Daniel Solomon/The Eureka Reporter

Economic finalists
4/30/2007

Brandon Hemenway and Patrick Wiley, of AlgaRhythms, speak to the panel of judges during the Economic Fuel student business challenge formal presentation event at Humboldt State University Monday night. Four of the eight finalist teams gave presentations on their business plans after being selected earlier this month from a pool of more than 30 competitors. Each team had 10 minutes to present their plans, followed by 20 minutes of questions posed by judges. First to present was Agogo, headed by HSU graduate students Erin Slattery and Kalindi Rogers.

The business proposes to bring a small, mobile sushi eatery to Arcata, providing a healthy, convenient form of fast food with minimal impact on the environment.

After Agogo, Brandon Hemenway and Patrick Wiley presented their business idea. Called AlgaRhythms, the business centers on the manufacture of organic algae-based fertilizers designed to slowly release nutrients, decreasing the amount of fertilizer needed to enrich soil and creating a more healthy plant product. Next up was Jim Rose and his business idea, California Native American Petroleum, which proposes to construct gas stations on American Indian land throughout California.

The former CEO of Round Valley Indian Tribes, Rose explained how tribes could profit from selling petroleum using his business model. Finally, Inga Denney and Jacob Hansen presented their idea for providing rural health care communities like Humboldt County with access to medical training and expertise.

Through trainings, the business, called Innovative Medical Workshops, will focus on empowering rural health care providers by teaching them to increase their revenues and provide better services. Formal presentations will continue Tuesday night at HSU's Kate Buchanan Room, beginning at 6 p.m., with the North Coast Solar team leading off, followed by Redwood Outfitters, TrenchScan and finally Wild Chick Farm. For more information, visit www.economicfuel.org.

Courtney Hunt/The Eureka Reporter