ROCK HILL, SOUTH CAROLINA – A Winthrop University computer science professor is part
of a partnership with 3D Systems and others to hold an “Innovation By Making Things” entrepreneurship competition this winter.
The contest calls for four-member teams to come up with an invention using three dimensional printing of plastic or metal components.
This is a competition for entrepreneurs of intrapreneurs. Intrapreneurship is the act of behaving like an entrepreneur while working within a large organization.
“We want to support innovators looking to make their ideas reality as well as existing industries that want to improve their existing business practices or productivity using additive manufacturing,” said Andrew Besmer, a Winthrop assistant professor of computer science.
Applications can be submitted at http://innovate.eventbrite.com up to the start of the event on Jan. 16. Only 10 teams will be accepted, Besmer said, and already several teams have expressed interest since the competition was announced.
The projects will be judged by:
• Effort in moving concept along the technology and manufacturing readiness development
paths.
• Feasibility of the product being made in South Carolina.
• Likelihood of commercial success.
Participants have to commit to attending two five-hour sessions on Jan. 16 and Jan. 23 at the Technology Incubator @ Knowledge Park and then a final two-hour session on Feb. 12 at 3D Systems.
The first two sessions will provide support to participants as they take their innovation from problem to idea to reality. The final session will be used for participants to present their innovation and for judging to occur.
“It is expected that participants will create between sessions as they produce their innovation in a format suitable for 3D printing,” Besmer said. “In between the second and third event days we will be producing the innovation using the 3D printers located at Winthrop University, York Tech, as well as via 3D Systems’ On Demand business.”
3D Systems has donated two FabPro™ 1000 entry level industrial 3D printers for 3D printing to both York Technical College and Winthrop. The printers will be used to support the competition, curriculum, and other outreach efforts into the community on behalf of both organizations and will be retained by the institutions.
The winning team will receive a cash prize, free business mentoring from the Technology
Incubator @ Knowledge Park and free consultation on patenting the innovation.
The “Innovation By Making Things” entrepreneurship competition is funded through a
S.C. Department of Commerce Office of Innovation grant. Other local sponsors are the
City of Rock Hill, York Technical College, York County Economic Development and Rock
Hill Economic Development.
For more information, contact Besmer at besmera@winthrop.edu.
As a public traded company, 3D Systems offers these forward-looking statements:
Certain statements made in this release that are not statements of historical or current
facts are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities
Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown
risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance
or achievements of 3D Systems to be materially different from historical results or
from any future results or projections expressed or implied by such forward-looking
statements. In many cases, forward looking statements can be identified by terms such
as "believes," "belief," "expects," "may," "will," "estimates," "intends," "anticipates"
or "plans" or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology. Forward-looking
statements are based upon management’s beliefs, assumptions and current expectations
and may include comments as to the company’s beliefs and expectations as to future
events and trends affecting its business and are necessarily subject to uncertainties,
many of which are outside the control of the company. The factors described under
the headings "Forward-Looking Statements" and "Risk Factors" in 3DSystems' periodic
filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, as well as other factors, could
cause actual results to differ materially from those reflected or predicted in forward-looking
statements. Although management believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking
statements are reasonable, forward-looking statements are not, and should not be relied
upon as a guarantee of future performance or results, nor will they necessarily prove
to be accurate indications of the times at which such performance or results will
be achieved. The forward-looking statements included are made only as the date of
the statement. 3D Systems undertakes no obligation to update or review any forward-looking
statements made by management or on its behalf, whether as a result of future developments,
subsequent events or circumstances or otherwise.
