The University of Nevada, Reno Innevation Center held its fourth annual Makerthon competition, presented in collaboration with Click Bond, Inc., April 12-14, 2024. This year, 30 students on seven teams were featured in the 48-hour competition.  

“The Makerthon is a great opportunity for students to explore ideas, even create some solutions that are good for the community,” Juston Berg, vice president of Entrepreneurial Development for the Economic Development of Western Nevada (EDAWN) and one of this year’s judges, said. 

Using the Makerspace’s wide array of tools, machinery and software, teams of students from both college and high school had 48 hours to develop, test, produce and then present a prototype of their product to a panel of judges. This year’s judges included Berg, Christopher Miranda-Ruiz with Click Bond, Kathleen Taylor, Ward 5 City of Reno councilwoman, Tom White, chairman of the Board at HAWS Corporation, and Grant Denton with the Karma Box Project.  

“Makerthon is all about creating curiosity for the future generations,” Miranda-Ruiz said. 

The teams comprised of high school, graduate and undergraduate students from Reno High School, Reed High School, Truckee Meadows Community College, the University’s Upward Bound Program and De La Mare Library. Some students were even competitors from previous years returning to vie for Makerthon champions. 

The competition’s real-world challenge prompt stated: 

“Homelessness is a multifaceted challenge in our community, encompassing more than just a lack of shelter. Individuals grappling with homelessness face obstacles such as limited access to essential resources, societal stigma, and the ongoing pursuit of stability. In this context, Makerthon 2024 invites you to engage your inventive spirit to directly address the specific challenges faced by those experiencing homelessness in Reno.

“Think beyond immediate relief – envision a product that enhances these individuals' quality of life, fosters inclusion, and provides sustainable solutions to the unique obstacles they may encounter. Let's channel our creativity into making a genuine and positive difference. Whether it's improving living conditions, facilitating community connections, enhancing resource accessibility, health and hygiene, and much more, your product should be a practical and tangible solution that addresses a real need.

“Your mission is simple: create a tangible product that makes a significant impact on the lives of individuals facing homelessness.”

“I think this is important because it’s young kids coming up with innovating ideas to solve real problems,” Denton said. 

The winning members on Mathemusicians are Nick Cotè, Alex Vankirk, Rhys Vankirk and Indigo Walenta. They took home a $2,000 check prize for their invention, a prototype product called c-kube, a secure storage locker designed to support unsheltered individuals in their difficult journey toward societal reintegration, specifically getting to appointments. 

“We made this specifically for people who are experiencing homelessness and are often put in a scenario where they have to carry their entire livelihoods on their back,” Cotè said. 

The storage container prototype features an unlocking system using facial recognition, a touch-free and sanitary access option with no codes to remember, helping prevent illegal activity. The team suggested that the lockers could be painted by local artists and sponsored by local businesses, including Eddy House, Northern Nevada Continuum of Care, Katie Grace Foundation, Society of St. Vincent de Paul, the VA Sierra Nevada Health Care System and Renown Health. 

Second place, with an award amount of $1,000, went to team Water Benders with their product Community Connect: a geofenced, solar powered, antitheft kiosk with a user interface point-source providing directions and access to resources. Third place, and a prize of $500, was awarded to Fred’s Fabricators with C.U.B.S: a cleansing utility boxes & storage for a discreet solution to hygiene for homeless or struggling youth. 

“This Makerthon really was amazing to see the energy that came from everybody to solve some real problems and I’m just really proud of everyone who participated,” White said. 

Follow the Innevation Center on Instagram, @UNRInnevationCenter, and find this year’s competition on the 2024 highlight reel.