This week, 1776, the global incubator and investment fund, kicked off its global Challenge Cup2015 competition spanning 16 cities in 11 countries to identify the most promising startups to solve the world’s biggest challenges in education, energy, health and cities. The ACC has the privilege of being one of four Challenge Cup Association Partners and will be providing up to 16 health care finalists with an expenses-paid trip to ACC.15 in San Diego, CA in March to present their companies to potential clients and investors. ACC CEO Shalom “Shal” Jacobovitz participated in the first Challenge Cup yesterday in Washington, DC, as a judge. Other College leaders around the globe will serve as judges and/or mentors in the days and weeks to come. The 64 regional winners will further compete at 1776’s Challenge Festival, a weeklong event in Washington, DC, in May.

ACC in Touch: What was it like to be a Challenge Cup judge? Shal: It was a very exciting high-energy event. The presentations were inspired and innovative. We witnessed some very clever proposals. The crowd cheered after each presentation, not only for the ideas but in support of fellow innovators.

ACC in Touch: What were some of the most innovative pitches you heard? Shal: 1 EQ – a company which hopes to dramatically reduce the complications and cost associated with high-risk pregnancies; and Basetrace – a company which has developed tracers which can be added to water in order to trace the origin of leaks in power plants and fracturing.

ACC in Touch: Who/what were the winning companies? Shal: 1 EQ won the health section; EDbacker – a support service for PTAs – won the education section; Bacetrace won the energy section; and LocalRoots – a company dedicated to growing urban gardens in containers – won the urban section.

ACC in Touch: What are some of the opportunities you see for the ACC in working with 1776 in general? Shal: Getting involved with 1776 is part of the College’s innovation agenda. It will be a place where our ACC staff innovation ambassadors will hone their innovation skills. Also, it affords them the opportunity to mix with and learn from innovative people working on various problems in a novel way. Some of these solutions may have applications in our own business.

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