IDEA Con, a cross-college conference for students seeking skill-building workshops, networking opportunities and resources for their entrepreneurial aspirations, made its annual return to BU on Saturday and featured three student speakers from the College of Arts & Sciences.
The event provides students with a space to develop and present their ideas within the realms of technology, business, social impact, arts and culture and is hosted by Innovate@BU, led by Executive Director and CAS alum Siobhan Dullea (CAS’91).
IDEA Con — sponsored by the Cynthia Cohen 2040 Impact Fund — featured two CAS student speakers, Lauren McLeod (CAS ‘27) and Bella Ramirez (CAS ’25, COM ’25) and Recent CAS alum Milan Tahliani (CAS ‘24) who appeared as an IGNITE Speaker.
Lauren McLeod (CAS’27) and EduPrev
McLeod, who is pursuing a major in neuroscience at CAS and minors in the Questrom School of Business and the School of Public Health, spoke on her experience and inspiration in pioneering her child health-focused startup, EduPrev.
Using resources and mentorship through Innovate@BU, McLeod developed her idea centered on developing interactive curricula for elementary aged children about preventive health practices relating to cavities, high blood pressure, and diabetes. She also discussed the importance of representation and diversity in educational contexts.
Bella Ramirez (CAS’25, COM’25) and Wicked Smaht Comedy LLC
Ramirez, a dual-degree student in CAS and the College of Communication studying political science, philosophy and journalism, shared wisdom for young entrepreneurs about the importance of fostering community in creative pursuits and the use of humor and journalism in affecting social change.
She is the CEO and founder of Wicked Smaht Comedy LLC, a platform that brings live sketch comedy to Boston and features the talent of students. Ticket sales from every live performance benefit local charities. The creative organization connects students from 118 colleges and universities in Boston. Ramirez has been recognized by BostInno as one of Boston’s “25 Under 25.
Milan Tahliani (CAS’24) and OpenLake
Milan Tahliani is a recent graduate of the Department of Political Science. He gave a presentation detailing his efforts in co-founding and serving as CEO for OpenLake, a platform that provides data integration solutions for businesses. OpenLake aims to change the way businesses handle data.
OpenLake changes data into specific formats needed for different software applications, improving efficiency of operational processes and promoting informed decision-making for businesses.
To learn more about IDEA Con, Innovate@BU and the resources they offer, visit them online.