The deadline is approaching to apply for a spot in the first statewide technology competition, designed to showcase the latest software and hardware being developed across Louisiana.
The Nexus Technology Cup will spotlight innovative developments created by high school and college students, along with tech enthusiasts. The event will be held June 17-June 19 at the Water Campus in Baton Rouge.
The roots for the competition go back to Nexus Louisiana President and CEO Tony Zanders’ days as a student at Henry W. Allen Elementary in New Orleans, when he was taking part in the school science fair.
“If you won at the school level, you would go to the UNO Lakefront Arena to compete at the city level. It was so exciting,” he said. “And if you won at the city level, you got to come to the state competition, which was up here in Baton Rouge … When you got invited to Baton Rouge, that meant you were going to the big leagues.”
Zanders was reminded of those times a few months ago, when he took his daughter, a student at Baton Rouge High, to participate in a hackathon at the Goodwood Library. He was surprised to see the coding work being done by high school students and wanted to spotlight their work, while giving them a venue for academic competition.
The competition will have three tracks: one for high school students, one for college students and an open track for anyone building interesting technology. It fits in with Nexus Louisiana’s mission to expand tech startups, develop the workforce and stimulate economic growth, Zanders said.
A total of $100,000 in cash prizes will be awarded to the winning teams, with the top finishers in each category taking home between $5,000 and $10,000. A few dozen teams have signed up for the event, and Zanders said he expects more entries before the deadline.
To be eligible, teams need to submit an application before April 30, detailing an original project primarily developed by team members. For more information or to register, go to nexusla.org/technologycup/.
