestric
Research Grant Facilitator
563 Machray Hall
Ryan.Sestric@umanitoba.ca
204-474-8207