UPDATE:
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Congratulations to the team to Team Eagle / Project Eagle Rescue by Kaitlin Asch, Nyah Lovick, and Neeko Phelps & Mentor: Ravi Brahmbhatt for being selected as 1 of 12 National finalists for CCIC 2023!! |
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Congratulations, Teams, You are invited to the local round on March 24th, starting at 3pm! TEAM Names/Order of presentation as preferred by student leads.
Local Round Process:
Local Round Rubric:
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CALLING FOR ALL TEAMS TO SUBMIT TO SHOWCASE BY MAR 20th <3pm (extended to midnight March 21st) & PRACTICE ROUND on MARCH 24th at WEST HOUSTON INSTITUTE at 3 PM
REGISTER YOUR INNOVATION & TEAM HERE:
https://forms.gle/MFomnJMU5vvosihP7
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HCC STUDENTS & FACULTY:
First, to get involved in this program, please indicate whether you are a student or faculty member by selecting the appropriate intent to participate button during the registration process. Then, please choose which information sessions you will attend; they are available in person or virtually on the dates. Click here to Register now
UPCOMING INFORMATION SESSIONS:
- 2/14 - HCC West Houston Insititute Collaboratorium - 3 pm to 4 pm* (Register)
- 2/14 - HCC Central Campus - SJC 112 - 6 pm to 7 pm* (Register)
- 2/22 - HCC West Houston Insititute Collaboratorium - 3 pm to 4 pm* (Register)
- 2/22 - HCC Central Campus - SJC 112 - 6 pm to 7 pm* (Register)
UPCOMING WORKSHOPS:
- 3/2 - Design for Good by Jordan Carswell - WHI - Collaboratorium) - 3 pm to 4 pm (Register)
- 3/6 - STEM Innovation by Jeff Stear - WHI - Collaboratorium) - 3 pm to 4 pm (Register)
- 3/8 - Business Model Canvas by Ravi Brahmbhatt - Central Campus SJC 112 - 4 pm to 6 pm (Register)
* Virtual/Hybrid sign-up is available as well.
WHAT IS THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE INNOVATION CHALLENGE (CCIC)?
The Community College Innovation Challenge (CCIC) is led by the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) in partnership with the National Science Foundation (NSF). It is a national competition where community college student teams, working with a supportive faculty or administrator mentor, use science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) to innovate solutions to real-world problems; earn full travel support to attend an Innovation Boot Camp in the Washington, D.C. metro area; and compete for cash awards. The Innovation Boot Camp provides professional development, mentoring, and coaching designed to build strategic communication and entrepreneurial skills to help students advance their innovations in both the private and public sectors. Students participate in sessions on commercializing ideas, using technology for social applications, communicating with stakeholders, refining a pitch, and more. The Innovation Boot Camp culminates in a poster session, engagement opportunity with STEM leaders and Congressional stakeholders, and a pitch presentation in front of a panel of esteemed industry and entrepreneurial professionals to determine the first, second, and third-place winning teams.
WHY ENTER?
The national CCIC is designed to enable community college students to discover and demonstrate their capacity to use STEM to make a difference in the world. It provides a venue to strengthen and further develop STEM thinking, apply it to solving real-world problems, and to build the skills necessary to carry invention from idea to society-benefitting innovation. Through the Innovation Boot Camp, finalist teams have the opportunity to interact with entrepreneurs, experts, and industry professionals in business planning, stakeholder engagement, communication, and marketplace dynamics; gain life-changing business acumen and communication skills; and engage with other community college innovators to make significant connections and to share ideas. Finalist teams showcase their projects and colleges on a national stage through a poster session and compete in a pitch presentation at the end of the Innovation Boot Camp. The Boot Camp provides a friendly and constructive environment to hone innovation while gaining entrepreneurial skills and competing for cash awards.
WHAT DO YOU WIN?
AACC and NSF provide:
- A plaque for all finalist schools;
- Recognition certificates from NSF and AACC for each finalist team member;
- Full travel support for all finalist team members to attend the Innovation Boot Camp in the Washington, D.C. metro area;
- A $500 cash honorarium for all finalist student team members and faculty/administrator mentors for attending the Boot Camp;
- Additional cash awards – awards are made to each first, second, and third place team member in the following amounts:
- First place: $3,000
- Second place: $2,000
- Third place: $1,000
The Phases (Process)
CCIC Phase I – Developing Ideas, Inventions, and Innovations
- Assemble your Community College Team. Each team should consist of:
- A community college faculty or administrator mentor
- 2-4 community college students
- Diverse and interdisciplinary teams that include students in STEM, business, humanities, and other fields are encouraged.
- Develop breakthrough ideas using STEM.
- For the CCIC, student teams are asked to develop a STEM solution to a real-world problem of local to global concern.
- Your team is required to:
- Identify a problem of local to global concern that you seek to address with your STEM innovation.–Assess your innovation’s potential impact on society (such as on the economy, national security, global competitiveness, the environment, quality of life, etc.).
- Determine the scientific and market feasibility of the innovation, identifying any challenges and ways to potentially work through them.
- Share ideas for how the innovation would be implemented in a real-world scenario. Start thinking of yourselves as entrepreneurs with a novel invention, creation, or product you want to bring to the marketplace.
- Your team is not required to have already implemented your innovation.
- Apply to the CCIC with your STEM innovation by submitting a¡
- Written entry; and a
- 90-second video.
- Entries will be vetted by STEM innovation experts to select up to 12 finalist teams.
- The finalist teams will receive full travel support and are expected to attend the Innovation Boot Camp in Alexandria, VA taking place June 12-15, 2023.
- Finalist teams are also expected to prepare for the Innovation Boot Camp by participating in two orientation webinars and conducting 3-4 customer discovery interviews (as detailed in the orientation webinars) prior to participating in the event.
- Welcome & Orientation to the Innovation Boot Camp May 2 from 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. EDT
- The Customer Discovery Journey in STEM Innovation May 5 from 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. EDT
- Customer Discovery Exploration for Finalist Teams May 6 – June 11, 2023 (on teams’ own time)
- The finalist teams will compete at the Innovation Boot Camp through a poster session and a pitch presentation—with the first, second, and third place teams winning cash awards.
TIPS for a Pitch Outline:
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Introduction: Briefly introduce yourself, the idea, and its significance in the field.
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Problem statement: Explain the problem you are solving and why it matters.
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Solution: Outline the key features of your solution and how it is innovative.
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Market potential: Discuss the potential market size, target customers, and competition.
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Team: Introduce the key members of the team, their relevant expertise, and how they contribute.
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Progress to date: Discuss what you have accomplished and any relevant milestones.
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Plans: Outline your future plans, what you need to achieve your goals, and how you plan to scale your solution.
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Benefits and impact: Highlight the benefits and impact of your solution on society and the environment.
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Call to action: End with a clear call to action, asking for support, investment or collaboration