Innovation Quest


Innovation Quest (iQ) Sets Participation Record

From left, Kazem Kazerounian, dean of the School of Engineering; YouCOMM co-founder Daniel Yasoshima; Lucy Gilson, head of the Management Department; YouCOMM co-founder Tom Cotton; Provost Craig Kennedy; student Jeren Koh; UConn iQ founder Keith Fox '80 and iQ Director Professor Rich Dino pose for a photo after the announcement that YouCOMM won the grand prize. (Nicolle Anderson/UConn School of Business)
From left, Kazem Kazerounian, dean of the School of Engineering; YouCOMM co-founder Daniel Yasoshima; Lucy Gilson, head of the Management Department; YouCOMM co-founder Tom Cotton; Provost Craig Kennedy; student Jeren Koh; UConn iQ founder Keith Fox ’80 and iQ Director Professor Rich Dino pose for a photo after the announcement that YouCOMM won the grand prize. (Nicolle Anderson/UConn School of Business)

A new app that would allow hospital patients to easily communicate with nurses, and replace the old-fashioned “call bell,” is the top winner in this year’s Innovation Quest (iQ) competition. Continue Reading


Some UConn Business Students Support Bill Fostering Entrepreneurship Amidst Administrative Pushback

The Daily Campus– The University of Connecticut is awaiting changes to the language of “An Act Concerning Entrepreneurship at the University of Connecticut,” a state bill said to foster an environment of entrepreneurship, after pushback from administration, UConn spokesperson Stephanie Reitz said in an email, and some UConn business students say they support the bill.


Do You Have What It Takes To Be An Entrepreneur?

Frank Amaefuna, pictured, wants to create a business to provide concussion protocol for high school students. (Devin Basdekian/UConn School of Business)
Frank Amaefuna, pictured, wants to create a business to provide concussion protocol for high school students. (Devin Basdekian/UConn School of Business)

More than 300 Sign-up for iQ Kickoff As Entrepreneurship Takes Root at UConn

When he was a high school lacrosse player, Frank Amaefuna took a slash from an opponent. Although he was wearing a helmet, his head smacked the ground hard. Continue Reading




Curating Startup Innovation at UConn Innovation Quest with Special Guest Rich Dino

CTStartup Podcast– The CTStartup Podcast is back for its third season with a new format, new host, and new interviews focusing on the startup ecosystem in Connecticut.

We start off Season 3 interviewing Rich Dino, an associate professor at UConn and the director of the Innovation Quest program aimed at helping young students and startups bring their business ideas to life.


‘UConn Students Can Chase Their Dreams’

Keith Fox '80, addressing attendees at the 2017 iQ Awards dinner this past spring. (Nathan Oldham/UConn School of Business)
Keith Fox ’80, addressing attendees at the 2017 iQ Awards dinner this past spring. (Nathan Oldham/UConn School of Business)

Students’ “Insatiable Appetite” to Invent Led Entrepreneur Keith Fox ’80 to Champion Innovation Quest

Before he became a senior executive at Apple, or helped Cisco grow to “The Worldwide Leader in Networking for the Internet,” Keith R. Fox ’80 was a newly minted UConn business graduate embarking on a journey to become an entrepreneur. Continue Reading


UConn Innovation Quest: SR ClampLight

CTStartup Podcast– Sometimes the simplest innovation can have the largest impact, and can even save lives in the right situation.
The SR Clamplight is a firefighting tool created by Jerry Reyes-Riviera, a volunteer firefighter who saw a way to make this dangerous profession a little bit safer for his fellow firefighters.

Tune in for this UConn Innovation Quest interview and hear how this simple invention could mean the difference between life and death for the brave men and women of the local fire department.


UConn Innovation Quest: Macroscopic Solutions

CTStartup Podcast– Though most of the startups that participated in the UConn Innovation Quest are in the earliest stages of building their business, one returning company, Macroscopic Solutions, is a veteran of the IQ challenge, and returned to offer both advice, and a look at just how far they have come.

We sat down with Mark Smith of Macroscopic, who has been a guest on CTStartup as well, to discuss how IQ helped his business grow from an idea into a full-time job with international reach.


UConn Grad Experiences Entrepreneurial Evolution

Innovation Destination Hartford – University of Connecticut graduate Ali Oshinskie is a driven entrepreneur. The self-taught podcaster launched Podstories in May 2017 and is making a name for herself here in Greater Hartford.

Ali and Innovation Destination Hartford Website Curator Nan Price met at Café Fifty-Five for coffee and conversation about Ali’s experience with UConn’s Innovation Quest and what it means to be an entrepreneur.