As reported in the last edition of the Engler College of Business Newsletter, Assistant Professor Jimmy Kim held a semester-long competition in his Entrepreneurship class. It involved a Shark Tank-like judging that incentivized his students to put their best foot–and ideas–forward.
“The Online Entrepreneurial Pitch Competition was a short social media-based event designed to engage the public and highlight the innovative work happening in our Entrepreneurship program,” Kim says. His social media campaign resulted in 100 votes, with one team–Rush Hour–getting 40 votes. The aptly named Rush Hour app offers commuters a secure parking garage and reservation system. The prize–an Apple Air Tag–was mostly symbolic, because the team took away bragging rights and the satisfaction of knowing they had developed a concept that wowed a sample of the general public.
“Their idea resonated strongly because it addresses a real problem many students face. The competition gave the College an opportunity to showcase student creativity while increasing awareness of our entrepreneurship initiatives. For the students, it was a great chance to reaffirm what they’ve been working on in class,” he continues.
Here is the students’ pitch:
Are you tired of the daily stress, wasted time, and late arrivals caused by impossible campus parking? College parking problems only worsen as enrollment grows. Introducing Rush Hour—a student-designed, multi-level secure parking garage and reservation system created by a dedicated West Texas A&M University team. Rush Hour aims to eliminate the daily stress of commuting through guaranteed parking reservations via the Rush Hour app. Students can choose flexible pay-as-you-go, weekly, or annual plans. The service also includes secure scooter access to help students get to class quickly and reliably. Rush Hour redefines campus mobility by offering both parking and transportation in one streamlined solution.
The event coincided with Global Entrepreneurship Week, an annual event led by the WT Enterprise Center. As they describe: “GEW is a movement that celebrates the empowerment of entrepreneurs in every country and community around the world—especially those who face structural barriers or may have never considered launching a startup.”
“While GEW has historically focused on local community entrepreneurs, this year the COB partnered with WTEC to connect our students more directly with the community,” Kim explains The top three teams from class (Rush Hour, Nomad, and Re-Store) were invited to pitch their ventures live to a public audience, who determined the winner.
“Similar to the online competition, Rush Hour stood out by identifying a relatable, everyday problem and clearly communicating how their innovative solution could make a meaningful difference,” he concludes. After all, parking is one of the most contentious things for students and faculty alike, and Rush Hour offers a solution for when demand exceeds supply.
Dr. Andrew Li, Williams Professor of Management and the Management Discipline Coordinator, concurs. “Students participated in a wide range of activities this semester, including guest lectures, a field trip to the WT Enterprise Center, an elevator pitch competition, and of course, the GEW competition. These activities greatly enriched their learning experience and increased their skills and knowledge beyond the information learned from the textbook and class lectures. Since most of these students choose this class because they major in Entrepreneurship and Small Business Management, I hope that the experience this semester will go a long way in helping them start a new business in the future.”