Published Apr 25, 2024 by alaskabusiness The UAF College of Business and Security Management awarded more than $45,000 in cash prizes to inventors at the 2024 Arctic Innovation Competition.
The competition, now in its 15th year, invites innovators to propose new, feasible, and potentially profitable ideas for solving real-life problems, open to entrants from all over the world. An awards ceremony was held over the weekend in Fairbanks.
The top prize of $15,000 in the main division, for competitors ages 18 and up, was awarded to Finn Oestgaard a rugged tote box named Tute. A patent application is in progress and initial manufacturing is underway in Montana. Oestgaard’s startup company, FINN – Redefining Rigid Gear Storage, is selling directly to customers before extending into wholesale distribution. In addition to the 1st place prize, Oestgaard also won Sustainability and Arctic Kicker prizes worth $2,000 each.
In the junior division, for ages 13 to 17, the $1,000 1st-place prize was awarded to Ear Buddies submitted by Danika Dawley. The inventor proposed a light fabric windscreen to be worn with audio earbuds. The product would attach directly to the ears, requiring no other fasteners.
In the cub division, for ages 12 and under, the 1st-place prize and $500 went to Grail Conley and Revy Conley for Get a Grip!, wire-mesh sheaths for vehicle tires to improve traction. The concept combines thin barbed wire for immediate traction with siping, or slices in the tire surface that increase contact surface.
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