The Eau Claire Economic Development Corp.’s Idea Challenge always highlights a host of creative ideas from Chippewa Valley entrepreneurs, and – with products ranging from skin powders to smartphone apps – this year is no exception. The EDC recently unveiled the five finalists in the competition, one of which will receive the $5,000 grand prize in December. In alphabetical order, the finalists are: Aunt K’s Natural Healing Powders (Kay Widule), an all-natural powder to treat skin conditions, including diaper rash and insect bites; Gorilla Dumpster Bag (Steve Faacks and Chris Hansen), the biggest, toughest, strongest dumpster bag in the U.S.; TenFour Team Trucking (Jonathan Summerford, Jordan Campbell, Justin Vajko, and Andy Albarado), an app that allows truckers to pick a co-rider based on specific traits to increase productivity during long-ride hauls; Wave Stability Bar (Adam Shilts), a new and innovative technology in exercise that will improve the quality of life of everyone from beginners to well-seasoned athletes; and XanScan (Nick Marzofka), which captures and catalogues physical collections in 3D, allowing museums and cities to preserve and share history digitally worldwide. The Idea Challenge is open to individuals and companies with ideas for new products and services. Applications are now being accepted for 2016; to learn more, visit the EDC’s website, www.eauclaire-wi.com.