Wade Kellard competes in RIT/NTID Next Big Idea competition

2017 May 1

Four teams of deaf and hard-of-hearing students from Rochester Institute of Technology's National Technical Institute for the Deaf went head-to-head April 26 during The Next Big Idea Competition, a Shark Tank-style business competition.

Judges from the competition's sponsor, ZVRS, a video-relay service headquartered in Clearwater, Fla., reviewed projects of the four team finalists, asked questions and selected first-, second- and third-place winners.

Wade Kellard and teammate Hans Kohls won first place ($5,000) for BAGMAG, a hands-free solution for making skateboards easily portable on the back of a backpack using magnets instead of straps.

Congratulations, Wade!