2014 WINNER

Ian Lehn, BOOSTane Octane Engineering

Taking inspiration from his stepfather, who sparked a love for the automotive aftermarket, Ian Lehn began to flourish as an innovator in the mechanical engineering classrooms of Georgia Tech, claiming the top prize for the school's most prestigious competition three years running. The contest required creation and construction of an indirect drive system for human transportation, and Lehn won with three different designs. During his final year in school, Lehn recognized problems associated with fuel-octane reliability, race fuel accessibility and the general effectiveness of octane boosters. He developed an affordable alternative to racing fuel and started BOOSTane, which has since undergone seven years of formulation and testing. The product was developed with a certain demographic in mind-individuals who want to restore lost octane points and stabilize the harmful effects of ethanol to protect their engines.

"Just from winning the competition, the confidence level has really helped our business. The exposure and the networking that you do throughout the whole process is just as valuable as what I won in the very end. Having people call the office saying that they saw our product in Hot Rod Magazine and the Velocity channel is life changing."