News & Media

WiSys selects 2020-2021 WiSys APPStart Challenge semifinalists

WiSys selected 25 mobile app ideas as semifinalists in the 2020-2021 WiSys APPStart Challenge in December. 

The contest, open to faculty, staff, students and alumni at WiSys universities (UW-Eau Claire, UW-Green Bay, UW-La Crosse, UW Oshkosh, UW-Parkside, UW-Platteville, UW-River Falls, UW-Stevens Point, UW-Stout, UW-Superior and UW-Whitewater), connects great mobile app ideas with the expertise and resources necessary for commercial launch. 

The semifinalist ideas were submitted by:

UW-Eau Claire

  • Logan Cooley, UW-Eau Claire, Alumni
    Jacob Klein, UW-Whitewater, Alumni
  • Killian Griffin, UW-Eau Claire, Student
  • Sam Fitzhenry, UW-Eau Claire, Student
    Max Bossert, UW-Eau Claire, Student
    Logan Ickert, UW-Eau Claire, Student
    Nicholas Hersperger, UW Madison, Student
  • Marcy Orwig, UW-Eau Claire, Faculty

UW-Green Bay

  • Lisa Wicka, UW-Green Bay, Faculty
    Danielle Clarizio, UW-Stout, Staff
  • Brian Welsch, UW-Green Bay, Faculty
  • Dinesh Yadav, UW-Green Bay, Faculty

UW-Lacrosse

  • Patrick Grabowski, UW-La Crosse, Faculty

UW-Oshkosh:

  • Robert Harter, UW Oshkosh, Alumni

UW-Parkside:

  • Weston Knutson, UW-Parkside, Student
  • Gabrielle Richardson, UW-Parkside, Student
    Zaid Altahat, UW-Parkside, Faculty
    Robert Barber, UW-Parkside, Faculty

UW-Platteville

  • Marcia Harr Bailey, UW-Platteville, Faculty (2 ideas)
  • Arghya Kusum Das, UW-Platteville, Faculty
  • Yanwei Wu, UW-Platteville, Faculty

UW-River Falls

  • Kurt Vogel, UW-River Falls, Faculty

UW-Stout

  • Jennifer Guzzetta, UW-Stout, Student
  • Rochelle Holmes, UW-Stout, Student
  • Emerson Kovacs, UW-Stout, Alumni
  • Vichai Xiong, UW-Stout, Student

UW-Stevens Point

  • Fue Moua, UW-Stevens Point, Alumni

UW-Superior

  • Jessica Smith, UW-Superior, Student 

UW-Whitewater

  • David Havas, UW-Whitewater, Faculty
  • Anmol  Karki, UW-Whitewater, Student
  • Kyle Kofoed, UW-Parkside, Alumni

Seventy-three entries, with representation from each of the 11 UW System regional universities, were submitted to the challenge in October.

The ideas were evaluated by 14 judges, including corporate executives, entrepreneurs and investors. Three judges evaluated each idea.

NEXT STEPS

WiSys has invited the semifinalists to further pitch their mobile app ideas at a semifinal event in early January.

The top 10 presenters will receive a $100 prize. The top three presenters will advance to the contest finals where they will receive initial app development support and business mentorship over the course of five months from WiSys partners. The finalists will also be eligible to receive cash prizes at the end of the competition.

To find out how to watch the semifinalist’s presentations or to learn more about the WiSys APPStart Challenge, visit wisys.org/appstart.

WiSys is a nonprofit organization that works with faculty, staff, students, and alumni of the UW System to facilitate cutting-edge research programs, develop and commercialize discoveries and foster a spirit of innovative and entrepreneurial thinking across the state.