The finals of this year’s expanded Mercer Innovation Center (MIC) Next Big Idea competition will take place April 12-13 in Macon and Atlanta.
 
The competition, which has been opened to all students on both campuses, includes up to $7,500 in prizes at each location.
 
The Macon campus finals will take place April 12 from 3-5 p.m. at the MIC. Finalists include Global Cooling, Kingfisher Buckle, Royalty Headwear, Hybrid, Momentum Mentorship, Waffle Buddy and RoboCrop.
 
The Atlanta campus finals will take place April 13 from 10 a.m.-12 p.m. in Business and Education Building Room 002. Finalists include 4DRVRZ, CanCare Wellness Center, Community Carpool, ÉrMode Collection, MistiKool, Legacy Pops and TrueHlth.
 
Students were eligible to enter The Next Big Idea competition as individuals or teams of up to five people. Each entry included an online application, one-page business canvas and an executive summary.
 
The finalists were selected March 25 and will pitch their ideas in front of a panel of judges in Macon and Atlanta. Both events are free and open to the public, and community participation is encouraged.
 
Mercer’s BB&T Center for Undergraduate Research in Public Policy and Capitalism generously sponsored the competition’s three cash prizes.
 
“I am thrilled by the success stories that have developed out of the Next Big Idea competition from Macon undergraduate students these last few years, and I am excited that we are building on this success and expanding this opportunity to graduate students and students in Atlanta,” said Dr. Briana Stenard, assistant professor of management and entrepreneurship and faculty adviser for the competition. “I am looking forward to seeing all the new ideas that result from the expansion of this year’s competition.”