Cleantech Challenge Winning Teams
1st - Arachne Intimates (Asha Keck, Hannah Oran, Eden Millan, & Chone Poe)
2nd - EarthGuard (Michael Van Sant & Kyle Klein)
3rd - ReCO-Systems (Eric Sliter, Evan Eichelberger, Sarah Stobl, & Meegan Bickel)
On March 29th, the PSU Center for Entrepreneurship hosted the highly anticipated 2024 Finals of the Cleantech Challenge at the Native American Student and Community Center. This event marked the culmination of weeks of hard work from some of PSU’s incredible student innovators.
The atmosphere was electric. From the moment attendees walked through the doors, they were greeted with the buzz of conversation and the hum of excitement. As they made their way through the exhibition, they encountered a bold array of prototypes and displays, each one representing countless hours of dedication and ingenuity. Each guest had the opportunity to engage with the teams and gain deeper insights into the intricacies of their inventions.
The heart of the event unfolded on stage, where student teams pitched their ideas to a captivated audience and a panel of esteemed judges. The emcee, Topher Burns, Co-Founder of Climate Curious and a sponsor of the event, added a note of levity and a dose of confidence to the students as he ushered them onto the stage.
Each team presented solutions to some of today's most pressing challenges, ranging from novel agricultural systems to ingenious waste management applications to pioneering accessibility garments. Each presentation not only showcased innovative ideas, but also an inspiring commitment to making a positive impact on the world. One after another, it became increasingly difficult to predict which team would ultimately take home the top prize.
After careful deliberation, three teams emerged victorious:
1st - Arachne Intimates (Asha Keck, Hannah Oran, Eden Millan, & Chone Poe)
2nd - EarthGuard (Michael Van Sant & Kyle Klein)
3rd - ReCO-Systems (Eric Sliter, Evan Eichelberger, Sarah Stobl, & Meegan Bickel)
The top two teams also earned a coveted invitation to the statewide competition, InventOR. With the support of the PSU Center for Entrepreneurship and the broader community, they will have the opportunity to continue to refine and develop their inventions, bringing them one step closer to making a real-world impact.
The event came to a close with an uplifting address from the Keynote Speaker, Jocelyn Gaudi Quarrell - Founder of Bold Reuse, as she shared her own entrepreneurial journey, the challenges she faced and overcame during the pandemic, and the personal growth she discovered in harnessing collaborative leadership principles, reinforcing the age-old mantra, it takes a village.
As the event came to a close, one couldn't help but feel inspired by the incredible talent and passion displayed by the student teams, their ideas, and the support of the local PDX startup community. Not only did everyone share their solutions for today's most pressing problems, but also reminded us of the importance of caring for our planet and each other. The Cleantech Challenge 2024 Finals was not just an event, but a celebration of innovation, creativity, and the power of entrepreneurship to drive positive change.
This year, the PSU Center for Entrepreneurship also inaugurated a new track of the competition, Everyday Entrepreneurs, that ran parallel to the Cleantech Challenge, which was specifically tailored for students wanting to focus more on developing a business model, a strategy for implementation, and refining their pitch. You can learn more about this year’s amazing Cleantech Challenge and Everyday Entrepreneurs teams here.