College students win cash for ideas

Governor’s Cup awards $30,000

at Ouachita Baptist University were the big winners Thursday at the Arkansas Governor’s Cup competition, taking home $30,000 in cash. The four-member team developed a company focused on early detection of diabetes.

Three University of Arkansas students won the graduate division and a $30,000 cash prize for their efforts to control the spread of farm chemicals.

The business plan competition is celebrating its 20th year and announced the 2020 winners through a live video stream, switching from its traditional annual luncheon to adjust for the covid-19 pandemic.

Gov. Asa Hutchinson, in a recorded message, noted the 38 teams and 92 student participants this year demonstrated that Arkansas will continue as a “creative hub for technology on the global stage.”

Four seniors at Ouachita Baptist swept the undergraduate division with their plan for Immunosense, which focuses on early detection of Type 1 diabetes. The team also outlined a proposal to transition the effort to include diabetes prevention.

Dr. Blake Johnson, the team’s sponsor, said the Governor’s Cup competition allows students to use key business practices to take abstract concepts developed in the classroom and outline strategies to create real consumer products.

“Ultimately, this unique approach to problem solving fuels their excitement for entrepreneurship and, in turn, challenges them to think as entrepreneurs while they look to create value in their individual pursuits,” Johnson said.

Team members are Arkansas natives Olivia Brown of North Little Rock, Savannah Edwards of Searcy and Brandon Matros of Arkadelphia. They were joined by Sheldon McCown of Nacogdoches, Texas.

The Fayetteville graduate team, CelluDot, proposed a biopolymer technology to control the unintentional spread, or drifting, of pesticides and herbicides. Biopolymers are produced from living organisms. The team included Joseph BattaMpouma, Gurshagan Kandhola and Jaymin Patel.

The Governor’s Cup, presented by Arkansas Capital Corp. of Little Rock, is a rigorous competition that encourages student entrepreneurs by teaching them how to build a business plan and develop strategies to raise funds and bring a product to market.

“This is our 20th year of hosting this event, and we couldn’t be more proud of the profound impact it has had on entrepreneurial-focused education in Arkansas over that time,” said Rush Deacon, CEO of Arkansas Capital. “Courses and even degree programs have blossomed across the state at the collegiate level over the years, but we’ve also seen a meaningful curriculum focus on entrepreneurship at the high school, middle school, and even elementary school levels.”

In its history, the competition has drawn 887 teams and 2,842 students. Cash prizes awarded are $2.5 million.