The University of Michigan-Dearborn’s iLabs Center for Innovation hosts its first case competition on Friday, Nov. 6, capping two decades of pairing students with regional businesses.
Teams of three to four UM-Dearborn students will deliver presentations lasting up to 15 minutes to a panel of judges at Fairlane Center South. Each team will tackle a real business challenge for a chance to win a grand prize, according to the university’s competition page. The daylong event runs from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., though the schedule could shift based on the number of teams.
The competition was open to all current UM-Dearborn students, including both undergraduate and graduate participants. Registration closed Oct. 11.
The published schedule set Oct. 16 for the case release and 2 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 5, as the presentation submission deadline.
iLabs Director Tim Davis said the center connects classroom theory with practical application. Former faculty member Kim Schatzel, then an associate professor of marketing, founded iLabs in 2006 and served as its first director, according to a UM-Dearborn news story. Schatzel later became dean of the College of Business and went on to serve as president at Towson University and the University of Louisville.
The university credits iLabs’ market research projects with giving hundreds of its graduates practical experience over the past 20 years. Students consult with clients including local businesses and city governments. Each year, iLabs student researchers also produce an eCities report that uses data analytics and municipal feedback to highlight communities building strong business environments.
Assistant Director Kari Kowalski emphasized the importance of interpersonal and analytical skills in the university story. She identified asking questions, recognizing data patterns and communicating results to clients as important preparation for market research work.
One recent example: Pop Daddy Snacks owner Mark Sarafa, a 1989 College of Business alum, partnered with iLabs for an academic year. Student consultants analyzed retailer scanner data to help the Michigan-based snack company refine its pricing strategy with major retailers, the university story said. The company’s products are sold in more than 30,000 U.S. retail locations and across four countries, according to Pop Daddy’s website.
Sarafa said the students’ work impressed him.
“You would have thought these students were in the industry for eight or 10 years with the information they brought back,” Sarafa said, according to the university.
Joe Zaremba, a 2007 College of Business graduate and vice president at the global market research firm Ipsos, was among iLabs’ earliest participants. He worked on a post-graduation expectation survey for the university and still mentors iLabs students, the university story said.
The competition is the latest addition to a lineup that includes pitch competitions, business showcases and entrepreneurship workshops. Students with questions can contact Kowalski through the iLabs Center for Innovation at 313-593-3991.
