MMgt Students Create Accessible Wallet for People with Disabilities
A team of Master of Management (MMgt) students in the ENTR 6605 course has won this year’s Igor Kim (EMBA ‘19) New Venture Design (NVD) Prize for their inspired business idea.
ETacTouch, the winning team, designed an innovative wallet that operates by automatically sliding out the selected individual card using a unique touch screen mechanism. The idea originated from conversations with potential customers who have had motor skill challenges or problems such as arthritis. The team members, Preksha Bhandari (MMgt ’23), Lovleen Khuttan (MMgt ’23), Mehak Mehta (MMgt ’23) and Jayden Robinson (MMgt ’23) received $2,500.
“Customers respond to authenticity and vulnerability, they want to understand the real journey,” said Judge Prathna Ramesh. “People want to know that you care, that you did the work to provide the best solution and I think ETacTouch delivers.”
Second place was won by Lone Pooch, composed of Ritvika Dhakate (MMgt ‘24), Caroline Farber, Shamanthy Gnanakanthan, Rohit Adambavur Ramesh (MMgt ’23), Nealiya Shahin Moghaddam Ras and Ekta Yadav (MMgt ’23). The team created a way for pet owners to connect with their beloved furry companions on a deeper level. The collar has two key tech features – mood detection to alert the owner, and audio simulation to soothe any anxieties even when apart so that you and your dog never have to feel alone again.
“We are proud of the innovative ideas and passion displayed by the winning teams. These teams identified pressing problems and developed creative solutions that have the potential to make a significant impact,” said Dr. Moren Levesque, Co-Director, Entrepreneurial Studies at Schulich.