Entrepreneurship is where engineering and business collide. Junior Mechanical Engineering and Barrett Honors student Erin Huber (pictured left) came to this realization as she collaborated with both engineering and business students to create a marketable product as an honors contract project in FSE 301 – Entrepreneurship + Value Creation, a popular tech elective course within most Fulton Engineering degree programs, co-listed with MGT 360.

During initial research, Erin and her team found that a shower uses the most amount of water than anywhere else in common households. This insight sparked the establishment of a new venture called Conservation Creations, LLC. The firm’s mission is to reduce the amount of water and money that goes down the drain during every shower. The company’s first product, The Water IR, would attach to a shower head, and using infrared technology, reduce the amount of water released when the user moves away from the shower head.

Lee Bradley, a 45-year-old hard-working family man who values the environment, but is deterred by high prices and complicated products, is Conservation Creations’ target consumer. In order to appeal to Lee and other consumers like him, the team created Water IR as an easy-to-use and versatile product. Market research concluded that potential consumers would purchase this product if it reduces shower water output by 22%. Moreover, 87% of those interviewed said they would purchase the product if it was aesthetically appealing. In response to these insights, the team developed an inexpensive, simple product in various colors to appeal to the tastes of the consumer.

For Erin, working with an interdisciplinary group of people opened her eyes to a range of perspectives, from product engineering and design to business and marketing. “I think this class is really great for engineers to take, even if they aren’t interested in creating their own startup, because it allows engineers to understand the business side of a company, not just the design aspects of a project.”

Click here to watch Conservation Creation’s pitch for the Water IR!