Northwestern Students Among Startup Competition Winners

EVANSTON, Ill. --- Two Northwestern University student startup companies, Timing and Racing Around the Clock (T.R.A.C.) and Share Transport, have won grand prizes at the Chicago College Startup Competition (CCSC), an event presented by Chicago’s entrepreneurial hub for digital startups, 1871. The competition provides one year of free membership to 1871 for nine grand-prize winners and three months of free membership for two runners-up.

T.R.A.C. seeks to simplify the running experience through innovative radio frequency identification timing equipment. Share Transport is a cloud-based service for maximizing a company’s transportation efficiency. Relying on analytics to optimize the logistic operation, Share Transport uses an extensive database to find matches for everyday transportation requirements.

In addition to receiving free membership to 1871, winners have access to frequent mentorship opportunities, specialized education programs and contact with potential partners and investors. 1871 is the flagship project of the Chicagoland Entrepreneurial Center, a nonprofit organization that supports entrepreneurs on their path to building high-growth, sustainable businesses that serve as platforms for economic development and civic leadership.

CCSC was launched by 1871 in conjunction with and in support of the efforts by Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn to attract and retain businesses in Chicago and Illinois. Both the mayor and the governor have identified young business owners, especially those from colleges around the nation, as a key group to attract and retain in Chicago.