The name tells it all. It’s a Garden on Wheels.
SBCC student Justin Connell co-founded Garden on Wheels, an elevated mobile garden that caters to people who can’t bend or don’t have much space.
Connell and his peers spent a semester transforming an idea into a researched business plan through the new pilot SBCC Scheinfeld Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation program called EnterpriseLAUNCH.
Garden on Wheels earned top honors Friday morning at the EnterpriseLAUNCH competition at SBCC as nine teams pitched their ideas to a panel of investors.
“We have a carpenter who makes (the lightweight wood units), so we basically have the manufacturing done,” Connell said. “We have a product that is ready to go. We can make sales tomorrow.”
The elevated garden helps keep pests out, maximizes space and houses a tool rack and an optional trellis. The unit has a sealed bed that features a draining system, which differentiates the Garden on Wheels from similar products, Connell said, adding that the main demographic is the elderly Santa Barbara community.
Entrepreneur Dr. Jon Anton, Scheinfeld Director Melissa Moreno and SBCC Business Administration Department Chair Bonnie Chavez led the EnterpriseLAUNCH club that met each Friday for three hours.
“Skills like these are more important now than ever, especially since corporate jobs are so hard to find,” Anton said. “These are survival jobs. They can create their own.”
The other products and services presented included Tracer, a mobile device application developed by Eric Maier that uses GPS devices to track bus routes for students.
“With Tracer, missing the bus is a thing of the past,” Maier said.
FuelBox is an innovative charging product designed for mobile devices. Robert Herr, Erik Stucky, Dan Fridman and Joakim Lindstrom created a device that plugs into electrical sockets and features retractable plugs that charge mobile devices.
Sina Omidi showcased a mouthwash dispenser he plans to market to restaurants, resorts, bars and clubs.
Toasty’s is a gourmet sandwich catering company that delivers organic, healthy and convenient lunches to businesses, according to founder Carolyn Kope.
James Margeson presented a device that uses the natural water evaporation process to cool drinking water and uses an LED ultraviolet lamp to sterilize water.
Plus It is an organizational parent app that stores information in a searchable database, founder Lee Smith said.
Gopheride is a service that drives a customer and his or her car home after a night of drinking, CEO Denis Yevseyev said.
The Bucket List is an online community for retired individuals that matches them with people who have similar interests, according to co-founders Svitlana Oksenenko-Ayoub Daniel Nikzad.
Businesses launched from the program are eligible to participate in the Scheinfeld Center’s 2012 New Venture Challenge in May.
“This program is such a great opportunity for student entrepreneurs,” Kope said.
— Noozhawk business writer Alex Kacik can be reached at akacik@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.