My-Time entrepreneurs rise to the challenge

Frustration over on-site paperwork, delays caused by missing work tickets, and matching tradies with construction projects have laid the foundations for this year's winning idea in the University of Adelaide's ZEN eChallenge competition.

University of Adelaide PhD student Luke Holtham and his construction manager father David brought together the winning team My-Time to turn their ideas into a marketable solution.

My-Time's unique web and smartphone interface will efficiently link tradespeople with builders and contractors, provide paperless easy timesheets and billing facilities, and allow instant verification of work tickets. It also produces ready online data for project management.

My-Time team members Luke and David Holtham, Leon Whitehead, Dean Calvert, Adam Basheer and Daniel Wilson won ZEN eChallenge's $10,000 first prize, the People's Choice Award - voted for on the night - and the Best Technology Commercialisation Award.

"David has been facing these problems throughout his career as a construction manager and safety officer," said Luke.

"Everyday he was turning away workers who had lost their tickets, and paper timesheet management was a nightmare. He was also acutely aware of the limited resources available for connecting work and workers. He's an entrepreneur at heart and he knew there had to be a better way.

"The ZEN eChallenge helped us assemble the correct team and develop our ideas ready to take to potential investors. Everyone we've spoken to about My-Time said 'What a great idea, just do it fast'!"

The annual ZEN eChallenge competition is run by the University's Entrepreneurship, Commercialisation and Innovation Centre (ECIC). ZEN Home Energy Systems is the naming sponsor.

Teams of up to six people develop a business plan for a new, previously unfunded business concept and each team must have at least one student member from any tertiary institution in South Australia. Semi-finalists are paired with an experienced mentor from the business community.

"ZEN eChallenge takes raw entrepreneurial talent and channels it into investment-ready, early stage companies with the guidance of top business mentors," said ECIC Director Professor Noel Lindsay.

"Entrepreneurship is essential to the future growth of Australia. ZEN eChallenge fosters innovation and speeds up the learning process towards a viable business model and past finalists have gone on to develop successful and thriving businesses."

Second prize went to Twist and Shake for the development of a smart combination of a normal baby bottle and powdered milk dispenser for easier baby feeding.

Third prize went to VPDoc who are developing a virtual private doctor service by secure video network.

Foodcloud won the Innovate SA Venture Capital Ready Award for their meal planning Facebook application; Viewsoft won the Vroom Award for their 3-D online education tool; and Zero won the Best Solutions International Diamond in the Rough Award for their system for secure online shopping and delivery.

Story by Robyn Mills