ASU Innovation Open 2020 announces semifinalists

ASU Innovation Open has announced the semifinalists for Arizona State University’s most exciting pitch competition, taking place January 31, 2020, in Tempe, Arizona. Competitors will pitch their student-led ventures for a chance to win $300,000 in prizes, including two $100,000 grand prizes.

Powered by ASU’s Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering, Avnet and Breakthrough Energy Ventures, ASU Innovation Open is designed to challenge and advance collegiate startups that are harnessing the power of entrepreneurship to tackle the world’s most challenging problems. ASU Innovation Open sponsors and supporters provide critical venture mentorship and funding for student competitors with a focus on conscious capitalism.

“Innovation Open represents ASU’s commitment to valuing entrepreneurship in all of its forms,” says Fulton Schools of Engineering Dean Kyle Squires. “For the fourth consecutive year, we have the opportunity to play a role in this impactful experience for young innovators as they move one step closer to bringing their ideas to the marketplace.”

Representing 46 universities around the world, applications from student-led ventures rose by more than 60% in the last year. It was also the most diverse applicant pool ASU Innovation Open has seen to date, with half the teams that applied being led by minorities, and 25% by women.

“This year we saw a meteoric rise in the number of applications since last year’s competition,” says Cody Friesen, ASU associate professor of materials science and engineering and CEO of Zero Mass Water, one of ASU Innovation Open’s founding sponsors. “The talent among these competitors continues to impress us and we’re looking forward to a strong competition in January.”

In the day-long, marathon event, the competitors selected as semifinalists will pitch their leading-edge technology solutions to a panel of start-up leaders and industry experts in areas like artificial intelligence, autonomous transportation, agricultural and climate technology, health care, internet of things, photovoltaics, wearable technology and more.

Scheduled to be held in ASU’s 365 Community Union – an innovative new venue designed for sustainability at the ASU football stadium – the space will serve as the perfect backdrop for this entertaining event known for its spirit of healthy competition and entrepreneurship.

The 2020 ASU Innovation Open semifinalists are:

• Acoustic Wells – Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Aerate – University of Pennsylvania
• AlgenAir – University of Maryland
• Alto Power Company – Stanford University
• Closed Composites – University of Southern California
• Contraire – Oklahoma State University            
• Drivemate by I-ADAS Technologies Inc. – Ohio University
• Edgehog Technologies – Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM)
• Educational Vision Technologies – University of California, San Diego
• Feros Freight – University of Michigan
• Frost Control Systems, Inc. – University of Notre Dame
• Halen LLC – Arizona State University
• Haystack Ag – Massachusetts Institute of Technology          
• Insanirator – Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Kiri – Brigham Young University
• KnoNap – Georgetown University
• Nanodropper – Mayo Clinic – University of Washington
• NeXST Rehab – Arizona State University
• Ocular Technologies – Harvard University/Massachusetts Institute of Technology          
• Odin Technologies – Northwestern University
• Omniply Technologies – Carleton University
• PreOv – University of Utah
• Sensagrate – Arizona State University
• Showcase – University of Pennsylvania
• si.vision – Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• SmartRest – Cornell University
• Visos – Syracuse University
• Zilper Trenchless – Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Sponsors for the 2020 ASU Innovation Open pitch competition include Avnet, Breakthrough Energy Ventures, Zero Mass Water, ON Semiconductor, SILSYNC, State Farm, Arizona Board of Regents, Salt River Project and Audacious Studios.

To learn more about ASU Innovation Open and its sponsors, visit ASU.io.