ECU to Send Three Teams to Global Competition

Three student teams will represent ECU internationally at the regional finals of the ninth Annual Hult Prize competition, which will be held in March and April 2019.

The Hult Prize is a crowdsourcing platform that identifies and launches disruptive and catalytic social ventures that aim to solve the planet’s most pressing challenges. The first round of the competition was November 2018, which marked ECU’s third straight year of hosting the event.

The three ECU teams had to respond to the theme of this year’s challenge: solving youth’s unemployment.

Team Health4PINE, which won ECU’s November event, is a platform that increases awareness, provides personalized assistance, and leaves its clients with the confidence that they are in charge of their own balance of health. Health4PINE members include Pranaya Pakala, Gina Bonini, Phoenix Little and Johanna Adamo. They will compete in London, March 15 – 16.

Team Buzz Box provides infrastructure for beekeeping hobbyists. Buzz Box members include Sam Carraway, Jaedon Locke and Egypt Ray. They will compete in Oslo, Norway, April 12 – 13.

Team ECU Events is an application that allows organizations to provide marketing help for various events. ECU Events members include Grace Rains, Andrew Griffen and Josh Elliott. They will compete in Bogota, Columbia, April 26 – 27.

“The diversity of these teams and their ideas are impressive,” said Dr. Mike Harris, director of the Miller School of Entrepreneurship. “Their success serves as a testament to the entrepreneurial spirit across our campus. Some of the most pressing social problems require innovative solutions, and our students are well equipped to make a difference both locally and globally.”

This is the third straight year that ECU has sent teams to the regional finals. The Miller School of Entrepreneurship is the sponsor of ECU’s Hult Prize competition.

It will be a busy fall for Health4PINE. In February, they will compete in the second annual Pirate Entrepreneurship Challenge and have a chance to win more than $75,000 in cash and in-kind services.

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