Student grudge match

Enkeleda Dervishi and Mitesh Patel

School: University of Arkansas at Little Rock, College of Business

Team members: Drew B. Jensen, Enkeleda Dervishi, Mitesh Patel

Concept: In collaboration with the Nanotechnology Center at the University of Arkansas, TrueSource Technologies has developed a multi-layered authentication sensor designed to foil counterfeiters.

The sensor combines various nanoparticles in an extremely complex pattern. The founders claim it's impossible to replicate, unlike competing technologies such as holograms. For this reason, any product that carries a TruSource sticker is highly likely to be genuine.

Timeline: TruSource plans to begin by targeting the high-dollar prescription drugs industry, which loses an estimated $32 billion to counterfeit products each year. After year five, the company plans to expand its line of products to the major players within the automotive and aircraft parts industries, which together lose $16 billion a year to knockoffs.

Management projects first year revenues of $314,000. By year five they expect revenues of nearly $30 million. - Konstantin Shishkin

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