IdeaLab
A weekend program for students to solve unique problems faced by the participating organizations. (Fall Semester: November)
"IdeaLab is a program designed to link problems and challenges with technical and creative problem solvers at RIT. We employ student teams with multidisciplinary expertise to solve unique problems faced by organizations or institutions such as Al Sigl Community of Agencies, Rochester Regional Health and others.
The students spend one weekend designing innovative solutions for specific problems identified by the participating organizations. Each team works under the guidance of an RIT faculty member and a sponsoring administrator. At the end of the event (Sunday afternoon), the teams present their innovative approaches to the project to their sponsor. Successful projects may then be expanded into ongoing student research projects that develop product and service prototypes, and potentially new businesses.
In previous IdeaLab events, students have employed their conceptual solutions, prototypes, and interaction with real outside sponsors to develop their portfolios, resumes and applications to graduate schools. Some projects have gone on to earn course credit in Applied Entrepreneurship and learn their potential to become a start-up business."