TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Imagine a future with a new type of gum to give you a kick start in the morning, or another invention for recycled materials that will help you at the airport.
Bullseye Energy created gum that has 100 milligrams of caffeine in it, which is equivalent to about two small cups of coffee.
Megan Salisbury, Eller College of Management student and innovator says the community is a key factor in deciding where to establish Bullseye Energy.
“People really support Tucson locals and we kinda want to contribute to that and contribute to the Tucson economy,” Salisbury said.
If you’re busy, on-the-go and hit the usual midday slump then your next step would be to get some caffeine.
Some might say, “Why not drink a Redbull?”
But what if you could get that same energy in a piece of sour apple flavored gum in under five minutes?
“Compared to an energy drink or a coffee, it takes about 30 minutes for it to be digested. In addition to that, there’s something special about our gum itself where it's filled with a liquid inside where the caffeine is, and because it’s already a liquid, it’s absorbed in your blood stream much faster," said Salisbury.
Another innovation, Ponderosa, offers hard-shelled luggage made up of 100% recycled plastics.
This team is on the hunt for local manufacturers to make their product.
Ryann Thomas, who's part of the Ponderosa team, shares what they're doing to meet their goal of out-competing other brands on features consumers want.
“So we have our cupholder, we have our weight-indicator, we have our hidden airtag compartment on the inside, a USB port and 360 degree wheels,” Thomas said.
Both Bullseye Energy and Ponderosa say they want to keep their business in Tucson after they graduate.
Thomas said, “We’re all students here, we really wanna stay here with the McGuire Center and everything and show it to our roots. Ponderosa trees are native to Arizona as well, so it stays with our brand and our mission.”
“The community and the support here for a new venture is really significant and we can see a really good kind of path to profitability, utilizing all of our resources and our mentors here in Tucson,” said Salisbury.
These student innovators have shown us that age is no barrier for making a difference in the world and in their community here in Tucson—reaffirming their commitment to bettering their community and economy for years to come.
