700 person turnout for the 2019 Innovation Expo on the UA Mall

University of Arizona’s McGuire Center for Entrepreneurship hosted its third McGuire Innovation Expo on February 14, 2019 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the UA Mall by the student union. The trade show included 23 booths showcasing cross-disciplinary student startup teams from the McGuire New Venture Development Program. The event was free and open to the public, and over 700 students and community members attended.

“The Innovation Expo is a great event for student teams to showcase their ventures to the public for the first time,” said McGuire Center for Entrepreneurship Interim Director Rick Yngve. “Our students in the New Venture Development Program have been working diligently over the past six months to develop their business venture from the ground up. The Innovation Expo is an exciting and interactive day on the UA Mall that you won’t want to miss!” 

This year, there were 4 awards given out: 

The Booth Appeal Award ($500) was given to Exakt Technologies for having the most creative and visually interesting booth. Exakt is driven to improve heart health by making health data more accurate and accessible to you and your health provider through the use of 3D-printed wearable technology.

The Communication and Fluency Award ($500) was given to Guided who was able to communicate their idea in the most effective way. Guided’s centralized platform is aimed to ease the higher education process by using a customizable university finder and guides for standardized testing, scholarships and financial aid. 

The Microsoft Social Innovation Award ($500) was given to FOND for effectively incorporating corporate social responsibility strategies into their venture and successfully explaining their company’s community and stakeholder impact. FOND is a sparkling mead company that crafts their mead with real American honey in an effort to support a healthy local bee population. Each bottle of FOND comes with a plantable seeded sticker that grows flowers favored by bees, butterflies, and other pollinators.

Finally, the Investor’s Choice Award ($500) is voted on by expo visitors using “McGuire Bucks,” which are distributed to students and community members. There were over 700 people that voted and ultimately chose Myka, a custom flavored vodka company that lets you choose the flavor, label, name, and experience of vodka.

Stay tuned for photos and videos from this year’s event!