World-changing ideas can come from anywhere, and the students at the University of Georgia come up with a lot of them. That’s the driving force behind FABricate.

FABricate is a universitywide entrepreneurial competition and course that gives students a platform to develop and implement their ideas to help feed a growing population. Students develop personal and professional skills while refining their ideas for a new food product, agricultural technology, or environmental or agricultural business.

“The FABricate course and competition give our students the opportunity to develop innovative solutions for some of our greatest challenges in agriculture,” said Amanda Newquist, director of experiential learning for the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. “The course will allow students to meet and learn from local entrepreneurs and innovators in an informal setting. They can ask questions and receive guidance from people who have already been through this process.”

Jasymn Reddicks, a senior food industry and marketing administration major and winner of the 2017-18 FABricate competition, credits the program for helping her realize the first step in her dream of one day owning a bakery.

She’s currently selling her line of vegan cupcakes, VTaste Cakes, at farmers markets and through special orders. This leap forward may not have been possible without the leadership and business skills she cultivated through FABricate.

“There are a lot of great ideas out there, but a lot of times people don’t test them because of the fear of the unknown,” Reddicks said. “If anything, this has taught me to be more confident in myself and have the confidence to put myself out there without fearing the unknown.”

Reddicks wanted to prove that natural, vegan ingredients could yield decadent cakes. After much trial and error, she and her team were able to create a delicious vegan cupcake and the successful business plan that won them the competition. She was then able to take her product and turn it into a business.

“When a lot of people come together on a small idea, it can become big,” Reddicks said.

A kickoff and information session for FABricate will be held from 5-6 p.m. on Nov. 6 in room 210 of Conner Hall on the UGA Athens campus. For more information about the program, visit students.caes.uga.edu/current/fabricate.html.

Those interested in checking out Reddicks’ cupcakes can visit the West Broad Farmers Market in Athens, Georgia, or go to www.vtastecakes.com.