Wichita State ‘InnovateHER’ competition to feature woman-centered innovations

A Wichita State University entrepreneurial support organization is on the lookout for woman-centered innovation ideas.

WSU Ventures is seeking Kansas entrepreneurs, inventors and researchers of any gender with technologies that have the potential to improve the lives of women for a chance at cash prizes in a national competition, according to a news release.

The university organization will host a Kansas InnovateHER competition Nov. 13 that will serve as a canvas for new ideas. WSU Ventures is looking for “innovators with products and services that have a measurable impact on the lives of women and families, have a high potential for commercialization, fill a need in the marketplace and have a commercialization time line of less than 18 months,” according to the release.

The deadline to submit an application for the competition is Oct. 27. The winning technology will advance to a national competition, sponsored by the Small Business Administration and Microsoft, for a chance at up to $70,000 in cash, the release states.

WSU Ventures will select 10 finalists to pitch their ideas to a panel of local judges on Nov. 13 with the winner moving on to participate in the National InnovateHER semifinal round. Local finalists will also be eligible for assistance through WSU Ventures and the Center for Entrepreneurship at WSU, according to the release.

Those interested in applying are asked to visit wsuventures.org/for-entrepreneurs/innovateher.

WSU Ventures assists university faculty, staff and students in applying and commercializing ideas, intellectual properties and talents in ways that benefit the university community, industry and the public, according to WSU.

This story was originally published October 7, 2015 at 2:06 PM with the headline "Wichita State ‘InnovateHER’ competition to feature woman-centered innovations."