EPF’s Crocosmart team, winner of the Devogame Challenge, off to conquer Las Vegas !
On December 14th, EPF’s Crocosmart team won the 2018 Devogame Challenge, which pulled together over 500 participants and 80 teams over the following question “How can Big Data, Artificial Intelligence (AI) or the Internet of Things (IoT) contribute to improving the lives of disabled people ?”. The Crocosmart team made up of 5 students from the Troyes Campus and attending the Building & Eco-cities major flew off the Las Vegas from January 7th to January 13th to visit the CES dedicated to technological innovation and entrepreneurship. They shared their experience and the next steps of the Crocosmart project.
A Victory over 80 other European projects
The 2018 Devogame Challenge adventure started in October with an Escape Game, a first step allowing the Crocosmart team to qualify and get a chance to answer the real question “How can Big Data, Artificial Intelligence (AI) or the Internet of Things (IoT) contribute to improving the lives of disabled people?”
This subject pushed these 5 engineering students from the Buildings & Eco-cities major from the Troyes Campus to step out of their comfort zone and think outside the box thanks to their general engineering training.
This is how Crocosmart, an intelligent watch for deaf and hearing-impaired persons emerged. A convincing pitch, a video tutorial and a TEDx-type public conference later and the Crocosmart team stood out from the 80 other European projects and was designated as the winning team of the challenge organized by the Devoteam company.
A trip to Las Vegas to visit the CES, its Technological Innovations and the entrepreneurship world
The winners of the Challenge, together with several members of the Devoteam Company flew off to Las Vegas from January 7th to January 13th 2019. The purpose of this trip was to spend two days at the CES to admire, discover and even test new technologies and innovations under development. This was also an opportunity for Sibylle, François, Fiona, Bérangère and Camille to meet with companies from the FrenchTech to exchange on the entrepreneurship world. All this feedback, experience and professional background inspired several members of the group !
What does the future hold for Crocosmart ?
"This trip plunged us into a technological world during the first two days by awakening our curiosity and opening our mind to entrepreneurship. It also gave us the opportunity to go to Las Vegas, which was a first time to the U.S for some of us, and get a glimpse of the delusions of grandeur of the country !" Agreed the team.
Exchanging with entrepreneurs from the FrenchTech at the CES inspired several members of the team to create their start-up and winning the 2018 Devogame Challenge offered them good visibility. Contacted by the YEC, incubator in the region of Troyes, the students were offered a tutoring for the development of their product and start-up. They will soon be leaving for various places during a 6 month-period for their Final Project, which will give them time to think how to develop Crocosmart.
