(PR.co.nz) Canterbury University Accounting student Alan Jellie has beaten over 150 other ideas to claim first prize in the inaugural 2011 Entre ‘App Challenge’ competition with PitchMeasure; an app for measuring sports pitches.
Pitchmeasure was selected by a panel of judges as the standout idea for its originality and potential benefit to casual sports players and people wanting an easy way to create an impromptu sports field.
His idea came about when some friends were arguing over where to put the try line for a rugby game they were setting up. “I thought there should be a better way to do this” Jellie states.
To measure a field, the user simply loads the application on their iPhone, selects what field they want to measure and an overlay will apear on their current position. They can see their exact location as they navigate their way around the edges of the pitch.
Jellie hopes the app can by used by Physical Education teachers and casual sports players around the world to measure ad-lib sports fields.
The Entre competition is an annual event at the University of Canterbury and encourages innovation amongst students. Chief Executive Nick Hawke states “the high number of ideas submitted shows just how keen young people are to have a go at being an entrepreneur and is proof that entre has an important part to play at the University of Canterbury” Hawke states.
The competition utilises local Christchurch businesses for support, in this case local mobile development company Mogeo assisted with the development of the idea. Managing Director Adam Hutchinson states “choosing just one idea was difficult but in the end the PitchMeasure idea shone through”.
About Entré
Entré is a non-profit company run by students at the University of Canterbury.
The goal of entré is to foster the entrepreneurial spirit on campus, to encourage innovation and educate students on the basic elements of business development.
Media Release 11 October 2011.