Clean Energy Venture Challenge looks at five WMU companies

Although Wayne State University walked home with the prize, there were five Western Michigan University teams competing for more than $100,000 in prizes at the recent Michigan Clean Energy Venture Challenge.

The Michigan Clean Energy Venture Challenge is a state-wide competition administered by the Center for Entrepreneurship at the University of Michigan. The competition challenges students to focus on the entrepreneurial aspect of their projects in addition to clean-energy.

Five teams from WMU were among the finalists:

• Revolutionary Winds is developing a vertical wind turbine that can be easily refitted on any existing pole structure, thus eliminating the need for new poles, and facilitating off-grid and on-grid generation of electricity. Team members are Neil Hurley and Matthew Olsen.

• e1e2 (earth first, everything else second)  is a recycling program that awards members with points for recycling. Members can use their recycling points as discounts or coupons for products and services within their local community, online and at national retailers. The company was founded in March, 2011 in Kalamazoo by Samuel Jaquette at StartUp Weekend. Team members are: Samuel Jaquette, WMU alumnus; Aaron Holmes, KVCC; Adam Parr, Northwood University alumnus; and WMU  students Abdullah Alyousif, Katrisha Johnson, Nathon Johnson and Duy Nguyen.

• ReClaim is developing new technology for using existing heat exhaust to create electricity backup systems. Team members are Aaron Tardy, Sergio Cappelletti and Olivia Starks.

• Glass Reclamation is recycling glass in a specialty class that is not currently recycled or pulverized. The product and the byproduct is used in concrete to build buildings that are LEED certified. Team members are Samantha Marsh, Nicole Clement, Kate Lutz, Drew Williams, Dan Duzenberry and Rachel Plaster.

• Verma Biomass is focusing on the use of a specific type of worms to break down biodegradable material from healthcare facilities that is not currently recycled. Team members are Lindsey Truit, Andrea LaVasseur and Brian Oswald.

Writer: Kathy Jennings, Second Wave
Source: Cheryl Roland, Western Michigan University