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Andrew Alexander, Scripps Howard visiting professional, and Jean Marie Cackowski-Campbell, executive coordinator of the Scripps Innovation Challenge, address the crowd at the Scripps Innovation Kickoff event.

Team Ubuntu walks away from the Scripps Innovation Challenge with $10,000

Team Ubuntu took first place at the Scripps Innovation Challenge for its pitch of a news app and website that target the media desert of the Somali refugee population in Columbus.  

After 31 teams registered, 13 submitted final proposals and seven pitched to a panel of judges, Team Ubuntu won first place in the Scripps Innovation Challenge.

The group was awarded the top prize of $10,000 Monday afternoon for their pitch of NewsRain, a news app and website that target the media desert of the Somali refugee population in Columbus.  

Ubuntu was made up of Kingsley Antwi-Boasiako, a PhD student studying media arts; Samuel Antwi, a PhD student studying constructional technology; Ayleen Cabas Mijares, a graduate student studying journalism; and Goitom Negash, a graduate student studying African studies.

“I really feel kind of empowered and motivated right now,” Mijares said. “We knew it had value, but this is a validation of everything and that it is really feasible.”

The group will go on to compete in the Scripps College of Communication International Innovators Cup.

Mizell Stewart, one of the four judges, said there was debate among the judges when choosing winners.

“We’re looking for ideas that really push the envelope in new areas,” Stewart, the chief content officer of the Journal Media Group, said.  “I’m very impressed with the caliber of the students, the caliber of the presentations.”

The Honey Badgers came in second on pitch day, walking away with $5,000 for their proposal of ConnectWatch, a product similar to the Bloomberg terminal that gives the audience analysis of the flow of government money and political campaign finance data.

The Honey Badgers consisted of Will Drabold, a senior studying journalism; Abdalah El-Barrad, a junior studying economics and applied mathematics; Samuel Howard, a senior studying journalism; Danielle Keeton-Olsen, a senior studying journalism; and Logan Leland, a junior studying computer science.  

Drabold, Howard, Keeton-Olsen and El-Barrad have all contributed to The Post. Drabold is the director of editorial initiatives, Howard is the digital managing editor and Keeton-Olsen is a reporter.  

“We expected a strong result,” Leland said. “We were all pretty happy with the outcome.”

Five additional teams pitched their ideas for judges, and four of them received honorable mentions and $1,000. One of those teams, Gen-Z, received an additional $5,000 for winning the diversity prize.

 @M_PECKable

mp172114@ohio.edu

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