The eighth annual Presidential Innovation Challenge at Harvard University concluded with an ambitious display of innovative enterprises. Among the winning ideas—which ultimately took home some $410,000 in prize money on Wednesday evening—were a keyboard designed to prevent cyberbullying, a mug that doesn't tremble when your hands do, and a support network for tenants in deficient housing.
"There's no better time than now to nurture innovation," said Jodi Goldstein, executive director of Harvard Innovation Labs. "It's not just about innovative ideas but about supporting the people behind those ideas."
This year, Goldstein said, half the ventures in the competition were founded by people of color, and 54 percent by women. Made up of several different tracks—life sciences and social impact, among others—the competition is designed to launch startups into the world. Flotherm, a startup that developed a patented medical device to prevent hypothermia by maintaining safe body temperatures during surgery, has already completed a clinical trial at Stanford University. JustFix, the organization that empowers tenants, is operational in New York City.
"The people who want to change the world are people who want to keep moving," Harvard President Lawrence Bacow said during the ceremony.
Read about the winners below.
ReThink: A patented app designed to prevent cyberbullying. Working as a keyboard in your smartphone, it detects offensive messages and flags the user before she sends it.
JustFix: Supports tenants facing landlord harassment and neglected housing conditions. The app provides legal resources and information about building ownership across New York City. The founders hope to expand into other cities soon.
Kinnos: Developed an additive that turns disinfectants blue so healthcare workers can better see when cleaning and protect themselves and their patients. So far, it's been used in the Democratic Republic of Congo in areas affected by the Ebola virus.
Jamber: Run by a husband-and-wife team, this enterprise designed a mug maximized for comfort and durability.
Each track also awarded one runner-up. Here they are:
GC Therapeutics: Uses cell therapy to treat diseases like multiple sclerosis. "We are on our way to introduce it to the brain in the patients—successfully, hopefully," said one of the founders.
MDaas Global: Builds and operates diagnostic centers in Africa to provide access to healthcare. The enterprise currently has one center in Nigeria and will open four new ones across the continent in the coming months.
MyToolBox: Created a staffing and payments app for skilled blue-collar workers with the ultimate goal of reducing reliance on payday loans.
Sophya: Developed what its founders call "Spotify for online education"—a platform where students of the Internet can indicate what they want to learn, and crowdsourced behavioral analysis will provide them with appropriate videos and materials.
Harvard Innovation Labs also introduced a new category this year: The Ingenuity Award, whose three winners brought home a collective $10,000 in cash. The grand prize winner belongs to Christina Chang, who is working on methods of sustainable steel manufacturing.
