This contest is tied in with an iPhone app called BizBreak, which is a boss-punching game aimed at helping you get some much-needed stress relief. All in the spirit of entrepreneurship, the winner of the Limitless VC contest will receive 50% of the profit made from the BizBreak app, which is already up to $3,000. In addition, the winner will receive mentoring from a few very successful entrepreneurs.

You have until April 16th to submit a video. The 8 most viewed videos along with 2 more wildcard videos will be selected as finalists, and there will be a 7-day public voting period to determine the winner. Get to it! Sounds like a great prize for a quick and fun video submission. Check out the promo video for all the other details.

• Bucknell University Venture Plan Competition – Open to teams of undergraduate university students, this contest offers prizes of up to $5,000 for the most promising new ventures.
• Great Lakes Entrepreneurs Quest Business Plan Competition – All Michigan citizens are invited to apply to one of three different categories depending on the nature of the business plan. Cash prizes range from $500 to $5,000.
• Milken-PennGSE Business Plan Competition – Open to virtually anyone, this competition judges educational business plans and encourages applications in every conceivable educational setting. The first place prize is $25,000.

Our list this month features some pretty interesting ideas, in no particular order. If you’ve got some time, click through on each of the ideas, because the comments other members leave are often just as outrageous as the ideas themselves.

Anycolor Pen with ColorPick

“Most paint programs allow you to do two things that are sadly missing from the paper world: 1) Select the color of your brush from a color palette, and 2) Select the color of your brush from an existing color. The AnyColor pen remedies this! The pen contains Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Black ink cartridges, and adjusts the flow rate to create the desired color. (These are the same subtractive colors used in inkjet printers) The color can be specified by adjusting three (R,G,B) sliders and displayed on a miniature color LCD screen built into the back of the pen. Alternately, the user can press a button on the side of the pen and tap on any real world object. Photocells in near the tip of the pen register the RGB value of the of the object, and adjust the flow rate accordingly (the back of the pen also turns the appropriate color).”

Perhaps not be most essential office tool, but definitely a fun idea, and useful if you’re looking to match an already existing color. It reminded me of a high-tech version of the old-school color changing click-pens! Looks like it may have already been designed, but is still only in concept form.

Cereal Screen

“This is a half-circled-shaped thin wire mesh with a lip along the rounded edge. When you are nearly finished your breakfast cereal, place the mesh along the edge of the cereal bowl, tip back and the remaining milk passes through as the leftover bits of corn flakes or rice crisps are trapped in the mesh, where they can be collected with the spoon. Saves having to hunt for the last floaty bits at the end of the cereal session, and removes fear of choking while drinking the milk. Mesh would have to be flexible enough to adapt to different bowl circumferences.”

I envision this invention making more of a mess than anything, but this is a perfectly “half-baked” idea, and for you picky cereal eaters out there, this could be just the tool for you!

Toaster Calibration

“A camera/small LCD screen combo device on the front of your toaster where you can take “after” pictures of your toast after cooking at different temperature settings. Subsequently, when turning the burned-ness dial it will display your previous toast pictures, so you can get an early idea of how much tan, brown or black you want on your bread prior to the magical transformation.”

Must be I was hungry for breakfast when I chose these ideas…. This idea aims to to be the solution for anyone looking to get that perfect slice of toasted slice without all the guess work and waste of several severely burnt slices – unless you prefer to eat charred toast..

Clothing Heater

“So the idea is a heating system that fully heats one’s cold clothes. A rack designed to hold ones clothes and fully heat them. Switches on 5-10 minutes before you get out of bed with a timed system, or do it yourself with a switch if you’re a snooze abuser.”

This is one invention that I would definitely invest in if it existed. Waking up in a room that is drafty in the winter is no fun, and this might even make me slightly less reluctant to get out of bed in the morning! There would be the possibility fire hazards, but in my opinion it’d be well worth it.

Recyclabow

“People frequently recycle (or try to recycle) gift bows. This is inhibited by the common self-adhesive bow, when the adhesive pad does its job and holds on tightly. One can get the bow, but is stuck taping it to the next present. The problem is exacerbated by more exotic bows that don’t have flat bottoms. The idea is to sell bow packages, where the bow has a Velcro base (hooks, say) that attaches to a self-adhesive Velcro pad (loops, say). The bow can be recycled by purchasing packages of just the self-adhesive pads (loops), and extant bows can be made compatible with similar kits of pads (with hooks) for the bows.”

I thought this was a pretty creative idea to encourage the reuse of gift wrap bows. Opening packages can sometimes be bittersweet because you hate to ruin the pretty paper (at least I do!). Opening packages knowing at least part of the wrapping could be saved would add to the happy festivities of the holidays, especially for your eco-friendly friends and relatives! Might be a pain to sort through all the wrapping paper to save the bows however…

Spraywrap

“For very odd shaped items that traditional wrapping paper has trouble covering. Or for those who are gift-wrap impaired. Comes in an can with a nozzle. Aim it at the item to be wrapped and spray away. Sort of like silly string. Rotate the gift to get even coverage. When it’s time to open the gift, the lucky recipient just tears it off. Comes in a variety of colors. Biodegradable, nontoxic, color safe.”

I have enough trouble wrapping a plain square package – let alone any type of irregularly shaped gift, so I would definitely make use of this idea. Although spray on wrapping paper might be a little big overkill for the “gift-wrap impaired”, (it’s what gift bags are for!), it’s still a fun idea to entertain.

Laundry Pager

“aaaaaaaaah – Apartment Life. Someone invariably goes to laundry room, cranks up washing machines and leaves – apparently forgetting about the laundry. The next individual in need of Fresh Laundry politely waits, then gives up and puts aforementioned laundry in dryer for fellow Apartment Building Dweller. By the time the ‘next individual’ comes down to put freshly washed laundry in dryer, the previous individuals laundry remains damp in the dryer. So the ‘next individual’ neatly arranges wet laundry on table and dries his/her own laundry. Later, when the ‘next individual’ goes to retrieve his/her laundry from dryer, he/she finds that his/her laundry is still somewhat damp and is now in a wrinkled ball and the previous individuals laundry is now gone. Back into the dryer goes the ‘next individuals’ laundry. This mental picture /scenario / reality could be altogether avoided by means of a pager device indicating laundry is done by current occupant of washer and/or dryer. ”

This is another gadget that I would use hands-down! It’s a huge pain to have to run up or down flights of stairs several times more than necessary to check on your laundry, only to find it’s been tossed into a wet pile by some impatient neighbor. A pager would eliminate these problems! There was a similar idea for setting up a system where you could actually check the status of the washer or dryer, but a google search showed it’s been “baked” already by MIT students.

Cat Puffer

“A small proximity detector with a compressed gas cartridge that blows a puff of air when something comes near it.It can be placed under the edge of a favorite chair or sofa so that the cat gets puffed when he tries to scratch the chair.It can also be equipped with an RFID detector so that it only puffs certain cats (those without a chip in their collar. This could be incorporated into a cat bowl that puffs anycat that tries to steal the owner’s food.”

I happened upon this idea via Halfbakery’s “random” generator, and it made me giggle so I thought I’d share. This idea also seems like it could be constructed somewhat easily, and could be a very effective little device! Similar products exist that act as a repellent using smell or sound, but as far as the air puff technique, I wasn’t able to find anything out there. It’d also make for some great home videos!

We’re only in the beginning developmental stages, but we’ve been doing a ton of brainstorming and story-boarding, a necessary process to get any project off the ground. Who knew there’d be so many questions to answer?! We’re quickly finding out that you have to be prepared for as many “what-ifs” as possible in order to even begin thinking about opening a project like this to the public.

We don’t want to let the cat out of the bag just yet, but as our project progresses we’ll update you here at Finding Benjamin and you’ll be the first to know when the site goes live, so stay tuned!

photo credit : Stefan Baudy

Vegan Wishbone

“Thanksgiving has a little bit missing for vegans. Tofu Turkeys have *captain obvious strikes again* no bone structure. Thus create a non-animal based wishbone to insert into the turkey shaped tofu dish. It would have to be able to take the heat needed to cook the dish. And to keep it from sinking it would need something to hold it in place.”

In honor of Thanksgiving, as well as all the non-meat eaters in the world, we decided to include this pretty “bakeable” idea. This invention would allow vegans to still take part in the tradition of breaking the wishbone – and no animals would be harmed in the process!

Personal Retrorockets

“Gyroscopic devices located in the lower (shoes), mid (belt) and upper (tie tack, glasses) portions of the body are used to detect an impending fall. These devices notify your wallet which, using the combined processing power of the smartcards therein, causes strategically located retrorockets (in cufflinks, belt, etc) to fire – returning the subject to an upright position”

This is probably the most “out-there” idea to make our list this month, but for clumsy people such as myself, this seems like a pretty ingenious contraption. While it’d definitely be useful to wear to prevent injury after tripping over your shoe laces, it’d also be just as hilarious to observe a retrorocket-wearer start to fall and then be popped right back up.

Food Sleuth

“Every day I spend at least the first 7 minutes of my lunch break trying to figure out what I would like to eat. Sometimes it’s easier just to go without. What would be handy is a hand-held device based on 20q technology that asks you a series of questions about foods and tastes and textures which you answer yes, no or sometimes etc. After 20 questions the machine informs you of that perfect meal that you didn’t know you wanted.”

This gadget would be great for those days when you know you’re hungry, just not what you’re hungry for. You could even take it out to restaurants with you to help you decide what to order off of an extensive menu! It would be awesome if it could be modified to include suggestions for healthier alternatives to whatever junk food you might be craving, too.

Ice-Proof Walkway

“It should be possible to pave or cover walkways with a slightly springy or spongy material (maybe similar to high-tech running track material) that flexes just enough when walked on so that ice cracks and can be easily shoveled away.”

While this idea definitely seems useful and doable, it must be the cost of some kind of material like the one described above that stands in the way of it being “baked”. Also, it wouldn’t prevent the formation of ice, so you’d still need your “personal retrorocket” to protect you from falling. Still, it sounds like it would save a ton of time and energy when it comes to ice removal.

#1. Farmer’s Market

Farmer’s markets are big these days, so if you have any fresh produce you could possibly sell it might be a good idea. Squash and pumpkins would be huge this time of year. These girls were able to sell organic honey and have donated over $160,000!

#2. Sell Microsoft Office for Mac

Apple is becoming very popular these days, and more and more students are turning to MacBooks when it is time to go to college. Most colleges and universities require up-to-date versions of Microsoft Office in order to submit homework and projects electronically. The problem is that Office for Mac can only be bought with three product keys, while you only need one for your own computer. Find some friends with MacBooks and sell the other product keys for reasonable prices that will give you a profit.

#3. Haircuts

Most underclassmen at college have trouble getting off campus because transportation is a hassle. How are you supposed to get a haircut? Many students would easily throw some cash at you to give them a quick buzz in the dorm bathroom.

#4. Grave Grooming

Here is an interesting one. Grave grooming is the process of cleaning up and “beautifying” graves with flowers and decorations. If this sounds intriguing to you, advertise your services around your neighborhood and craigslist and see what comes up!

#5. Babysitting

Good old fashioned babysitting can bring in some serious cash. If your neighborhood is full of young kids, chances are business will be good. You may want to consider being trained through the Red Cross before beginning this business venture. Create ads and stick them in your neighbor’s mailboxes!

#6. Leaf Removal Service

As previously posted, this time of year provides you with a great opportunity to pick up leaves for people. Charge by either bags of leaves collected, or by time. Do your heaviest advertising in areas that have lots of leafy trees.

#7. Selling Firewood

If you have some trees on your property that could be chopped up, bundle it up and sell it! Pile it up in your front yard with a big sign that lets passerby’s know what you are up to. Make sure to cover the pile with a tarp so that the wood stays dry. People will use the wood in the winter time for their wood stoves, and in the summertime for campfires.

#8. App Bank

As previously posted, App Bank is currently being tested by some of our guinea pigs, and we will let you know our results ASAP. There is nothing like making a little money while using Facebook! According to the site, the top ranked application is raking in over $800 a month!

#9. Mobile Grocery Shopping

Also previously posted, the mobile grocery shopping business is a great idea, especially when the snow starts falling and people just want to stay within the comfort of their own home. We are starting a guinea pig trial of this in a few weeks and we will post our results.

#10. Neighborhood Car Detailing

If you are into cars and such, advertise around your neighborhood for your car cleaning and detailing business. The best part is you can do it from your garage at home! If you do a thorough job and your customers are happy, word should spread quickly.

Lazy River Office

“Why not, instead of setting up a depression, creativity-draining cublice landscape, erect an office based on the lazy river rides found at most water parks? There would be no walls, just a wide space with a winding, slow-current river replacing most of the floor. Each employee would get a large innertube outfitted with a couple drawers, a raised writing surface, cup holders, office supplies, a cell-phone, etc. Then they could spend all day floating around, perhaps with their feet in the water as they go about their business. I envision much happier, productive employees (as long as the innertubes are made sturdy enough to support some serious work.”

I don’t know about you, but if going to the office every day meant getting to float around in a river all day, I think I’d look forward to the work day a little more! It’s definitely a half-baked idea, but still fun to envision. Check out all the comments with additions and improvements to the original concept!

Color Changing Credit Card

“This is a credit card that changes as you spend and approach your limit. Its based off of the Homeland Security Model.

• Low – Green – Spent nothing or next to nothing.
• Guarded – Blue – You’re spending within your range.
• Elevated – You are spending dangerously close to your monthly budget and are in danger of overspending.
• High – Orange – You have spent past your budget and are very close to your limit.
• Severe – You have spent past your limit, the credit card companies are going to deactivate your card and repo all your possessions.This way you will know when you have spent too much and how soon you’ll be living on the street completely broke.”

Another great, while somewhat outrageous, idea. It would be great to immediately know the status of your credit card when you’re out and about, instead of having to try to remember or look it up. I also like the idea of the card changing to a certain color if it’s stolen.

Inflatable Coffee Sleeve

“I feel bad enough when I get a coffee in a paper cup and not in my stainless travel mug that I have forgot to bring/wash. Adding insult to injury is the means to insulate the cup from your hand. This is either more paper in the form of a sleeve, a styrofaom cup in itself, a foam lined cup exterior, a foam sleeve, or an extra cup altogether. A small tough folded and quilted inflatable sleeve with an elastic joiner to accomodate all sizes could be blown up, used, deflated, and folded back into a credit card sized space in your wallet.”

The average American consumes around 3 to 4 cups of coffee a day. If those coffees are all purchased in paper cups with paper or plastic sleeves, that’s a lot of waste! A reusable cup sleeve is a great idea, especially if it’s inflatable so that it can fit many sizes and be easily stored. While I haven’t seen an inflatable sleeve yet, I am proud to say that I do use a reusable sleeve if I get my coffee in a paper cup – here’s where I got mine!

Halloween Screaming Soda Caps

“For this Halloween, I have come up with screamin’ soda caps. I stumbled upon this when I was at a party last night and I opened a really fizzly bottle of Coke. Now, I thought to my self, “What can we do with this?”. So…… For Halloween, I propose specially made bottles and lids for soda bottles. Cleverly shaped, these bottled, instead of making a hissing noise, use the pressurized CO2 inside to make a screaming noise when first opened. NOW THAT’S THE SPIRIT!!!!”

Since Halloween is coming up, I figured it would be appropriate to add this idea to the list. If someone could figure out how to actually make the bottles scream when opened, I  could think of a million ways it could be used as a great prank!

You have to check out this interview! Joe Cicero sits down with 19 year old Mike Brown via Skype to learn all about the up and coming group called BedRoc. Mike talks about the group’s quest to make it big, and it sounds like they are well on their way. We are very excited to watch and report their accomplishments in the future. Mike gives great advice in the interview, and he even shows off his skills with a surpise FindingBenjamin.com freestyle rap! CHECK OUT THEIR WEBSITE AT BEDROCMUSIC.COM

It’s a new month, so we’ve gone and found another batch of crazy invention ideas from Halfbakery.com to give you a smile and hopefully kickstart your own creativity! If you’re unfamiliar with our Halfbakery series, check out the introduction in our first post.

Watermaze

“A maze where the ‘walls’ are made from sheets of falling water, piped overhead. You can cheat, but you’ll get wet doing it! The cool thing would be you’ll see vague shapes of people on the other side of the water, and maybe occasionally (on hot days) an arm would emerge from the cascade.”

We loved this idea because it seemed very do-able. With a little ingenuity a determined entrepreneur could possibly even construct a small one in their back yard for the neighborhood kids. Or better yet on a big scale, this would be an awesome attraction at any waterpark. We emailed the creator, Simon Whitaker, for a follow-up on this idea, and although he hasn’t done anything about building a watermaze, he has been busy with another project, Bathcode.com, which markets and sells “grooming products for geeks”. 

Morning Scent Alarm Clock

“Morning Scent Alarm Clocks would work in kind of a Glade Plug-in fashion, with a disposable scent-pak. (Because maybe you can patent “scent-pak”, but you probably can’t patent “replaceable disposable scent package”.) Different scents could be used: fresh grass with morning dew, a girlfriend’s perfume, napalm- whatever is going to get you going. Even negative smells — like a skunk, your grandmother’s perfume, or napalm again — could be used if you respond more to bad smells than to good ones. Or, a more deluxe model could have a good smell to wake you up, but a snooze alarm would let you sleep in scented bliss until the smell of a skunk hit you 9 minutes later.”

If I could find an alarm clock like this, I would definitely buy it. I especially like the deluxe version with the good scent turning into a nasty one if you hit the snooze button too many times! It appears that there’s already a patent on a product similar to this and a quick google search revealed a bunch of soon-to-be scent alarm clocks, so perhaps we’ll find them in the store sometime soon!

Confide in Cola

“Sometimes you just have to tell someone about it. Anyone. In fact the more anonymous the better.

The two traditional ways of dealing with this situation are:

1. If you are a catholic — go to a confessional booth.

2. Write it down, put it in a bottle and throw it in the ocean. Maybe someone will read it. Sometime. Somewhere.

I propose a service where people can pour their hearts out in an anonymous message (SMS? Web? Mail?). The message gets printed on plastic, folded up and put securely under the lid of a bottle of “Confessional Cola”. When you buy the cola you can gain a little insight into someone’s world.”

This idea didn’t seem that far – fetched either. There are brands of juices and drinks out there now that have some sort of message or inspirational quote printed on them. Knowing there’s a hidden message from some unknown person could be a huge selling factor! Messages would have to be monitored for content of course, but I could see it becoming popular.

Fidget Widget

“Caught in a boring meeting or stuck spending tedious hours trying to stay awake in class? You need a Fidget Widget! A pen or mechanical pencil on one end, with various buttons, wheels and twisty things on the other, each of which requires a different movement to operate and makes a different noise. More fun than drumming on a table.”

While a retractable pen would probably be sufficient in taking care of your fidget needs, this gadget sounds like it could be more fun but still fairly unobtrusive and useful as a writing tool in a business or school setting . It also seems like a pretty simple concept, and many different versions could be made.