AI2V workshop (1)

I took quite some small trips these days. Our design team recently went to University of Illinois, Urbana- Champagne (UIUC) for a 4-day workshop called AI2V. It's basically to guide you through the process of getting your innovation idea/ prototype device to market and the real business world. We see this as a team retreat, thus 6 of us all managed to go.
Most (entire) my life in the u.s. was around the east coast. It was my first adventure to the middle west state. It was really different, and fun. :-) Design team 9, which is Tjensin's team went with us as well. That made the trip even more fun. :p
We got there at Sep 7, which is a Sunday. It was really shiny, and bright. The sun lighted up all the fields along the highway from Indianapolis to Urbana. Nimra was still fasting that day. Harry and she were sleeping at hotel, while the rest of us all fit in TJ's rent car and went Steak N Shake. As title, Steak N Shake is a famous middle west thing that has delicious steak hamburger and milkshake. :") We had the most delicious frisco melt I have ever had. Hmmm~ Trade secret. :p I love the onion rings and the raspberry vinegar sauce for salad, as well as the chloride-flavored water.



So we went there the next day. :p

Harry, me and Bryce.
Somehow I don't really want to describe in detail what I've learned from the workshop from business' perspective. I did learn something, but the business terms were overwhelming. :"( The best part for me is that we came up with this 90- second elevator pitch, which is very concise, compact and LOUD. The pitch begins with:

"You have all seen someone collapse and stop breathing. The ambulance arrives and CPR is performed by forcing air into the lungs. But what you don’t know is that this current method of CPR actually kills patients faster. This forced air creates unnatural pressures in your chest that ultimately block blood flow to your heart and brain. In patients with traumatic brain injury, this can easily be fatal."

The pitch can be really useful when you try to sell your idea and catch VC's attention, within a very limited time. We all should memorize and use it when this chance comes by.

Group picture can never be missed. Harry took this picture when 5 of us were sitting (& Posing) on the 1900 bench. We were doing self guided campus walking tour in UIUC that evening.