The students, who formed Verve Inc, won the prestigious Griffith Innovation Challenge 2011, by taking out not only the Overall prize, but also the Best Business award and the People’s Choice award.

Thomas Proudlock, Julian Irani, Jeff Beitz, and Matt Elieff developed the concept of Living Advertising, whereby vertical garden technology is utilised to brand logos into a living wall space.

The benefits of living wall branding include a reduction in CO2 emissions, urban storm water runoff and the urban heat island effect.

The four team members of Verve Inc. now intend to develop their concept further into a business opportunity.



As a leader in innovation and research, Griffith University has been conducting The Griffith Innovation Challenge for the past seven years.

Entry to the competition is by submitting a business plan. Those plans are then reviewed by a panel of judges and five finalists selected.

The finalists then give a 20 minute presentation of their innovative concept and a 3 minute elevator pitch.

The Verve Inc. team members plan to utilize several business contacts established through the challenge, and they are looking to make the most of their membership of the Gold Coast Innovations Centre (GCIC).

The GCIC helps start-up companies master those critical next steps in preparation for scaling their business, including securing necessary levels of funding and mentoring. This membership is given annually to the top team in the Innovation Challenge in order to help turn their ideas into reality.

For more information, on the GCIC and the Innovations Challenge, please visit:

http://www.gcic.net.au/

http://www.griffith.edu.au/business-commerce/griffith-innovation-challenge