Innovathon Competition
Register Here to Compete
What is The Neff Innovathon Competition?
The John B. and Lillian E. Neff College of Business and Innovation's Innovathon Competition is a marathon of ideas to stimulate participants through local companies’ real challenges, to contribute to the innovation process and to promote and implement new and creative solutions for such issues. The Innovathon represents an ideal environment for sharing new ideas, evaluating teamwork attitude towards common goals, increasing your professional network and discovering new talents and opportunities.
The Innovathon is a case study competition, where participating teams of one to four UToledo students compete to assist a local small business with various organizational challenges. The goal is to select one or more issues that the company is facing and provide practical and actionable recommendations for solutions. This experiential learning opportunity is a great way to take what you have learned in the classroom and act as a professional consultant, applying your business knowledge and expertise. This year's featured company is Complete Converting, Inc. (https://completeconverting.com).
The Challenge
A long-form, live interview was conducted with Jen Kielczewski, owner of Complete Converting, Inc. The custom cut and sew facility in Toledo specializes in sewn protective packaging, and they need your fresh perspectives to strengthen their position in the region and potentially expand their business. Various challenges the company faces include technology, processes, marketing, personnel and supply chain, to name a few.
Upon registering for the Competition, you will be sent the link to the video interview - view this for in-depth insight into Complete Converting, straight from the owner. This is where the competition really starts - use her feedback to decipher challenges and select at least one to provide solutions to.
Your Role
Analyze the challenges and opportunities and recommend innovative solutions to help the company thrive. Please submit a report that is no longer than 4 pages and outlines how Complete Converting, Inc. should change, adapt or innovate to solve whichever specific problem(s) you choose.
Prize Money
The Company
Established in 1994, Complete Converting, Inc. (Complete Converting Inc. - Sewing Contractor, Protective Packaging) is a custom cut and sew facility located in Toledo, OH. Complete Converting, Inc. specializes in sewn protective packaging used primarily to protect parts from damage, which may occur during manufacturing or transport.
Complete Converting, Inc. custom designs the covers in addition to selecting the appropriate textiles to be used based on the application. Due to the variety of applications, Complete Converting carries a wide selection of textiles and non-woven including Dupont Tyvek and Freudenberg Evolon.
Competition Prompt
It is now your team’s turn to identify possible problems and recommend innovative solutions to the company. What would you and your team recommend Complete Converting, Inc. do to strengthen its position in the region and perhaps expanding its business? What other factors are important to attract potential customers? What innovative projects should the company follow to improve its efficiency?
These are just exemplary topics you and your team can address in your recommendations for the competition. Consider various issues surrounding your studies and classes. These could pertain to the company's marketing, finances, information systems, accounting practices, supply chain, human resources, management structure and more.
Competition Timeline
- Monday, Oct. 9, 2023: Registration opens.
- Note: Upon registration, you will be sent the link to the video interview done with Complete Converting, Inc., which outlines the company's various challenges that you can address. Groups registering late will simply have less time to prepare their recommendations. So, it is encouraged to register early.
- Monday, Nov. 20: Deadline for the final report submission by teams.
- Monday, Nov. 27: Five (5) finalist teams are selected and notified to give live, in-person presentation to a panel of judges.
- Friday, Dec. 1: Final presentations and selection of the winner and runner-up teams; room and time
TBD.
- The five presenting teams will have 20 minutes each, including questions and answers from judges.
Reasons to Compete
- You will acquire highly useful skills for your professional career such as team-working, problem-solving and applying theoretical knowledge to solve real-life business challenges.
- Contribute with your own ideas in solving problems of common interest.
- Offer a local company a different point of view and creative thinking on how to address and solve a challenge that currently faces.
- Companies are constantly searching for candidates with experience and with problem-solving skills to reduce the challenges they face in the marketplace. Participating in this competition will expand your professional network and increase your visibility for potential employers.
- The Innovathon will receive coverage and internal and/or external publicity.
- The monetary award for winning the competition.
Who Can Participate?
All undergraduate and graduate students in good standing at The University of Toledo are eligible to compete. Participating teams may consist of 1 to 4 people maximum.
The required information for each participant is:
- First name
- Last name
- Rocket ID number
- College and major
Ethical Standards
Students must prepare and must assure that submissions for this competition are completed in accordance with the highest ethical principles and values. There must be no violation of copyright laws, misrepresentation of someone else's work as your own, or any activity that would reflect negatively on the values of The University of Toledo. Any such activity may result in disqualification from the competition.
Questions?
If you have any questions, contact Dr. Marcelo Alvarado-Vargas at 419.530.2343 or marcelo.alvaradovargas@utoledo.edu. If emailing, please use the subject line "Neff Innovathon."