LaunchPad student teams sweep award competitions

Dec. 9, 2019, 3:35 p.m.

Numerous student startup teams from the Blackstone LaunchPad powered by Techstars in Bird Library (LaunchPad) have won business competitions and prizes totaling nearly $80,000 during the Fall 2019 semester. The LaunchPad is Syracuse University’s innovation hub, connecting the entire University’s resource-rich ecosystem with a global net­work that provides support for aspiring innovators, entrepreneurs, inventors and creators.

“The LaunchPad remains a library service supporting all aspects of entrepreneurship, innovation and invention, but it has also evolved into a community of innovators who have found their campus home in the SU Libraries,” said David Seaman, dean of libraries, University librarian, and interim dean of the School of Information Studies (iSchool). “It has been a delight to watch teams of students learn a range of skills as they develop business ideas and support each other in their endeavors, even when they are competing.”

A recap of the fall 2019 competitions and top winners included:

Techstars LaunchPad Startup Weekend (sponsored by the LaunchPad and Syracuse University Libraries in September):

• Qingkun Zhu G’20 (iSchool) and Gokul Beeda ’21 (College of Visual and Performing Arts (VPA)) from HAUS won first place ($750) for their Internet of Things smart humidifier de­vice.
• Justin Diaz ’23 (College of Engineering and Computer Science) from EcoBamboo Living won second place ($250) for their energy-efficient, sustainable bamboo buildings.

’Cuse Tank (sponsored by the LaunchPad and SU Libraries in October):

• Brianna Howard ’20 (David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics) and Nikita Chatterjee ’20 (College of Arts and Sciences) from PAANI won first place ($7,000) for their clean water filtration system.
• Justin Diaz ’23 (Engineering and Computer Science) from EcoBamboo Living won second place ($3,000) for their energy-efficient, sustainable bamboo buildings.
• Patrick Prioletti G’21 (iSchool) of Thinc-Hub, a platform to connect startup ventures with innovations ecosystems, and Clinton Garrahan ’21 (Engineering and Computer Science) and Davis Mutware (College of Engineering and Computer Science – Science and Technology Entrance Program (STEP)) from FreeSwing Power Source, a portable device to produce electricity, each won $500 in a wild-card round.

Orange Tank (sponsored by the Marvin J. Whitman School of Manage­ment in November):

• Kelsey Davis ’19 (S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications) G’20 (Whitman) and Brendan O’Keeffe ’21 (iSchool) from CLLCTVE won the grand prize ($25,000) for their digital platform connect­ing college creatives and brands.
• Matt Shumer ’22 (Whitman) from Visos took first place ($4,000) for their enterprise virtual reality system.
• Nicholas Barba ’20 (Whitman) and David Fox ’22 (College of Law) from Modern Systems won second place ($2,500) for their smart home network.
• Top alumni cash prizes went to LaunchPad alumni Jose Javier Garcia-Rovira ’19 (Whitman) and Quentin Rosso ’18 (Whitman), who won first prize ($4,000) for Gamercraft, their performance training ecosystem for collegiate and professional eSports.
• Alumni Daniel Fridliand ’18 (Whitman) and Dylan Sen from Awning won second place ($2,500) for their app that uses biometric data to administer stress relief through the form of guided meditation and breathing exercises.

Regional Qualifier for Entrepreneurs’ Organization’s Global Student Entrepreneur Awards (held in Buffalo, New York, in November):

• Quinn King ’20 (VPA) from MedUX won first place ($7,500) with their innovative medical products developed through user-centered design. King will be advancing to the national competition for Global Student Entrepreneur Awards in Silicon Valley from Feb. 10-12, 2020.
• Nikita Chatterjee ’20 (Arts and Sciences) from PAANI won second place ($2,000) for their clean water filtration systems.

Impact Prize Pitch Competition (sponsored by Syracuse University Libraries in November):

• Brianna Howard ’20 (Falk College) and Nikita Chatterjee ’20 (Arts and Sciences), co-founders of PAANI, won first place ($5,000) for their clean water filtration system.
• Caleb Obiagwu ’20 (Engineering and Computer Science) and Zachariah Reid ’21 (Engineering and Computer Science) from AttendPro, a device that improves maintenance workflow, won second place ($2,500).
• Daniel Green ’21 (iSchool) from DreamConnect, a platform that optimizes the college experience for underrepresented students of color by facilitating culture, collaboration and connectivity for student organizations across campuses, and Clinton Garrahan ’21 (Engineering and Computer Science) and Davis Mutware (Engineering and Computer Science – STEP) from FreeSwing Power Source, a portable device to produce electricity, tied for third place, each winning $1,250.

Hult Prize (sponsored by the LaunchPad and Syracuse University Libraries in November):

• Justin Diaz ’23 (Engineering and Computer Science) from EcoBamboo Living won first place and a trip to the global regionals for their energy-efficient, sustainable bamboo buildings.
• Clinton Garrahan ’21 (Engineering and Computer Science) and Davis Mutware (Engineering and Computer Science – STEP) from FreeSwing Power Source won second place and an alternate trip to the global regionals for their portable device to produce electricity.

Blackstone LaunchPad Techstars PROPEL (global competition held in New York City in November):

• Kelsey Davis ’19 (Newhouse) G’20 (Whitman) and Brendan O’Keeffe ’21 (iSchool) from CLLCTVE won second place ($10,000) for their digital platform connect­ing college creatives and brands.