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SIOY FINALS RESULTS

1st Place: Bro-less, “Righting agriculture's biggest wrong”

2nd Place: Mindsmith: “Democratizing learning through generative AI”

3rd Place (and crowd favorite): Aerofold Spacer, “Pocket-sized Collapsible Asthma Spacer”

      The BYU College of Engineering hosts this student competition each year in partnership with the BYU Rollins Center for Entrepreneurship & Technology. The annual Student Innovator of the Year (SIOY) competition has kickstarted now-successful companies Owlet, Khione, Myostorm and more across its 12-year history. Competitors are in the running for part of the total $50K in prize money.

      Student teams sharpen their innovations throughout the year through activities like the Ideathon and Speed Mentoring, making their presentations to the public and judges at a showcase on February 15. Finalists are selected to present their ideas on stage in a final event on March 1. Winners and audience favorites receive thousands of dollars of prize money to help make their ideas a reality.

      Those who attend the final competition will get free pizza and have a chance to win awesome prizes!

      SIOY_Logo_Wordmark_Blue.jpg

      2023 SIOY Showcase results:

      FINALISTS

      These are the teams that will be presenting on March 1. Each team is awarded $4,000 for making it to Finals. First place will get a total of $12,000, 2nd place $10,000, 3rd place $8,000, and Finals Crowd Favorite will get another $2,000.

      Aerofold Spacer, “Pocket-sized Collapsible Asthma Spacer”

      Bro-less, “Righting agriculture's biggest wrong”

      Cinnamon, “Cleaning Elevated”

      Mindsmith: “Democratizing learning through generative AI”

      Plant Au Pair, “Give Your Plant a Voice”

      Pronto Work, “Gig marketplace for flexible restaurant staffing”

      TradeView by Bespoke, “See Your Trade Differently”

      HONORABLE MENTION

      Each of these teams is awarded $500 and is eligible to enter next year's competition with the same project.

      Investor Bot, “Automating Your Real Estate Investing Search”

      Ratchet Watch Band, “Perfect Fit, Every Time!”

      Safety First, “Safety - don't get stuck without it!”

      Self Starter Kits: “Creating Engineers with Curiosity”

      REMAINING TOP 20

      Each of these teams is still eligible to enter next year's competition with the same project, as are all the teams that weren't selected as finalists.

      ACE Athlete Training, “Automated Coaching Expert for Athlete Training”

      Align Security, “Security for Your Home on the Road”

      Athena, “Empowering and protecting women on the streets”

      Cultivate Your Talents Academy: “Learning is better when we help one another.”

      FOLD 3, “Luxury wallets engineered to bend the rules.”

      NUVÄN Nursing Sling, “Track your baby's milk intake”

      Offloading Brace by Eazistep, “Step into recovery”

      Smart Home Farming Robot, “The First Smart Farming Robot that Moves”

      Swap & Swap

      CROWD FAVORITE

      More than 740 attendees voted, and this team came out on top, winning $500.

      Athena, “Empowering and protecting women on the streets”

      Kickstart Your Idea

      The annual SIOY competition has kickstarted now-successful companies Khione, MyoStorm and more across its 10-year history.

      Ready to get started?

      Will you be the next Student Innovator of the Year?

      OPPORTUNITIES TO CONNECT

      JOIN OUR MAILING LIST

      Get all the updates and reminders you need by subscribing to our mailing list.

      student innovator of the year competition byu

      LOOKING FOR A TEAM?

      Connect with other students to form teams on our LinkedIn group.

      SIOY JUDGING RUBRIC & RULES

      Student innovations will be judged according to three categories. View the full judging rubric here.

      Click here to download the rules.
      thirty-five percent icon

      Innovation

      • Problem Definition
      • Newness/Uniqueness
      • Visibility
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      Engineering

      • Prototypes
      • Testing
      • Engineering Design/Refinement
      twenty percent

      Impact

      • Size of the Market
      • Value

      SIOY UPCOMING events and deadlines

      Check this page for new information regarding the 2022-2023 SIOY Competition.
      Date / Time Title Location Info
      Weekly Q&A / Mentoring Schedule mentoring by emailing SIOY@BYU.EDU
      Wednesday, September 07
      6:00 PM - 7:00 PM
      SIOY Kickoff EB Event Space Kick-off your Student Innovator of the Year competition experience. Learn how to receive up to $400 to prototype your idea and how to join the process that will increase your technical and professional development and give you a chance to win part of 50k in total prize money. Network with fellow innovators.
      Tuesday, September 27
      6:00 PM - 7:30 PM
      SIOY Ideathon EB Event Space Come present your innovative idea to your peers. Practice your presentation skills and get positive and constructive feedback about your idea. Click on event title to sign up to present.
      Wednesday, October 26
      6:00 PM - 7:00 PM
      SIOY Intellectual Property Info Session EB Event Space Learn from an IP pro the basics of protecting your innovative ideas and the resources available on campus to help you.
      Thursday, November 17
      1:30 PM - 3:30 PM
      SIOY Speed Mentoring (Mentor Alliance) Engineering Building (EB) - 1st Floor and Hardware Proving Grounds Be mentored by BYU College of Engineering alumni and other industry professionals. Deliver your idea or product pitch, answer questions, and receive high-quality feedback from the mentors. You may just find a mentor for your team for the duration of SIOY and beyond. 
      Monday, December 05
      11:59 PM
      Funding Deadline Your team can receive up to $400 in funding to prototype your project. To submit a funding request, follow directions on the SIOY application. Questions? Email sioy@byu.edu.
      Sunday, January 15
      11:59 PM
      Application Deadline Applications currently open— apply now! Submitted applications are reviewed weekly until the application deadline. Questions? Email sioy@byu.edu.
      Wednesday, February 15
      10:00 AM - 2:00 PM
      SIOY Showcase EB Event Space This preliminary judging competition determines the seven teams that will advance to the Student Innovator of the Year (SIOY) Finals competition. Students, faculty, and the public are invited to attend this fair-style event.
      Friday, February 17
      4:00 PM - 6:30 PM
      SIOY Finalist Mentoring Engineering Building (EB) Mandatory - Prior to the final event, each finalist team will be coached by a private mentor in the development of their short presentation. This presentation coaching will focus on including all aspects of the judging rubric while being engaging and entertaining.
      Wednesday, March 01
      3:00 PM - 5:00 PM
      SIOY Final Competition EB Event Space The seven finalist teams will give their presentation to judges in front of a large crowd.  Each finalist team will receive $4,000 just for competing in the final event. Finals competition winners will receive additional cash awards of 1st place- $8,000, 2nd place - $6,000, 3rd place - $4,000, and Crowd Favorite - $2,000.  Those that attend will get free pizza and have a chance to win awesome prizes!
      Student Resources
      Equipment
      Labs
      Other

      Checkout Equipment

      ME Checkout Room

      154 CB

      Services include: free rental of hardware or equipment like electronics, motors, sensors, and gauges. Also offers workspace rentals, project consultation, and access to certain testing equipment (tensile testers, wind and water tunnels, heat treating ovens, digital microscopes, etc.). Students are trained according to the equipment they want to use and their prior experience.

      HOURS OF OPERATION:

      Mon. - Fri. 8am - 5pm

      For questions, contact Kevin Cole:
      Email: cole@byu.edu
      Phone: (801) 422-7446

      ECEn Checkout Room/Shop

      416 CB

      https://ece.byu.edu/shop
      A one-stop location for all electronic needs: rent or purchase many types of chips, sensors, and equipment. Services include laser cutting, PCB milling, and 3D printing.

      HOURS OF OPERATION:

      Mon. - Fri.: 8am-5pm

      CONDITION OF USE:

      Students cannot take anything off campus. All students must complete safety training through ytrain.byu.edu (search college and then find ECEn checkout room). For purchasing and loan policies, see: https://ece.byu.edu/shop/policies.

      Labs

      MFGEN 101 Lab

      101 CTB

      https://mfgen.byu.edu/labs
      The MFGN 101 Lab is mostly a machine lab that offers metal aids, metal mills, and CNCA equipment. It also has a metal shearing machine.
      The MFGEN 101 Lab is only open to students who are in or have taken MFGEN 220 or ME EN 382.

      HOURS:

      Mon. - Fri. 8am - 5pm

      Email to reserve. For available times, click here.

      MFGEN Weld Lab

      140 CTB

      https://mfgen.byu.edu/labs
      The MFGEN Weld Lab includes stick welding, wire and feed welding, and tig welding.

      CONTACT:

      Students must go to the lab to schedule or talk with a lab assistant. Hours are posted on the door with contact information as well.

      CONDITION OF USE:

      Students have to have taken a manufacturing welding calss or have proof of past welding experience .

      MFGEN 3D Printing Lab

      155 CTB

      https://mfgen.byu.edu/labs
      The MFGEN 3D Printing Lab has several kinds of plastic machines for 3D printing and a metal 3D printer.

      CONTACT:

      Students must go to the lab to schedule or talk with a lab assistant. Hours are posted on the door with contact information as well.

      CONDITION OF USE:

      Students pay to have lab assistants complete their project.

      MFGEN Waterjet

      101 CTB

      https://mfgen.byu.edu/labs
      The MFGEN Waterjet uses GibbsCam to generate code and a modified Fanuc controller to operate the waterjet.

      HOURS OF OPERATION:

      Mon. - Fri.: 8am - 5pm

      CONDITION OF USE:

      Only lab supervisors are allowed to operate the machinery but any student can request something to be made on the machines.

      Email to reserve.

      Foundry

      140 CTB

      The Foundry consists of

      metal welding, casting, brazing, and soldering lab.

      CONTACT:

      Dr. Miles, in charge of lab:
      Email: mmiles@byu.edu
      Phone: (801) 422-1858

      TA: Juston Goldade
      Email: justonjgoldade@gmail.com

      BYU Cleanroom

      487 CB

      https://cleanroom.byu.edu/
      A class 10 cleanroom used for research in solid state, optoelectronics, photonics, nanotechnology, micro-fabrication, MEMS, micro-fluids, etc.

      Contact Jim Fraserhere for use of the BYU Cleanroom.

      HOURS OF OPERATION:

      Mon. - Fri.: 7am-5pm
      If students are part of the ECE dept. or have a professor who is, they have 24/7 access.

      CONDITION OF USE:

      Complete training tutorialshere. Attend a 3hr in-lab training, it occurs every 2nd and 4th Thursday from 1-4pm. Contact Jim Fraser and let him know you are attending.

      Prototyping Lab

      EB 117

      The Prototyping Lab has 3D printers, waterjet, laser cutting, CNC machines, mills, woodshop, welding equipment, lathes, and hand tools.
      Click here to book.

      OFFICE PHONE:

      (801)422-6297

      HOURS OF OPERATION:

      Mon. - Fri.: 8am - 5pm

      CONDITION OF USE:

      Any student can access the lab but they must follow strict safety standards:
      - Students must wear close-toed shoes, long pants, and bring their own safety googles
      - Regardless of machine experience, students must always ask for lab assistant help when running a machine

      Plastics & Composites Lab


      115 SNLB

      The plastics and composites lab offers casting, thermoforming, injection molding, extrusion, compression molding, roto-molding, and most composites processing methods. Sells some limited in-house stock materials for those processes. Does NOT offer part design, material procurement, or mold creation. (Prototyping lab can help with molds!)

      HOURS OF OPERATION:

      Varies each semester according to TA schedules, contact lab to get schedule.

      CONDITION OF USE:

      Available to all students but they must learn about the materials and processes before using the lab. TA's can help but students should come well-informed. Students are welcome to contact Dr. George and his TA's to ask about which materials or processes to research for a given product. (Some equipment requires specific training. When applicable, TA's will indicate and aid in the training process.)

      CONTACT:

      Contact Dr. George for any questions:
      Email: andy_george@byu.edu
      Phone: (801) 422-7878

      Presentation

      Kickoff

      View the presentation slides from the kickoff event to get an overview of SIOY.

      Fast Pitch

      Learn to present your idea in a concise, informative and engaging way through these resources

      Brigham Young University Resources

      BYU Technology Transfer Office: Intellectual Property

      3760 HBLL

      http://techtransfer.byu.edu
      Get answers about the protection of your intellectual property.

      CONTACT:

      Phone: (801)422-6266

      Cougar Creations

      1010 WSC

      Cougar Creations offers black & white and color copying/printing (self-service available), posters & oversized printing, coil binding, vinyl covers, cutting, 2- & 3-hole drilling, laminating, transparency printing, and pick-up/delivery services.

      HOURS OF OPERATION:

      Fall/Winter Hours:
      Mon. - Fri.: 8am - 7pm
      Doors close at 6:45 pm
      Sat.: 11am - 4pm
      Spring/Summer Hours:
      Mon. - Fri.: 8am - 6pm
      Sat.: 11am - 4pm

      CONTACT:

      Customer Support: (801) 422-1469
      printandmail-support@byu.edu

      Office phone: (801) 422-2786
      Color Center: (801) 422-3794

      Click here to visit their website

      CougarTech

      3rd floor of WSC

      CougarTech offers operating system installs, virus removal, software installs, hardware diagnostics, hardware upgrades, hardware repairs, data backup, data recovery, data migration. Students must pay for services.

      HOURS OF OPERATION:

      Mon. - Fri. 7:45am - 6pm; Sat. 10am - 6pm
      Closed for Campus Devotionals - Tues. 10:45am - 11:45am

      CONTACT:

      Phone: 1(800) 253-2578 (ask for CougarTech), byustore.com@byu.edu

      Equipment & Tech Services

      Level 2 of HBLL

      Equipment and Tech Services offers laser cutters, microform, VR, experiential lab, computer accessories, computers and tables, GIS and mapping, instruments, multimedia production equipment, multimedia viewing, printing and copying, and studying tools. See website for entire list of services and products.

      HOURS OF OPERATION:

      Mon.: 8am – 9pm
      Tues.: 8am – 9pm
      Wed.: 8am – 9pm
      Thurs.: 8am – 9pm
      Fri.: 8am – 6pm
      Sat.: 10am – 6pm

      CONTACT:

      Email: science_reference@byu.edu
      Phone: (801) 422-2987. Can also live chat on website here.

      Engineering Building Hardware Proving Grounds

      1st floor EB

      The Engineering Building Hardware Proving Grounds is a project work area with storage cabinets for engineering students only available by reservation.

      RESERVATION INSTRUCTIONS:

      Engineering students may use their CAEDM password to log-in on the college reservation website. Near the top of the page, click on arrow to the right of "College Resources" Select "Hardware Proving Grounds," click on desired cabinet, and input the information for approval.

      Click here to make a reservation.

      VMWare Academic Program

      Software for running virtual machines on Windows, Mac, and Linux.

      Click here to download software for free.

      Need help with funding?

      Check out our funding guidelines below.

      SIOY In The News

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      BYU competition fosters ingenuity and impactful products

      Each year, the competition’s contestants never cease to amaze, inspire and motivate with their innovative ideas. This year was no different.

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      10th annual SIOY tackles roofing, insulin, satellites, and more

      March 01, 2020 05:40 PM
      Former Shark Tank competitors awarded $50,000 in prizes throughout 2020 Student Innovator of the Year competition
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      2019 Student Innovator of the Year launches business plan into space

      March 28, 2019 10:00 AM
      Known for launching BYU students’ great ideas into real businesses, this year’s Student Innovator of the Year Competition launched its winner’s idea even further--into space, that is.
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      BYU Engineering student entrepreneur becomes CEO of multi-million dollar company Owlet

      January 02, 2019 10:00 AM
      BYU Chemical Engineering graduate Kurt Workman went from BYU student entrepreneur to multi-million dollar CEO in just a few years.
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      BYU Mechanical Engineering alum takes Shark Tank by storm

      The BYU alum was a guest judge for the SIOY Final Competition in 2020
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      Contact SIOY

      Have questions? Don't hesitate to contact us! We genuinely want to help students get involved with this unique and valuable opportunity to be fostered into the next innovator.