Student entrepreneurs craft impressive business plan for REthink Water

A team of student entrepreneurs from local colleges continues to impress with their business plan for REthink Water.  

REthink Water seeks to eliminate the use of plastic water bottles by creating a free refill station providing not only water, but also campus information and a rewards plan. This plan aims to foster sustainability and the increase of environmental awareness, one campus at a time.

The business plan, drawn up by Zach Fortney, Christina Takens and Joshua Smith from GRCC and Hardip Singh from GVSU, was one of 28 out of 300 businesses recently selected to compete in the student semi-finals of the state's largest business plan competition, the Accelerate Michigan Innovation Competition.

Although they did not advance beyond the semi-finals last weekend, Singh says the experience at the event was priceless.

"All of the ideas were very good and the presentations were well done," he says. "Most of the students that presented were graduate students from University of Michigan or surrounding schools. We were the only ones from the west side of the state."

Singh adds, "Most of the feedback was that we have a really good idea and we should definitely make it happen." Singh says one piece of important feedback was to not let a lack of money stop the group from developing their idea into a reality.

Next steps include developing a prototype and competing in the GRCC "Armen Awards" Innovation Challenge, in which they have already become one of the top 10 finalists.   

For more information on REthink Water, you can visit their Facebook page.

Source: Hardip Singh, REthink Water
Writer: John Rumery, Innovation and Jobs Editor