Chippewa Valley Times

Students Bri Noble and Mikayla Obsuszt from UW-Stout will be representing their clothing design concept, Safe Skin, at the state WiSys Big Idea Tournament. The idea, developed during UW-Stout’s Ideation Jam, aims to create a line of base-layer clothing to protect wearers of chemically treated uniforms. The team highlighted the importance of using safer materials and dyes made from plants like aloe vera and turmeric in their pitch to prequalifier judges.

Kim Nimsgern of Casual Panache commended the idea, stating, "This is such an interesting idea and a great opportunity for them." The team is currently working with mentors to perfect their pitch for the state tournament, where presentations are limited to six minutes.

In addition to Safe Skin, other innovative ideas were presented at the prequalifier, such as an artificial intelligence styling app called Style Me and an experiential restaurant concept called Balanced Bites. These ideas showcase the entrepreneurial spirit fostered at UW-Stout, where efforts to develop entrepreneurship programs have been ongoing since 2017.

The Big Idea Tournament, organized by WiSys, aims to promote innovative and entrepreneurial thinking among students across Wisconsin universities. The competition not only provides a platform for students to showcase their business ideas but also offers mentorship and funding opportunities for the winners. Another upcoming WiSys competition, Quick Pitch, focuses on student research that can benefit society and will be held at UW-Stout in April.