Grambling’s BizTech Challnege winners hold their prize check.
Three Grambling State University students won the 2019 Bayou Classic BizTech Challenge on Friday, Nov. 29, 2019 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in New Orleans, La.
Cameron Jackson, Gary White and Nakiaus Glosson represented the university at the 2019 BizTech Challenge during Bayou Classic weekend.
Sponsored by the Louisiana Economic Development, the BizTech Challenge affords students from historically black colleges in Louisiana to present a technology-based business plan before a panel of expert judges.
Jackson, a senior communication science major, said he found out about the BizTech Challenge during his sophomore year.
“I was able to talk to my friend, Niana Celestine, about what exactly was her experience with it,” Jackson said. “She told me that I shouldn’t hesitate and that I would be a great fit for it.”
Jackson said that he talked to his advisor about it and within the following hour of agreeing to do it, he began looking for a team.
The team consisted of Jackson, a first-ime participant in the BizTech Challenge, and last year’s winners, Gary White and Nakiaus Glosson.
“The business model was actually the part of the project that a critical amount of time was dedicated to,” Jackson said. “A lot of the factors played a part such as thinking about the audience we wanted to reach, which was very expanded.”
Jackson said the team decided to gather information by doing surveys and coming up with a reasonable price for multiple packaging options.
The team developed a business model for a mobile application called MiEye, which alerts and monitors homeowners of structural risks and damages.
“The dual sided camera takes infrared scans inside and outside of the wall and is able to use artificial intelligence to register images together in order to spot any cracks, faulty plumbing, dishonest electrical wiring or anything that might be hidden to the eye of man,” Jackson said.
Jackson said that the several of the cameras are placed throughout homes to spot these problems and from there the major scan is completed and a detailed list of possible problems are sent to the user through the app software.
“On the app, the user is able to schedule scans, price match anything that might need replacing, quote different plumbing and electrical services and many other neat features,” Jackson said. “It’s literally protecting a house and a family from the unknown issues that are hidden to the eye of man.”
The team’s business model won against two teams from Southern University and A&M College, a team from Southern Law School and a team from Xavier University of Louisiana.
“The experience was nice,” Jackson said. “The judges were nice and honest.”
Jackson also commented on how helpful his mentor was.
“My mentor, Nennette Gray, was a major help too,” Jackson said. “She was there when I needed a word of advice about the presentation and she literally listened to me give this presentation over 1000 times.”
Jackson also said that the BizTech Challenge tested his skills of programming, presentation, and persistence.
“I cannot wait until next year,” Jackson said.
“I know it’s going to be even better.”