The device, called Active Alarm, detects the alarm and shuts off power to the stove
Some very creative young minds took the top prize at one of the state’s most coveted college business idea competitions.
More than 2,000 students from 14 college campuses across the state competed in the annual Utah Entrepreneur Challenge, but three BYU students came away with the $40,000 grand prize for their invention that turns off power to appliances in the event of a fire alarm.
The device, called Active Alarm, detects the alarm and shuts off power to the stove, thereby eliminating the threat of fire. The invention earned Peter Thorpe, Rhett Weller and Michael Sanders the UEC top honor.
The annual business plan competition is based at the University of Utah and is open to university students statewide. Winners are evaluated on the quality of their invention or product and their strategy for selling it.
“Stove fires are the second-most common source of fire-related deaths,” said Thorpe, speaking about the impetus for their grand prize-winning invention.
This year’s event included ideas ranging from medical devices to bakeries and was hosted by the Pierre Lassonde Entrepreneur Center, along with the David Eccles School of Business in conjunction with sponsor Zions Bank. More than $100,000 in cash and prizes were awarded, said UEC co-chair Josh Hadley.
via KSL – Jasen Lee