INNOVATE 808
Innovate with Impact
Join Innovate 808 as a team or individual to get real world experience and boost your resume in a 2-day weekend in-person event. Real world companies present their problem and students pitch their solution. Apply now to show off your creative problem solving skills.
INNOVATE 808 is a weekend business competition where you get to work directly with the founders / CEOs, and the winning team(s) will win cash awards. This semester, we are partnering with Meadow Gold Dairies Hawaii. The locally owned and operated family business has been a beloved brand in Hawai’i for 125 years! The executive team is looking for BIG, FUN, and CREATIVE ideas to reinvigorate this iconic brand and take their company to the next level. Winning ideas will have meaningful and lasting impact for many generations to come.
Innovate 808 gives students the unique opportunity to
-
Flex your problem-solving skills
-
Learn by doing
-
Make a real impact
-
Win cash prizes
-
Work with actual founders and CEOs
The competition is held over 2 Saturdays, allowing you to enjoy a massively impactful experience in a small time commitment. Apply now to flex your problem solving skills, boost your resume, and positively impact your community.
The application period for the Spring 2026 challenge is closed.
Join Innovate 808 as a team or individual to get real world experience and boost your resume in a 2-day weekend in-person event. Real world companies present their problem and students pitch their solution. Apply now to show off your creative problem solving skills.
INNOVATE 808 is a weekend business competition where you get to work directly with the founders / CEOs, and the winning team(s) will win cash awards. This semester, we are partnering with Meadow Gold Dairies Hawaii. The locally owned and operated family business has been a beloved brand in Hawai’i for 125 years! The executive team is looking for BIG, FUN, and CREATIVE ideas to reinvigorate this iconic brand and take their company to the next level. Winning ideas will have meaningful and lasting impact for many generations to come.
Innovate 808 gives students the unique opportunity to
-
Flex your problem-solving skills
-
Learn by doing
-
Make a real impact
-
Win cash prizes
-
Work with actual founders and CEOs
The competition is held over 2 Saturdays, allowing you to enjoy a massively impactful experience in a small time commitment. Apply now to flex your problem solving skills, boost your resume, and positively impact your community.
The application period for the Spring 2026 challenge is closed.
GUIDELINES AND RULES
The Spring 2026 Innovate 808 challenges innovators and creative thinkers to reinvigorate an iconic brand in Hawai’i. Meadow Gold Dairies has been serving Hawaii’s community for over 125 years. They are looking for Big, Fun, and Creative ideas to take their company to the next level. The winning team(s) will receive a cash prize.
- Flex your problem-solving skills: Help this iconic local business grow with new products, creative ideas, and fresh perspectives
- Lean by doing: Gain hands-on experience while working in a team on an actual problem
- Make a real impact: No idea is too bold. The company is seeking implementable solutions that they can execute.
- Exciting Rewards: compete for cash prizes and networking opportunities
- The competition includes 2 mandatory meetings (March 28 from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm and April 4 from 9:00 am to 12:00 noon) meeting dates on two Saturdays
- Participants must be able to attend the contest in-person at RISE at UH Mānoa on March 28 and April 4
- You should be able to complete most of the work during the scheduled sessions. You may continue to work during the weekday if your team chooses to do so.
- The winning team will be selected by the judges and the team will be offered prize money
- The judges’ decisions are final, and teams may not make appeals or complaints against the judges, organizers, or sponsors.
- The challenge rules may be amended by the organizers at any time.
- Apply as a team or as an individual (program organizers will place you into a team)
- Each team comprising of at least 2 and a maximum of 4 people will be selected to participate.
- All members of the team must be classified UH students who are currently enrolled in a degree-seeking program, with a valid UH identification number.
- Mandatory meetings (in-person) are held over two Saturdays on UH Manoa campus. Absence for one or part of a day may result in disqualification.
- You should be able to complete most of the work during the scheduled Saturday sessions. You may continue to work during the week if your team chooses to do so.
- Teams that participated in previous competitions may enter again, but not with the same idea.
- Teams may be asked to complete an exit survey.
- Online applications must be submitted by filling out a statement on applicant’s interest in participation.
- The application deadline for the 2026 Spring semester is March 15, 11:59 pm
- Selected applicants will be notified by PACE Staff.
- Cash award amounts are decided by the company sponsor and PACE.
- The awards are taxable and taxes are the responsibility of the recipient. Only currently enrolled UH students may receive awards.
- Each team winning a prize will have sole responsibility for deciding how to allocate or otherwise use its prize proceeds. The organizers of the competition will not become involved, either voluntarily or by request, in a team’s decision concerning the allocation or use of prize proceeds. The prize recipients will be required to provide appropriate documentation to receive the award payments which may include W9, WH1 or W8BEN forms.
- Online application deadline: March 15 at 11:59 pm
- Notification to selected teams by email
- Competition days: March 28 (9:00 am to 5:00 pm) and April 4 (9:00 am to 12:00 noon) at RISE (1810 University Ave)
MEET YOUR INSTRUCTOR JEFF HUI
phone: (808) 956-5083
fax: (808) 956-5107
email: pace@hawaii.edu
phone: (808) 956-5083
fax: (808) 956-5107
email: pace@hawaii.edu
University of Hawaiʻi
An Equal Employment Opportunity Institution.
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Intranet • Credits
Jeff Hui will be providing guidance and mentorship as the instructor for this program. Jeff is an entrepreneur and startup consultant with a proven track record of more than 20 years in driving growth for businesses of all sizes through effective sales and marketing strategies. He is the Founder and CEO of Jumpstart AI, a generative AI agency. Previously, he advised on member engagement and marketing strategy for Cityblock Health, Galileo Health and McKinsey and Company. Additionally, he’s headed Growth teams for companies including Revolut, Facebook, and Instagram. He earned a MBA from Columbia Business School and B.S. degrees in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from the University of California at Berkeley.