MSU student companies rewarded at Mississippi New Venture Challenge
August 21, 2014
BCoE doctoral students Wilburn Whittington and Charles Vaughan of SearLock
STARKVILLE, Miss. – Two companies founded by BCoE students saw success during a recent statewide entrepreneurship competition.
Clinching first and second place in the student category of the Mississippi New Venture Challenge competition were MSU teams Searlock, LLC and Great Minds Technology, LLC, respectively.
BCoE doctoral students Wilburn Whittington and Charles Vaughan received first place for SearLock, a sensor that will help prevent firearm accidents. The sensor can be used in different environments including hunting, gun training, law enforcement, military, and personal usage.
Whittington said the events like the New Venture competition are important for giving engineering students an outlet for their creativity.
“We are your typical engineering students who spend most of our time dreaming up new technology,” Whittington said. “Competitions like the New Venture Challenge provide us with the critical guidance that we need to turn our ideas into marketable products.”
Great Minds Technology took second place. It was founded by Chris Collins, a senior in mechanical engineering, and Jake Hamilton, an undeclared junior. The company is creating the Tower of Ra, a solar charging station that will be set up at locations like parks or beaches. The station contains lockers that are available at an hourly rate to house users’ possessions. Collins and Hamilton enlisted the services of a senior electrical engineering design team to built the first prototype.
“We have been fortunate enough to receive an enormous amount of support from MSU’s Entrepreneurship Center and the Bagley College Engineering” Collins said. “It has been a lot of work, but it has been a fun ride so far, and it is just the beginning.”
Both companies will begin beta testing this summer. The products are expected to reach the market in early 2015.
The competition winners are (by hometown):
BROOKHAVEN, Miss. – Charles Vaughan, a graduate student in applied physics
GRENADA, Miss. – John Hamilton, an undeclared junior
PICAYUNE, Miss. – Wilburn Whittington, a graduate student in mechanical engineering
SLIDELL, La. – Chris Collins, a senior in mechanical engineering
The Mississippi New Venture Challenge is an annual business plan competition for Mississippi start-up businesses composed of three categories: commercial, pre-revenue and student. Each team is matched with a mentor in their area of expertise to aid in contest preparation. Six of the 15 competing teams were from MSU.
To learn more about Searlock, LLC, contact Whittington at wrw51@cavs.msstate.edu, or Vaughan at cmv24@msstate.edu.
Additional information about the Mississippi New Venture Challenge can be found at www.innovate.ms/newventurechallenge.
The Bagley College of Engineering is online at www.bagley.msstate.edu.
By: Amanda Meeler