As I keep tabs on startup activity throughout Boston’s various college campuses, the continuous stream of new ventures never ceases to amaze me. Every time I think I have a good grasp on the latest and coolest companies starting at each school, a whole new crop comes onto my radar.
Take Boston University, for instance. In a matter of months, the startups I came across when I first started are already well on their way to gaining traction. And now look at the latest round of BU innovators who recently impressed judges at a startup challenge hosted by the school’s eClub.
QuickOut
Securing first place at this latest BU pitch contest was QuickOut. With Black Friday on the horizon, this app is even more relevant, as it’s aimed to make the checkout process less painful. The student team is hoping to expedite the payment process for shoppers to make for more enjoyable customer experiences at stores. And now that QuickOut has $1,500 in prize money in the bank, it can get going with building up the app.
HeatFinder
In second place was HeatFinder, an app focused on letting college kids do what they do best: Have a good time. The app will help students pinpoint the most popular places for going out, hopefully preventing their nights from being a wash and guaranteeing maximum fun.
Bolts
Then, coming in third, was a startup focused on making a difference in the world - from two perspectives. Bolts is a venture that would offer lower income families the chance to utilize solar panels. On the one hand, this service would cut costs by reducing these people’s utilities. And at the same time, advocating wider use of solar energy would be easier on the environment.
Proximity and Bundle
Time for some honorable mentions that are just as intriguing as the rest. Proximity is another app and, as the name implies, it’s all about keeping interactions local. It will be connecting people who are within a specific radius from one another. And, lastly, there’s Bundle, which appears to be tapping into one of the newest desires out of food delivery services. Users will be able to have fresh - that’s the operative word here - food brought to their doors.
Image via BU eClub.
