Idea Submissions 2023
Below are the new business ideas submitted for the 2023 UM-Dearborn Business Idea Pitch Competition!
Click on each idea to learn more. Once you have read all ideas, click "vote here" below to vote for your favorite!
What is your idea?
Our idea is a mobile application that allows people to request a chef to their place. Whether for going into an adventure in one of the world's cuisines or just special food experience for a special occasion (anniversaries, family/friends gatherings/ business meetings)
Who is your target customer?
We have two target customers. First, chefs who would like to work and earn money in their free time. Second, the higher-middle class and high class people (since after interviewing chefs, they tend to be more comfortable working in spacious kitchens that are available in mansions and big houses)
Who are your biggest competitors?
1- Thumbtack : It is an all services app, and not exclusive for food services/chefs.
2- SERVE: Newly established app and only available in android, it allows people to also request chefs to their home.
3- HireAChef.com: Website connects chefs to people but it is only for USPCA chefs.
What makes your idea different?
Our app will offer grocery delivery through partnership with grocery delivering service to make it easy for the chefs and the people to obtain the ingredients. Le Chef will also be a classy top-notch app for our targeted customers. In addition, the chef sorting algorithm is special in our app.
Why will your idea be successful?
For chefs: This will create opportunities for chefs to make money in their free time plus gaining experience.
For people: Le Chef will allow people to try new food experience (Home-made and professional) and to make special moments with loved ones in a special day.
What is your idea?
Our idea is an online website platform that offers courses on interview prep and our personalized help along with the ability to connect with experts on our platform.
Who is your target customer?
Our target customers would be students looking for jobs after college or else anybody about age 30 looking for a new job due to a layoff or a career change.
Who are your biggest competitors?
Our biggest competitors would be LinkedIn and Udemy.
What makes your idea different?
Our idea essentially combines the usability of both LinkedIn and Udemy because it connects yourself to professionals and also allows you access to buy online courses all specializing in interviewing.
Why will your idea be successful?
We believe that our idea will be successful because our founding team is driven and entrepreneurship requires solving a problem, and our problem is legit and so is our solution.
What is your idea?
Students visit the store, look into boards or websites for textbooks, pre-owned goods, household utilities, clothing etc. While there’s Meta’s marketplace or Craigslist, our app’s specialty is that it is a verified service with options to meet up in verified locations on campus available exclusively to students of UMD, making it reliable & easy for incoming students as well.
Who is your target customer?
Our Target customers are students at University of Michigan Dearborn who would like to be able to sell immediately their items and search for second-hand items like books, cookware, furniture etc at the convenience of staying home, saving time and energy
Who are your biggest competitors?
eBay, Goodwill App, NextDoor, Craigslist, Marketplace are some of our competitors. We consider these to be our competitors because they have been in a similar genre of business' as ours, however we are a service that will harbor and connect students to students.
What makes your idea different?
The UMD student-focused app allows students to connect with their peers, seniors, and alumni. Also, it considers the difficulty faced by incoming international students and allows them to find pre-owned items, textbooks from seniors and info about housing.
Why will your idea be successful?
Our idea will be successful, as students generally lack the time and mobility to buy or sell goods at their own pace. They will find it useful to have a common place where all resources are available. Thus giving an opportunity to solve some of the problems that students’ face
What is your idea?
People are not eating healthy. College students especially don't have the time or skill to cook delicious healthy meals. What if there was a way to solve this problem, as well as create a source of income for college students? This is where College Chef comes in.
Who is your target customer?
College students and professionals living in a college town.
Who are your biggest competitors?
Fast food companies.
What makes your idea different?
It creates a cost effective way to feed individuals healthy delicious meals.
Why will your idea be successful?
Because it runs on a distributed network. There will not be high upfront costs and will also provide an economic incentive for college students, leading to cheaper labor than the competition.
What is your idea?
Fruit and Vegetables industry is largely based on touch and feel (pick and choose) model. The idea is to create a farmers market on wheels where healthy food and mobility came together- have a truck or minivan adapted to serve as quick place to buy fruits, veggies and eggs in your subdivision or wherever you want. How many trips to the supermarket would be avoided?
Who is your target customer?
Women older than 40 years old with an annual household income of $80,000 or more living in metropolitan areas.
Who are your biggest competitors?
Currently, there is no direct 1x1 competitor based in Michigan but there is home delivery: Michigan Farm to Family, Doorganics(subscription model), Sprout Box and othersI
What makes your idea different?
There is no direct competition in Michigan. My idea brings the experience of choosing your fruits and veggies to your subdivision or any location you book (minimum spend required) aligning both healthy and reducing the number of drives to the supermarket.
Why will your idea be successful?
Michigan leads the nation in the production of many fruits and vegetables and it's one of the top states in agricultural diversity. In September 2022, 22 new Michigan projects were announced by Senator Stabenow to support local agriculture.
What is your idea?
The Business Scope: The Business is a digital platform and a service company that provides youth with a much-needed guide to support their future. We allow young minds on our platform to find volunteering opportunities and co-op/internship jobs. Our platform aims to eliminate this problem by providing different opportunities, services, and suggestions in one unified app.
Who is your target customer?
Our target market will be high schools and universities. Specifically, Students around the age of 14-22 as they have more time to pursue these opportunities and are still engaging in the early stages of their careers. We believe this market will benefit the most from our service
Who are your biggest competitors?
We're targeting the education market with our streamlined delivery system and customer-focused approach. We Plan to reach out to high schools and universities to increase awareness/integrate our resources. Differentiating ourselves from competitors like Indeed with unique features and capabilities.
What makes your idea different?
We will focus on providing a customer-oriented digital experience where services will be streamlined through our website’s client portal. The website experience will offer customer-focused touchpoints such as on-demand service and provide a personalized experience.
Why will your idea be successful?
Our service will be the first of its kind to create a simple and easy-to-use streamlined website for all volunteering, co-op, and internship needs. Our platform will be the stepping stone into their professional careers and will build the future generation's professional careers.
What is your idea?
When the word cream cheese is mentioned, the first thing that may come to one's mind is the bagel it is slopped on top of. This is backed by a simple image search of "cream cheese". However, my idea is to innovate beyond the basic tubs and bars of cream cheese found within stores. So imagine, a ring of cream cheese with the perfect thickness to perfectly fit the size of the average bagel or bread.
Who is your target customer?
My target customer would not only be the everyday cream cheese enjoyer, but the cream cheese companies themselves. These companies already have deals with companies like Tim Horton's, who currently have no way to gauge how much cream cheese is used, wasted, or counted towards calories on sold goods.
Who are your biggest competitors?
My competitors are scarce because of the nature and business my idea pertains to. By patenting the idea, only I could sell the patent to whichever cream cheese company would like to advance their foothold in the breakfast world. Only other cream cheese companies would be competitors to my innovation
What makes your idea different?
My idea is different from the average blocks and tubs we see today because the rings are not only the perfect option for a toasted bagel or bread, but would allow the average person to count calories, reduce waste in businesses, reduce the mess, apply even spreading, and be pre-measured for baking.
Why will your idea be successful?
My idea will be successful because the product been successful for over 120 years and advances this product by applying the idea of simplifying life to consumers. Whether the everyday person wants to enjoy the perfect spread without utensils or a company wants to advertise exactly what you'll get.
What is your idea?
Connecting Pieces (CP) is a site where families with Autistic/Disabled members can share resources, get services, and help one another. From having an Autistic brother, it was difficult for my family at first to find everyday services catered/trained for people with disabilities or Autism. CP will allow for servicers to advertise & be rated, resources/products to share, and advice to posted.
Who is your target customer?
My target customers for this product are families with Autistic/disabled family members, caretakers of Autistic/disabled persons, educators for Autistic/disabled persons, and service providers catered towards Autistic/disabled persons.
Who are your biggest competitors?
Currently, in the research that I have done, there are not any competitors with this exact idea for an app or website. The competition that I have come across is the already existing Facebook community pages for Autism/Disabled families. The Facebook groups have great outreach, which can be used.
What makes your idea different?
My idea is different because there is not nothing like this in the market right now, It targets a specific audience but, this audience is growing and wide. The idea will help the immobility of access to certain products or services for families in need.
Why will your idea be successful?
I believe my idea for Connecting Pieces will be successful because of the need for something like this within my own family and many others in Autistic and Disability families. I have polled people in numerous communities to ask about their needs, and this product will satisfy them.
What is your idea?
ActiveModel specializes in creating VR gym environments that can easily be accessed on a smartphone or computer. It is offered as a service to gyms to create a replica of their facility so customers can view it from the comfort of their homes. This service helps people searching for a new gym and those with disabilities view a gym’s accessibility and equipment before visiting.
Who is your target customer?
ActiveModel targets gyms of all sizes that wish to show the equipment and disability resources they offer. The service allows gyms to display a virtual model on their website that visitors can use to see the disability accommodations the gym has implemented to make an inclusive environment.
Who are your biggest competitors?
Although many companies exist that specialize in VR, none are specifically dedicated to modeling gyms. The main competition would be the gym’s social media itself, especially with the advent of 360-degree pictures which are often used for large gym franchises.
What makes your idea different?
ActiveModel is dedicated to modeling gyms with a high level of accuracy and detail. The VR model will be more immersive and detailed than pictures and videos on social media, allowing customers to explore at their own pace with a model that can be accessed with a smartphone, computer, or VR device.
Why will your idea be successful?
This service displays the gym’s unique features and accommodations, adding value to both the gym, through membership sales, and potential gym members, through accessibility. The VR model will be simple to use and will resemble Google street view, allowing anyone to make an informed decision.
What is your idea?
GreenHorn is an app that assists first-time gym attendees in selecting a gym. The app will also provide a matching service for gym partners so the first-time gym attendee can make a connection before stepping foot in a gym. GreenHorn will provide specialized gym reviews that detail information such as the gym’s environment, business, and beginner friendliness for easier gym selection.
Who is your target customer?
GreenHorn targets new gym goers who are overwhelmed with the process of finding a gym, gym partner, and fitness trainer for the first time. The app makes this process easy so new gym goers can gain experience and help the next generation of beginners start their fitness journey through GreenHorn.
Who are your biggest competitors?
Platforms that offer reviews like Google Reviews and Yelp are competition for the review portion of the app. Social media sites are competition for the gym partner and fitness coach finder side of the app. However there are currently no direct competitors that perform the same function as GreenHorn.
What makes your idea different?
GreenHorn offers a more specialized review of a gym, allowing for a more complete view of the gym beginners. Because of the match function, gym partners could be selected based on proximity, gym schedule, workout style or by specific gym, making finding a gym partner on GreenHorn incredibly easy.
Why will your idea be successful?
The most difficult part of creating a habit is starting. This app aims to make the process as seamless as possible. This coupled with the app being free will ensure a large user base, allowing for successful user reviews and gym partner matches, making GreenHorn the go-to app for getting healthier.
What is your idea?
My idea is a mobile application software, that utilizes AI and the web to present useful information for the user. It will do this by taking in an image from a phone camera and determine what is the product captured. Then take these details to the web and provide the user with information like: -Average cost people are paying -Lowest cost and where to find it -Nutritional facts or material makeup
Who is your target customer?
Everyday shoppers and consumers of common day-to-day products.
Who are your biggest competitors?
Other software's and easy to use web browsers such as google.
What makes your idea different?
It utilizes the combination of a mobile device camera and AI, to provide fast and useful information.
Why will your idea be successful?
My idea will be successful because it will be easy to use and be available for anyone who owns a mobile device.
What is your idea?
ShowerClean is a stand-up shower floor cleaner that uses high-pressure water to easily and effectively remove hair and other debris from the shower floor. The product consists of a small, discreet unit that is installed at the base of the shower. When activated, it releases a powerful stream of water that cleans the shower floor, washing hair and other debris down the drain.
Who is your target customer?
Our target customers are homeowners, apartment dwellers, and commercial property owners who are looking for a hassle-free way to keep their showers clean on a daily basis. These customers value convenience and effectiveness, and are willing to pay for a product that can help them save time & effort.
Who are your biggest competitors?
There are a number of competing products available in the shower cleaning market, including shower squeegees, chemical cleaners, and other specialized cleaning tools. These products generally rely on traditional cleaning methods and may require the use of additional products, which excludes my idea.
What makes your idea different?
ShowerClean uses precisely drilled mini-holes that release high-pressure water to clean the shower floor, making it more effective than traditional cleaning methods. It is also easy to install and environmentally-friendly, as it requires no additional cleaning products.
Why will your idea be successful?
I believe that ShowerClean offers a unique and practical solution for a common problem, and that its benefits will make it appealing to a wide range of customers. By offering a convenient and effective solution, I believe that we can appeal to a wide range of customers. This will be successful.
What is your idea?
My product is a pair of either sunglasses or prescription glasses, that have cameras and Lidar technology to help people with vision impairments asses dangers. If the glasses see an obstacle such as a wall, street/sidewalk, or oncoming car, it warns the user with an audio and/ or vibration on the obstacle, how close it is, and viable solutions on how to avoid it.
Who is your target customer?
My target customer are people with visual impairments of varying degrees. The sunglasses are for the blind because having shades allows them to see contrast and the glasses could allow them to not need a service dog, or guide cane. The prescription glasses can help the elderly with slight issues.
Who are your biggest competitors?
My biggest competitors are AIRA, NuEyes Pro, and QD laser, who all have there own version of glasses that allows the blind to see. There are also the original methods of guide cane and service dog.
What makes your idea different?
My idea is different because it expands the markets not just to blind people, but also to the elderly, and the glasses will look as normal as possible to allow the user to not stand out. Another difference my product has is that it uses Lidar allowing the glasses to also work in the dark.
Why will your idea be successful?
My idea will be successful because it serves a wide market for all degrees of visual impairment, without making the user stand out like they do when they have a guide cane, a service dog, or the rest of the special glasses on the market.
What is your idea?
It is a device that is primarily made to clean and remove bird poop off of hardwood floors. I personally have to deal with this issue, and there are not many great options out there. The device will contain a brush as well a chemical that is made to breakdown the bird poop without damaging the floor. This chemical will be made with the goal to be unharmful to birds.
Who is your target customer?
It is primarily bird pet-owners, as well as potential bird owners who are afraid getting a bird will destroy their room forever. According to AVMA.org, there are approximately 3.5 million households that currently, on average, own 2.1 birds each. These will also be our repeat customers.
Who are your biggest competitors?
Our biggest competitor is a product called Poop-Off Bird Poop Remover. This is a spray sold on amazon.com that is advertised as a chemical that breaks bird poop down. The product currently has 4.5 stars with 2,214 ratings. According to the reviews, the product does exactly as it is advertised.
What makes your idea different?
It is because I am combining a brush to scrub the poop as well as a chemical to break it down. This will all be self-contained in the device. With our competitors product, one has to wait a while after spraying for the poop to break down. However, our scrubber and chemical combo cleans it instantly.
Why will your idea be successful?
First is because there is a need for it. Until now, I had never heard of my competitor's product. This is because there is not enough marketing done. My product will be advertised so that almost all bird-owners know it exists. My product will also be available in pet stores, as well as amazon.
What is your idea?
It is very hard nowadays to get a grip of your healthy eating habits. In a world that makes it hard to eat healthy, where do you get ideas for healthy alternatives? I am pitching an app that allows you to document what you eat, whether its healthy or not, and the app generates substitute products or recipes that are healthier alternatives.
Who is your target customer?
My target market aims towards those who are constantly on a healthy eating journey but find it hard to come up or do their own research on healthier substitutes due to the "coincidental" easier to find positioning of unhealthy foods.
Who are your biggest competitors?
My biggest competitors include the Weights Watchers app as well as any calorie counting apps in the market.
What makes your idea different?
My idea is different because it is much more than a calorie counting or dietary app. This app will change your lifestyle for the better because it uses technology to become user friendly.
Why will your idea be successful?
My idea will be successful because almost everyone strives for healthy living. Whether it's a new years resolution or a turn in the right direction healthwise, my app will promote and encourage finding the healthier options when eating and shopping for food.
What is your idea?
cARe Connected Lenses are smart glasses, or wearable computing devices which utilize augmented reality to mitigate emergency situations. These glasses, worn by EMTs in an ambulance, use object recognition software to project the situation to an emergency physician who will remotely guide the EMT. The connected physician can communicate and make annotations to the projected screen in real time.
Who is your target customer?
cARe caters to hospitals and first responders to maximize efficiency in their emergency care. Specifically, cARe is designed for critical situations in which the patient needs immediate physician care that EMTs cannot provide. cARe can provide revolutionary aid to those in impoverished communities.
Who are your biggest competitors?
Connected ambulances, which employ 5G network technology, have the potential to compete with cARe. These vehicles use a VR headset and live footage to emulate the emergency room environment, where the physician can assist the EMT. However, constructing these vehicles costs invaluable time and money.
What makes your idea different?
Every second, a patient suffers due to transportation barriers in healthcare. cARe makes accessible healthcare a (augmented) reality for rural communities. Unlike costly connected solutions, cARe is accessible for all. The efficient lenses provide remote, real time support that can save real lives.
Why will your idea be successful?
Currently, there is a gap in the market for those lacking access to emergency care, whether it be due to distance, district or disability. cARe Connected Lenses minimize unused ambulance travel time by supplying first responders with state-of-the-art AR technology. Accessible care starts with cARe.
What is your idea?
An application you can download on a smart phone or smart watch that helps with healthy eating goals. Taking a short survey listing goals of a balanced diet, weight loss, or just healthier grocery shopping. Clients include allergies, height, age, etc. The app would offer a specialized shopping list and/or send foods which you can grow at home fit to your needs. Family sizes can be an option too.
Who is your target customer?
People looking to change their eating habits to live a healthier daily life for themselves and/or their families. Local shopping supporters in the Dearborn area, or nation wide.
Who are your biggest competitors?
Other food tracking apps, pre-made/prepackaged meal plans, dieting programs, less expensive grocery stores. (MyFitnessPal, MyPlate Calorie Counter, Daily Harvest, Fresh N Lean, ALIS, Walmart, Meijer)
What makes your idea different?
There may be food tracking apps, pre made meal plans, or dieting programs out there, but Smartgoals caters to your personal needs by choosing to purchase healthier foods, whether it's shopping locally or growing you own food at home. Focusing on health and mindset rather than tracking calories.
Why will your idea be successful?
It is an easy, free, simplified way to encourage one's knowledge on healthy eating habits. It is specific and unique to each person. Various options are offered to shop healthy, grow healthy, and eat healthy. Many people hire nutritionists or trainers to do the same thing this app could do for them.
What is your idea?
Help-us-Help is a non-profit organization where other non-profits can outsource human resources and management-related work. The goal is to make the non-profits who are being catered our services more efficient and that the employees working for Help us Help get paid higher salaries and have better resources.
Who is your target customer?
Non-profit organizations that provide social services for unaccompanied immigrant minors, food pantries, Habitat for Humanity, etc.
Who are your biggest competitors?
The largest initial obstacle Help-us-Help will initially face is its infrastructure and reputation before it can grow.
What makes your idea different?
What makes Help-us-Help different than other non-profits is that as a services provider to many non-profits simultaneously it will benefit from experience and knowledge from other similar non-profit organizations that it works for. In a way, it will provide a database to aid collective efforts.
Why will your idea be successful?
When a non-profit organization "hires" Help-us-Help's services it will absorb its employees and these will benefit from the resources of Help-us-Help such as shared expertise on how to accomplish the tasks specific to each non-profit organization.
What is your idea?
There is currently a lack of learning images for the development of ai, and there are various difficulties in collecting data, especially for the development of autonomous vehicles.It takes a lot of time and money to collect data because vehicles have o travel around the streets and shoot. We are working on how to collect data faster and easier, and how to get it right where it's needed
Who is your target customer?
1. AV company, which develops various obstacle detection technologies.
2. The Road Traffic Authority, identifies areas where road should be fixed and maintained or if there's any illegal vehicles.
3. Individuals who want to understand the location conditions of businesses or traffic situations.
Who are your biggest competitors?
Other competitors have limitations in that they have to collect images one by one and classify them directly by human hands.
However, it has a striking distinction in that the app automatically establishes and classifies the custom image data that the imported user wants, and can easily share.
What makes your idea different?
The app will have a strong market competitive edge in that it not only has a clear target market but also has the potential to expand its business. it has early users to collect data to join company's project. It receives a variety of data and in return provides some revenue to individuals.
Why will your idea be successful?
It will increase the value of data utilization by becoming a bridge that connects individuals and companies to fully utilize the countless data on the roads that we usually pass by casually.
What is your idea?
This system will reduce food waste by connecting donors to charity databases according to community dietary need; support urban farmers and businesses. An app will allow donors to purchase at stores or restaurants and select a charity or community fridge of their choosing. College students can use unused meal swipes to donate. Stores' old fruits or vegetables will go to farmers for compost.
Who is your target customer?
My target customers are grocery stores; restaurants; urban farmers; non-profits; college students; and residents who are low income, home bound, and/or do not have access to fresh fruits and vegetables.
Who are your biggest competitors?
The biggest competitors are Gleaners, local nonprofits, Imperfect Foods, and Misfits Market.
What makes your idea different?
There are no systems that efficiently address food waste in a way that can assist the community.
Why will your idea be successful?
Sustainability, environmental care, charity and food waste are all causes that people care about. My idea uses concepts of practicality and reuse to target all these causes.