Mays Business School Hosts Sustainable Solutions Case Competition for Worldwide Innovation

Mays Business School at Texas A&M University recently hosted the first-ever Sustainable Solutions to Social Problems Case Competition.

In early November, student teams gathered together to present original solutions to some of the world’s most challenging social and economic problems. The case competition was the result of the new course in applied business competencies called “Business Solutions to Social Problems.” A course focused primarily on discussion, it gave students the chance to explore self-selected social issues and develop sustainable solutions.

The competition invited teams from different disciplines throughout Texas A&M to present their ideas to a panel of judges including Kyle Gammenthaler of Mays and Chris Field and Gretchen Nickson of the non-profit Mercy Project.

The top prize went to Team Entomon, which included a Mays marketing major. Together the team created a stackable insect farm from a 55-gallon food barrel, winning $5,000 to implement their solution. “The purpose of Entomon is to feed people and their livestock,” Mays student Garrett Hayslip, MBA ‘17, said in a statement. With their product, Hayslip and his team hope to help people raise insects efficiently and inexpensively—especially important in areas of the world where insects comprise an integral part of the local diet.

Other teams presented solutions that included a mobile phone app enabling consumers to search for ethical supply chains, a plan for improved campus recycling and an app for improving childhood literacy. The runner-up team’s product, “Tengo,” is a texting service allowing Costa Rican farmers to connect directly and avoid exploitation from distributors.

Several teams plan on going forward with implementation of their products, even including travel to such countries as Costa Rica and Uganda over the winter and summer months.

regions: Houston

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