By Marcela Berrios, Hannah Storm Journalism Intern
Two years ago, a group of Notre Dame students developed an idea for a window that can switch back and forth from clear to dark. Since then, the idea has blossomed from a business plan to an award-winning technology. The inventors’ most recent success was winning the $10,000 top prize at the inaugural “Indiana Collegiate Idol,” a statewide business competition.
Team SolarShade – made up of ND seniors Will McLeod and Danielle Truskowski, junior Ryan Tatzel and Michael Stacey ’07 – emerged triumphant over 15 other collegiate entries last November in Indianapolis.
And that wasn’t the first competition the young entrepreneurs have won. In 2007, they won the McCloskey Business Plan Competition sponsored by the Gigot Center for Entrepreneurial Studies in the Mendoza College of Business. After that win, they received a $14,500 grant from the National Collegiate Inventors and Innovators Alliance.
According to team member McLeod, those funds, as well as the winnings from “Collegiate Idol,” will be used to further develop the patent for the window technology.
Modeled after the popular “American Idol” TV show, “Collegiate Idol” is a new state-sponsored competition aimed at bringing new business ideas to Indiana. Members of the audience consist of possible investors, venture capitalists and fellow entrepreneurs.
