The Georgia Institute of Technology does $1.2B+ in research expenditures every year and is one of the top research universities in the world. The research develops several world-class technologies, from new machine learning algorithms to better batteries. Earlier this month CREATE-X, in conjunction with Georgia Tech, hosted the $1B+ IP Startup Hackathon where students figured out how they could leverage these technologies to launch viable, scalable and sustainable startups.

During the virtual event, student teams worked rapidly and collaboratively to propose one or more applications for Georgia Tech research patents and produce five-minute videos about the applications. More than 100 students across 18 different majors participated in the competition.

The hackathon consisted of two tracks, Materials Science and Engineering (MSE) and General Intellectual Property (IP), and the winning team in each track received a cash prize of $5,000. The second and third place teams received $3,000 and $2,000, respectively within each track. In addition, the winning teams will go through a fast-tracked selection process for a spot in CREATE-X Startup Launch.

The students were judged on the magnitude of their problem, marketability, innovation, viability and delivery of their pitch. Winning teams included:

First Place

Team: SafeLock
Team Members: Rahul O Narayanan (Computer Science), Sri Ranganathan Palaniappan (Computer Science)
Track: General IP
Idea: The team presented the idea for ViOSSafe, a simple solution that enables app developers to precisely identify sections of unlicensed OSS code using the novel Georgia Tech IP, OSSPolice. Larger analytical data from ViOSSafe can be securely shared with colleagues using the complementary mobile app, ViOSSafe Viewer, powered by the IP, Secure QR.
Video: https://youtu.be/67IrAt-XlsM

Team: Gradbies
Team Members: Troy Batugal (Biomedical Engineering), Joseph Boone (Industrial and Systems Engineering), Narayan Shirolkar (Materials Science and Engineering)
Track: MSE
Idea: The team presented the idea to produce low-cost Polyacrylonitrile (PAN)/cellulose nanocrystal (CNC)/lignin composite fiber precursors to make high strength carbon fibers while reducing fiber manufacturing cost by 23% for automotive applications.
Video: https://youtu.be/-s-qP115KYU

Second Place

Team: Inferno
Team Members: Madhuri Nagesh Kirani (Computer Science), Jagriti Sikka (Computer Science), Kartik Angadi (Electrical and Computer Engineering), Sivagami Subramanian Nambi (Computer Science)
Track: General IP
Idea: The team presented the idea of an advanced warning system for improved safety in roadway work zones. Their end to end Saas solution will be used to track everything regarding the incidents (from time and location of accident), to details of those involved, the extent of injury, medical and legal costs, insurance claims filed and more, serving as a one-stop solution for multiple proceedings.
Video: https://youtu.be/3zM9kVuZldc

Team: Texture Wizards
Team Members: Rupesh Rajendran (Materials Science and Engineering), Krishna Moorthi Sankar (Materials Science and Engineering)
Track: MSE
Idea: The team presented the idea to introduce nanotextured stainless steels for use in the medical and food industries with high anti-wetting properties, low bacterial adhesion and low cost. The process is simple, scalable and does not disrupt current manufacturing processes.
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CtxpoyTFQWw

Third Place

Team: Viz
Team Members: Adam Siffel (Mechanical Engineering), Boglarka Ecsedi (Computer Science)
Track: General IP
Idea: The team presented the idea for Hydrobloom which utilizes new technology to decentralize water purification to households with a safe, effective, and low energy solution while providing a new level of access to water quality information.
Video: https://youtu.be/4kl4mmQGkdQ

Team: Glassteroid
Team Members: Dylan Cheung (Materials Science and Engineering), Gerard Spooner Martinez (Computer Science), Leon Chen (Materials Science and Engineering), Patrick Hultquist (Computer Science), Varun Mehrotra (Computer Science)
Track: MSE
Idea: The team presented the idea to utilize Solar-Powered Electrochromic Windows to build glass panels for self-sufficient greenhouses. The variable transparency of the IP’s solar electrochromic windows provides an energy efficient and eco-friendly heating/cooling solution for greenhouses, while also providing surplus power for other devices within the structure.
Video: https://youtu.be/AKuHh0agoAY

CREATE-X is a Georgia Tech initiative to instill entrepreneurial confidence in students and empower them to launch successful startups. The broader goal of this initiative is to provide the knowledge, skills, abilities, and experiences that will give Georgia Tech graduates the confidence to create their own future and confidently pursue entrepreneurial opportunities.