Idea Idol 2008 at Oxford Entrepreneurs

Idea Idol 2008

After four months, hundreds of entries and weeks of training and preparation, Oxford Entrepreneurs crowned it’s Idea Idols in a dramatic final on 19th February at The Said Business School.

Over 300 people attended to watch the finalist deliver their 2 minute elevator before facing gruelling questions by four judges, including Deborah Meaden, who is well known for being one of the Dragon’s on the BBC’s Dragon’s Den. Other judges were Kathering Mathieson, Head of Future Innovators at NESTA, Reshmi Sohoni, CEO of Seedcamp and Sebastian Grigg, MD of Investment Banking at Credit Suisse.

Idea Idol Dude Deborah Meaden commented that “the presentations we had here tonight beat 90% of the presentations we have on Dragon’s Den”

The atmosphere in the lecture theatre was electric. Alasdair Bell and Jennifer Tsim, two of the OE committee members, hosted the evening and kept the crowds entertained as they introduced the event. Once the finalists had pitched their idea and faced tough questions, the judges went off to deliberate as to the winner.

The joint winners were fledging firms Altitude Medical and Zoombu, which were awarded £4,500 each.

Altitude Medical, set up by Alexander Roman Oshmyansky and Dan V Nicolau Jr, have produced a simple device which incolves antiseptic being released every time a door handle is used in a hospital. The inventors believe that this device will reduce the risk of infections and superbugs in hospitals caused by staff and visitors failing to wash their hands properly. Altitude Medical were also awarded a £500 People’s Choice Award after winning the vote of over 300 local entrepreneours, venture capitalists, business angels and fellow students.

Zoombu is an idea which Alastair David Hann came up with. He describes it as the ultimate way to plan a trip between any two places in Europe. Zoombu searches every permutation of coach, rail, air, sea and car travel, enabling users to find the fastest, cheapest or greenest routes between the destinations.

Glen Mehn received £500 to make the trip to Silicon Valley to present their heat transfer concept to Google.

Press

Oxford Mail – Idea Idol Winners Named:
http://www.oxfordmail.net/display.var.2059522.0.idea_idol_winners_named.php
BBC Radio Oxfordshire: Alasdair Bell, Altitude Medical and Zoobu were interviewed on BBC Radio Oxford about the competition and the businesses.
Cherwell and Oxford Student ran features on the competition.

Last Year

In a surprising turn of event, £5000 was given away in a dramatic final, featuring Theo Paphitis, Shaa Wasmund and Dan Wagner who were so impresses with finalists “Design the Time” sidestepped the prize funs and received direct funding from the judges’ own venture capital boutique “Bright Station Ventures” with unlimited access to $100,000,000. They were handed over a cheque stating “whatever it takes”. Sign up for your place at the Idea Idol final!