UC student says ‘game on’ in Bioré challenge

A computer science major, Miller is working toward his Bachelor of Science degree in 2026. He is part of the NEXT Innovation Scholars (NIS), a scholarship program that engages students in innovative opportunities across disciplines and industries.

When Kao USA launched a one-week design sprint challenge for one of its brands, Bioré, Miller jumped in.

“I was familiar with the Bioré brand because of their partnership with the UC 1819 innovation Hub and projects they had done with NIS in the past,” Miller said. “Working on projects like these are always fun. While the time limit can be challenging, it makes the final product much more rewarding.”

As part of the Cincinnati Innovation District, UC 1819 corporate partnerships, like Kao USA, are given direct access to students, faculty and resources. Collaborating directly with talented students presents many ideas and solutions to organizations.

Other benefits include:

• Students apply their knowledge in a real-world setting, gaining practical experience.
• By working as a team, students develop critical thinking and valuable problem-solving skills.
• Sprint challenges provide students with a chance to learn about entrepreneurship, fostering creativity and innovation.

Miller teamed up with three other UC students from various backgrounds and disciplines. The team identified strengths and experience to create a mobile blemish game for Bioré’s new Blemish Patch product.

“We divided roles based mostly on software skill. For instance, I had experience with Figma, a user experience/user interface design tool, so I was placed in charge of designing the working prototype,” Miller said. He credited the Bioré team for providing excellent feedback throughout the challenge.

According to Miller, “A week to complete the project is not a tall ask, but when you’re simultaneously taking classes, finding the time to work on an additional project can be challenging.” 

On the final day of the sprint, the team virtually presented their "Blemish Bash" game — a scalable idea with the pop-art aesthetics Bioré requested. To Miller’s delight, the team was awarded first place.

“From my perspective, what set our team apart in the eyes of the judges was the visual design of our presentation and the thought we put into our final concept,” Miller said.

Working on the challenge gave Miller insights into the challenges of working in a high-pressure environment. He encourages students to participate in all UC experiential opportunities such as co-ops and corporate challenges.

“The main benefit of the UC co-op program, in my opinion, is that it allows you to experience the different fields within your major and gain better insights into what you’d like your career trajectory to be,” Miller said.