/ Bates Center for Entrepreneurship and Leadership/ Circular Innovation Challenge 2023

Circular Innovation Challenge 2023

9000

I wanted to thank you so much for developing such a fantastic program. What a great opportunity for teens to interact with real entrepreneurs and get hands-on experience developing their own projects. Which were amazing by the way. I really enjoyed watching the presentation of each group. Not only that but to experience life in college and all that entails - meeting a bunch of new people - living in dorms - all on a beautiful campus. It was such a great learning experience and Aiden wants to put it front and center on his college application. Lewis & Clark is now his top choice because of this experience! Again, thank you for putting on the Circular Innovation Challenge. I know it involves a lot of hard work and long hours.

Yvonne (mother of a camper)
This camp has been very informative and inspiring. Not only do I wish to live a more sustainable lifestyle, I’m very motivated to continue looking into an entrepreneurial route as well as very excited to apply to Lewis & Clark. Thank you for all the hard work!!

(Camper)
Thank you guys so much, this was truly an unforgettable experience everyone and everything was so amazing! I am so grateful I got to be apart of this.

Kalia (Camper)
Thank you for this! I want to let you know that my experience at L+C was sincerely one of the best things I have ever done in my life and I’m so super grateful that you set this up for students like me.

Hank (Camper)

Schedule

Campers arrive on campus
Check-in, find dorms, explore campus, meet your roommates, and make name tags
Food truck dinner, icebreaker games to meet your team
Evening orientation and RA group meetings in dorms
Nighttime Activity
- Lewis & Clark student and artist led campers through various projects in groups using trash and recycled materials to conceptualize, gain a new perspective on reusing materials to ultimately create art pieces.

Chapul Farms visit: modular insect farms that turn waste into feed and fertilizer
Adidas campus visit: tear apart real shoes and learn from experts on how to create circular apparel and shoes at large
Dinner at Hawthorne food carts
Nighttime activity
- Movie night in the dorm lounge with popcorn and snacks

Leadership

Catarina Hunter

Associate Director, Co-Director Circular Innovation Challenge

Laney Hutchings

Event Coordinator

Meredith Goddard

Adjunct Instructor, Co-Director Circular Innovation Challenge, IT Director of Enterprise Applications

Speakers

Partners

Judges

Alex Gamboa Grand, OEN
Deepthi Madhava, Oregon Venture Fund
Megan Murphy, Oregon Venture Fund
Chrys Hutchings, director and adjunct professor

Ideas and Prizes

reFOAMulate- Turning styrofoam waste into insulation (starting with tiny homes)
Toy Circle- An eco-friendly toy subscription company aiming to end toy ownership and waste
Eco Tear- Perforated wrapping paper with biodegradable tape
Good Glue- A biodegradable glue that supports recycling process
Renew Pack- Reusable packaging made of borosilicate glass, with a send-back model
Corky- Replacing plastic 6 pack yokes with cork yokes
THEO- Sustainable pens
Earth Cover- Biodegradable replacement for plastic row covers used in farming
Phyla Bottles- 3D printed algae-based water bottle
Eco Flow- Safe, compostable, gender-neutral menstrual products

Winning team and semi-finalist:

1st - Toy Circle

Excellent customer research and use of customer feedback in pivots and business development
Strong teamwork throughout the week
Presentation powerful and effective
Strong Q & A session with judges

2nd - Eco Flow

One of the strongest presentations
Very compelling problem/solution and potential market opportunity
Still in research and development phase

Prizes

$20,000/year merit-based scholarship to Lewis & Clark College for all students who successfully complete the entrepreneurship program and subsequently apply and get admitted to the school.

Each member of the winning team won a $100 gift card. Gift Cards were available from one of the following circular vendors:

adidas, Girlfriend Collective, IKEA, Levi’s, Lululemon, Native Shoes, On, Patagonia, Tentree, The North Face, Unless Collective, Way of Being , Cycle Dog

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