NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — MSK Engineers, a team of civil engineers working on innovations in the identification and replacement of lead drinking water service lines, won $25,000  in Lever's Bennington County Intrapreneur Challenge. 

 

This funding will help MSK's, of Bennington, Vt., advance their novel approach to identify lead drinking water pipes, which it plans to bring to other municipalities in the region and beyond. 

 

A panel of judges selected MSK after hearing pitches from five finalists at the final Challenge pitch event in Arlington, Vt., on March 18. 

 

In addition to MSK and runner-up Authentic Designs, Grateful Dog Training, Star Wind Turbines, and Old Mill Road Media participated as Challenge finalists. 

 

Lever's Intrapreneur Challenge is designed to help existing companies use the tools of entrepreneurship to create new, innovative products. Each company was supported through a series of workshops on applying methods that startups use, with research by Bennington College students, and by a group of mentors. Mentors are John Antonucci of LaunchVT; Michael Cushman, formerly at St. Gobain and now retired; Michael Marchinetti of OC&C Strategy Consultants, Shari Siegel of Ranieri Partners; and Jeffrey Thomas, Lever's executive director.

 

"This group of business owners came to the Bennington County Intrapreneur Challenge from very different backgrounds, and were all able to advance their business plans and get customized support through Lever's network as they worked through our Challenge program," said Thomas. "I'm impressed with the spirit of entrepreneurship demonstrated by these clearly Bennington County companies and I'm excited to see where they go from here."

 

This Challenge was Lever's first in Vermont, and was funded in part by a grant from the Vermont Community Foundation.