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Energy from soil. More efficient large-scale solar installations. A new method of sharing podcasts. These and other ideas are among the latest crop of innovations to come from the UC Santa Barbara Technology Management Program’s (TMP) New Venture Competition.

The annual eight-month tech and business competition is approaching its finale later this month. Six finalists, selected at the recent New Venture Fair, will face off on stage in front of their peers and a panel of seasoned tech entrepreneurs for bragging rights and $40,000 in prize money.

“It’s always difficult for me to see only six teams advance among so many great ideas and students, but I’m confident UCSB will be well represented by this group,” said TMP Entrepreneurship Director David Adornetto. “The teams always make amazing progress over the course of the competition, and this year is no exception.”

Having spent months refining their business models, the remaining teams will put those models to the ultimate test by pitching them to the pros and answering questions. The 2018 New Venture Competition finals will be held from 3 to 6:30 p.m. Thursday, May 24, at UCSB’s Corwin Pavilion. The event is free and open to the public; attendees are encouraged to register at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/uc-santa-barbaras-2018-new-venture-competition-tickets-37894921731

The final teams and technologies are: Adomi, helping homeowners monetize their largest asset; MoreSolar, addressing the inefficiencies of soiling on large-scale solar installations; Okra, providing a solution for engineers selecting and programming microprocessors; Snip, offering a novel way to share podcasts; Soilight, utilizing soil to provide a continuous source of energy; and Veneta, providing software for chemical labs.

The teams will undergo a battery of questions from an expert panel of judges, successful tech entrepreneurs in their own rights, including Josh Cobb, a senior director of business development and partnerships at Yahoo, and Stuart Jenkins, former CEO at Shoes for Crews and former senior vice president of innovation and product development at Deckers. Also on the panel are Kathy Odell, CEO at Waxing Poetic and former CEO of Inogen, and Jon Walker, a co-founder and chief technology officer at Appfolio.

Technology Management at UC Santa Barbara offers driven, business-minded students real-world curriculum and professional skills development essential to their career success. Its programs emphasize methodologies that foster innovation and leadership in both existing enterprises and new business ventures.

TMP students work under the guidance of dedicated faculty, practicing professionals and experienced mentors, where they apply a multidisciplinary approach to experiential coursework and extracurricular opportunities.