{"id":99546,"date":"2019-07-08T15:37:17","date_gmt":"2019-07-09T01:37:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/?p=99546"},"modified":"2019-07-10T14:26:05","modified_gmt":"2019-07-11T00:26:05","slug":"tech-center-co-sponsors-competition","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/2019\/07\/08\/tech-center-co-sponsors-competition\/","title":{"rendered":"UH<\/abbr> M\u0101noa tech center co-sponsors Shark Tank inspired competition"},"content":{"rendered":"Reading time: <\/span> 2<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>

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The University of Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> at M\u0101noa\u2019s Language Flagship Technology Innovation Center<\/a> (Tech Center) in the College of Languages, Linguistics & Literature<\/a> is co-sponsoring its third LaunchPad competition with the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages<\/a> (ACTFL<\/abbr>) on November 23.<\/p>\n

LaunchPad<\/a>, inspired by the TV<\/abbr> show Shark Tank<\/em>, features first-time entrepreneurs who have created a technology product intended to fill a need in world language education. A panel of experienced professionals and attendees provide input and decide on a winner. <\/p>\n

The UH<\/abbr> M\u0101noa Tech Center designed the LaunchPad competition, which will take place at the 2019 ACTFL<\/abbr> World Languages Expo in Washington, D.C.<\/abbr> During the 90-minute competition, start-up companies pitch their innovation and receive feedback from the highly specialized audience of world language educators. <\/p>\n

\"Rodriguez
Julio C. Rodriguez<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

UH<\/abbr> M\u0101noa Tech Center Director Julio C. Rodriguez<\/strong> said that the 2019 LaunchPad finalists are very talented. A panel of judges from the Tech Center selected the finalists from an applicant pool in a series of Zoom interviews. <\/p>\n

“The products they are developing are incredibly creative and intuitive, and have the potential to innovate language education. We hope the companies will use this opportunity to take advantage of the amazing expertise available at the ACTFL<\/abbr> Convention, and to further align their products with the needs of world language professionals,” Rodriguez commented.<\/p>\n

Finalists will enjoy exposure and access to thousands of language educators, successful companies and The Language Flagship<\/a> international network. <\/p>\n

The finalists: <\/p>\n