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The Omni Hotels & Resorts COVID-19 Design and Innovation Challenge

Challenge

For current challenge participants: visit challenge.makeimpactconsortium.com

The Make Impact Consortium is hosting the Omni Hotels & Resorts COVID-19 Design and Innovation Challenge to engage its students in making, innovation and entrepreneurship through community building and social awareness. Student teams will design, model and CAD solutions around the theme of reopening hotels safely during COVID-19.

Students will receive from this exciting international team Challenge:

  • Access to high quality design, simulation, entrepreneurship, and video skills training
  • Cash stipends of $350 per student for reaching the second (final) round. The top 15 teams that progress past the pitch competition will be eligible for stipends.
  • Total prizes of $10,000

Stipend

Each team member will receive a $350 stipend based on teamwork and attending the training sessions.

Awards

Cash prizes will be awarded to the best design(s) and for the best media documentation effort (documentation of photos, videos and more).

  • 1st Prize – MathWorks MIC Design Award: $5,000
  • 2nd Prize: $2,500
  • 3rd Prize: $1,500

“Best use of…” Prizes

  • “Best use of Fusion 360” sponsored by Autodesk: $2,000
  • “Best use of Automation” sponsored by iRobot: $2,000
  • “Best Media Documentation:” $1,000

Theme

Solutions to make guests and staff feel safe at hotels during the pandemic. Student teams from member universities compete to design products and software which will address key concerns of hotel guests.

Sponsors

OMNI Hotels Logo

Winners

Trainings

Live training courses to be run commencing February 8th, 2021

The top 15 teams that progress past the pitch competition will be eligible for stipends. At least one of the team members must attend each of the training sessions, and the other team members will need to review the recorded sessions and complete a short quiz on the content.

The Omni Hotels kickoff presentation on Feb 8th should be attended by all team participants live.

Here is the detailed training schedule. All times are US Eastern Standard Time:

Monday Feb 8th

9.45am-10.45am: Intro and Omni Hotels Challenge Goal Setting
11am-12noon: Intro to MATLAB with Neha Sardesai (MathWorks)

Tuesday Feb 9th

10am-11am: Intro to Simulink with Neha Sardesai (MathWorks)
11.15am-12.15: Exploring Business Opportunities with Laurie Stach (LaunchX)

Wednesday Feb 10th

10am-11.30am: Parametric Modeling with Satchel Sieniewicz (MIT/Autodesk)
11.45am-12.45: Video Skills with Conor McArdle (MIT)

Friday Feb 12th

10am-11.30am: Assembly Modeling with Satchel Sieniewicz (MIT/Autodesk)

Monday Feb 15th

10am-11.30am: Sculpting & Surface Modeling (Fusion Teams) with Satchel Sieniewicz (MIT/Autodesk)

All sessions will be recorded and be available shortly after the live event.

Teams

Each MIC member university may have several teams (minimum 3 members, maximum 4 members). Both undergraduate and graduate students are eligible to participate.

Timeline

  • Jan 29th
    Team applications due
  • Feb 8th
    Information and Training Sessions (Omni Hotels, Autodesk, Mathworks, Entrepreneurship 101, Presentation skills) will provide students with new skills over the week
    Teams start initial idea concept work
  • Feb 19th
    Each team pitches up to 3 project concepts to panel of judges
    Teams moving-on to the 2nd round are announced
  • Mar 1st – 5th
    Technical Design Reviews by MIT staff and faculty
  • Mar 16th
    Submission of Presentations  
  • Mar 17th
    Dry Run of Presentations  
  • Mar 18th
    Final Presentations and Awards

Final presentations on March 18th

  • 5 minute final pitch via Zoom
  • Panel of MIC members and sponsors vote on the best project in regard to concept, implementation and potential

Registration

Registration for this challenge is closed. See you at the next one!

Infographic

Join the Make Impact Consortium today!

The Make Impact Consortium is a global organization delivering Design, Innovation, Makerspace and Entrepreneurial programs. Organized by MIT, Consortium member universities partner with businesses and public sector organizations to create opportunities that help students Make Impact.