For the 2018-2019 season, the SSM 32 feature new and disruptive online and mobile services, including breakfast delivery that has taken logistics to the next level, AI-powered cleaning on-demand, ridesharing for parents, and all kinds of services for shopping and socializing. Many use their college ventures to create social impact, such as anonymous tracking of on-campus sexual harassment, AI assistance for the visually impaired, and creating crowdsourced accountability in factories in developing countries to combat human rights abuses.
Need a little more background? Check out our press release on the SSM 32!
The 2018-19 SSM Semi-Finalists: (in alphabetical order)
360VR Technology from University of Delaware – 360VR uses virtual reality tech to provide information to emergency medical services about the interiors of properties in order to inform decisions and save lives.
Audivity from University of Arizona – Audivity converts blogs intro NPR-level podcasts
Clean ‘Em from University of Texas at Austin – Clean ‘Em is a cleaning service marketplace that insures quality, trust, and ease through our intelligent platform.
Cut to the Case from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign – Cut to the Case is a sexual assault reporting platform that aims to empower victims of these crimes and bring perpetrators to justice.
Darsana from University of Massachusetts Amherst – Darsana is a wearable virtual assistant that uses artificial intelligence to help accomplish tasks for people with blindness.
Elixir from University of Washington – Elixir connects uninsured individuals with community healthcare, combining in-person outreach with a mobile app that links free clinics and charity care services.
Homecooked from Univ. of Chicago, Yale University, and Minneapolis College of Art and Design – Homecooked is a social dining platform that lets you eat homecooked meals made by people in your neighborhood.
iSpyPens from University of Tampa – iSpyPens is the #1 discreet spy camera for personal security.
Kadoo from University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) – Kadoo helps you find unique and personalized gifts through a 1 minute quiz.
Kwest from University of Texas at Dallas – Kwest is an augmented reality storytelling game that immerses users in worlds from their favorite movies, books, and TV shows.
Lingco from Michigan State University – Lingco is an adaptive language learning platform for schools that helps students master languages quickly and efficiently using AI.
Mission Control from Saint Louis University – Mission Control is an online platform where anyone can create recreational video game leagues for friends.
OptechVR from Syracuse University – OpTechVR is developing the world’s first multiplayer, easy-to-use VR headset, incorporating cutting-edge technology, at an affordable price.
Perch from University of Michigan – Perch improves the research lab application process through a platform that centralizes communication between faculty and students.
Parents in Motion from Cuyahoga Community College and Case Western Reserve University – Parents in Motion is a tech-based ridesharing platform for busy families.
PLUR Tech from California State University, Chico – PLUR Tech connects EDM festival-goers without the need to have a cell phone via RFID-enabled charms.
Podium from Tufts University and McGill University – Podium democratizes journalism by creating a platform for the public to participate in virtual town halls and crowdsourced interviews.
PurPics from University of Virginia – PurPics is a platform that connects brands and the next generation of consumers over a cause, unlocking the power of peer influence.
Red Clover Reader from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign – Red Clover Reader is a two-sided online marketplace that addresses parents’ concerns surrounding poor quality screen time and lack of diversity in children’s literature.
Regavi from Washington University in St. Louis and Pennsylvania State University – Regavi is a digital business card and personal CRM–a contacts app on steroids.
Resonado from University of Notre Dame – Resonado is redefining the shape of sound with magnetic design.
Riley from University of Virginia – Riley is a social network for the disability, ill and caretaker community.
Runerra from University of Minnesota – Runerra matches shoppers already on their way to a store with neighbors who need similar items to get people what they need.
Sincere Sitter from Seton Hall University – Sincere Sitter is a premium, all-in-one sitting service that includes exclusive training and resources for sitters.
Skoop from Michigan State University – SKOOP is changing the way we go about micro-mobility while providing state-of-the-art advertising services to local and national businesses.
Sound Cycle from Purdue University Northwest – Sound Cycle uses sonar sensor technology in vehicles to pick up the distinct sound wave of a running motorcycle engine, alerting the vehicle to a motorcycle nearby.
StudyTree from University of Pennsylvania – StudyTree creates, trains, and deploys AI bots that enhance student learning outcomes.
Suna Breakfast from Cornell University – Suna Breakfast is a breakfast delivery service that has mastered logistics, connecting college diners with surplus dining hall food in 10-minute intervals.
Tableau Media from Syracuse University – Tableau Media’s online magazine is an interdisciplinary and intersectional collaboration that spotlights marginalized voices and offers complex and credible analysis of social and cultural issues.
Thrive Systems from Brigham Young University – Thrive Systems is the first sprinkler system that is 1) completely wireless, 2) uses moisture detection to optimize watering, and 3) able to gather water usage data.
Vize from Texas A&M University – Vize is a platform that allows workers in developing countries to write reviews, ratings, and salaries about the factories they work for in order to provide transparency and hold factories accountable for the working conditions they provide.
Worksense from Tufts University – Worksense monitors public internal communication within organizations to deliver insights regarding employee engagement
About Student Startup Madness
Student Startup Madness debuted in 2012 at SXSW Interactive with a launch event and kick-off pitchfest, where five student startup teams representing eight colleges and universities pitched their ventures and won prizes. Today it is a national tournament and a perennial part of SXSW. For more information on Student Startup Madness, visit the website (https://studentstartupmadness.com), see us on Facebook, or follow us on Twitter: @StartupMad.
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