31 March 2014
More than just a napkin
Often we find ourselves struck down by a brainwave at the most unexpected moments, whether it be in a café, restaurant,
bar or even on a plane; we have no way of remembering the idea and so jot it down on the closest napkin.
The Napkin Challenge, entré’s first competition for 2014, is much the same and encourages students of Canterbury
University and CPIT to record their sudden ideas on napkins placed around campus.
Like other events and competitions held by entré, the Napkin Challenge aims to foster the entrepreneurial spirit on
campus and to encourage innovation amongst students.
The winners of the Napkin Challenge were announced by judges Rachel Wright, Dr Juan Pellegrino and Sarah Platt on
Wednesday 28th of March.
The overall winner was the I- Sung Charger by Jordan Simmonds, which introduced the first ever “battery – transfer device” - a portable device that allows the
transfer of battery percentage between one cellphone to another and finds the equilibrium, stopping the charging process
when both phones have a minimum of 50 % battery.
The most feasible idea went to The Edible Popsicle Stick by Tim Williams and is literally a Popsicle stick, which can be eaten, cutting down on waste and increasing the
consumers ‘maximum utility’.
The most innovative idea was awarded to Turtransport by Timofy Ilin, which suggested a transportation system for turtles that would ensure your pet turtle could keep up with
you if you took it for a walk.
The most beneficial idea to students was C- Block Playground by Elizabeth Wright, which would allow University of Canterbury students to enjoy the leisure of a playground in the
centre of campus.
The award for the funniest idea went to Cookie Lift Incentive by Lauren Lines who presented a way to decrease lift congestion by giving cookies to people who chose to walk instead
of taking the lift.
Entré’s Competition Manager, Oscar Barkle adds;
“The Napkin Challenge lets students express their creative, business or entrepreneurial flair. Many successful ventures
have been conceptualised on a napkin, be it Harry Potter, Southwest Airlines, or even Shark Week. We had so many strong
entries this year and it’s a real shame there could only be five winners. I really encourage all entrants to develop
their idea and enter it in either the $75K Challenge or the Apps Challenge – they would all have a strong chance.”
Entré celebrates the success of all five winners of this year’s Napkin Challenge and has awarded the overall winner with
an iPad Air and a Cake by Anna cake, while the other four winners were given $100 cash.
Entré encourages everyone to keep their attention on the young entrepreneurs of the Napkin Challenge, as ‘you never
know’; their idea might just become a reality, moving from the napkin to the real world.
ENDS