Innovate@BU is proud to announce the finalists for the 2025 $80K New Venture Competition. After a competitive selection process, ten student-led ventures have advanced to the final round where they will pitch for their share of $80,000 in non-dilutive funding.
The competition features two distinct tracks: The General Track showcases ventures with innovative business models across various industries, while the Social Impact Track highlights ventures focused on creating positive environmental and social change alongside sustainable business models.
See the finalists in action!
Innovate@BU is throwing a massive end-of-year celebration on April 16 that will highlight incredible student innovators from across Boston University. The program includes exciting 1-minute pitches by the New Venture Competition finalists and the award ceremony where the winners will be announced! BU President Dr. Gilliam will be there, as will the BU Pep Band, caricature artists, and more special guests.
>> Join us at Innovators’ Night for free.
Plus, the final round of the competition is open to the public, so anyone can come support the teams as they give their full, 10-minute pitches to a panel of judges. The General Track finals are on April 14, and the Social Impact finals are on April 15.
General Track Finalists
Agrinova
Founded by Meritxell Ortodo (ENG’26) and Trinity Olander, Agrinova is developing the NOVA device, a portable and cost-effective solution that utilizes microbial biosensors to detect bioavailable heavy metals in soils and plants. This device provides real-time data to address contamination challenges in agriculture, offering farmers actionable insights for safer and more sustainable farming practices. The NOVA device integrates hydrogel-embedded microbial biosensors with advanced microfluidics, delivering accurate, on-site results. It overcomes the high costs, delays, and limitations of traditional lab-based methods by providing affordable, portable, and specific detection of harmful metals like cadmium and manganese.
BrightBook
Founded by Tommy Ross (Questrom’24), BrightBook is an AI-powered platform designed to alleviate teacher burnout by enabling educators to create fully customizable, standards-aligned lesson plans in under 60 seconds. It simplifies the lesson planning process, allowing teachers to focus on delivering impactful education. The platform provides a comprehensive suite of instructional materials, including lesson plans, rubrics, and worksheets, which teachers can personalize to suit their specific needs. By integrating these functions into a single interface, BrightBook streamlines the teaching process, significantly reducing lesson preparation time and helping educators maintain their professional judgment and creativity.
Clueless by Design
Founded by Rey Dwivedi (COM’25), Clueless by Design is a next-generation closet automation app that utilizes AI and AR to help users manage their wardrobes efficiently. Inspired by the digital closet from the movie Clueless, the app allows users to upload photos of their clothing, categorize them, and receive outfit suggestions. It features a “Smart Closet” that analyzes wardrobe patterns to suggest new combinations and integrates with users’ calendars for event-specific recommendations. Additionally, the app offers seamless shopping integration and self-avatar customizations, aiming to streamline fashion choices and reduce decision fatigue.
CollegeBuddy
Founded by Joy Prashant Mehta (Questrom’25), CollegeBuddy is developing a comprehensive application platform designed to streamline the higher education application process in developing countries, with a focus on India. The platform consolidates various college applications into a single, user-friendly system, allowing students to input their personal information and essays once, select their desired colleges and courses, and submit applications from one central location. It features predictive analytics tools to assess admission chances, a community platform for peer interaction, alumni networking for guidance, and an AI-based recommendation engine for course and college suggestions. The platform also plans to incorporate career counselors and consultants to further assist students.
Epoch Labs
Epoch Labs is an AI tennis analytics platform that utilizes a portable single-solution camera to provide real-time analytics, AI coaching feedback, injury prevention insights, and live-streaming. Founders Betty Zhao (Questrom’25) and Farida Abdelmoneum (ENG’24) are addressing the shortcomings of existing technologies and offering a comprehensive solution that includes personalized feedback on player stance, racquet angle, and match strategies, along with detailed performance metrics and precise line-calling. Epoch Lab’s single-camera setup requires no professional installation and features court cue calibration, ensuring accurate analytics and seamless live-streaming capabilities. Epoch Labs aims to enhance the tennis experience for athletes, coaches, and directors by offering an all-in-one tool for data-driven performance optimization.
Social Impact Track Finalists
Culinary Commons: Public Kitchens as Social Innovation
Founded by Andrea Catania (MET’24) and Mark Araujo, Culinary Commons is an initiative focused on establishing public kitchens as essential community infrastructure to foster food justice and social cohesion in urban areas like Boston. These kitchens serve as more than just cooking spaces; they are platforms for social change, enabling individuals to connect with their culinary heritage and build community ties. By addressing the lack of accessible venues for food-related gatherings, Public Kitchen aims to create spaces where people can share meals and engage in culinary activities. In 2024, they partnered with DS4SI to prototype Boston’s first semi-permanent Public Kitchen, hosting diverse programming co-designed by community members. This initiative seeks to develop a long-term public kitchen in 2025, with the community playing a central role in its design and implementation.
Idori
Founded by Noah Sorin (Questrom’24), Idori is a startup that creates sustainable learning experiences for children aged 4-8 through storybooks, eco-friendly plush toys, and hands-on activities. Their products aim to instill simple, sustainable habits in children by addressing environmental issues like deforestation, ocean conservation, and climate change. Idori’s offerings include characters from the planet Idori, such as Benjy the Treehopper, to make learning engaging and relatable. Each plush toy is crafted from organic cotton, and their books are made with bamboo and herbal dyes. For every plush sold, a tree is planted, contributing to real-world environmental impact. Idori incorporates the Waldorf 3H teaching methodology, focusing on emotional, mental, and practical learning. The startup actively involves parents, educators, and children in product development through community tests and feedback to ensure their offerings meet the needs of their audience.
Orobor
Founded by Jakob Esterowitz (ENG’27) and Jonah Dickson (COM’25), Orobor is a sustainability-focused startup founded by two Boston University tennis players, transforming discarded tennis strings into high-purity polyester material for manufacturing. They address the significant waste challenge posed by millions of pounds of tennis strings that contribute to microplastic pollution and CO₂ emissions. Orobor’s closed-loop recycling system collects used strings from various sources and processes them into high-quality recycled polyester yarn. This yarn is then used by apparel brands seeking eco-friendly materials, creating a circular economy. By focusing specifically on tennis string waste, Orobor achieves a higher purity in their recycled material, making it suitable for performance-grade applications.
Vipo.AI
Founded by Amr Zaid (Questrom’26), Vipo.AI is an AI-powered application designed to enhance the accessibility and effectiveness of Parent-Child therapies. It provides real-time feedback to parents during interactions with their children, emulating the guidance typically offered by psychologists. Developed with input from Ph.D. level child development experts, the app aligns with scientifically validated therapeutic methods. Parent Child Connect distinguishes itself by integrating advanced AI with established therapy methodologies, offering personalized, evidence-based feedback tailored to each interaction. Collaborations with child psychologists have helped refine the app’s features, ensuring it is both effective and user-friendly.
Udayaa
Founded by Tanya Shizan (Questrom’26), Udayaa is a student-first crowdfunding platform designed to support high school social entrepreneurs in India by providing tailored campaign tools, mentorship, and a supportive network. It addresses the lack of resources for over 250,000 students at International Schools in India who engage in social impact projects but struggle to sustain and scale their initiatives. Udayaa offers structured fundraising support, impact tracking, and mentorship from experienced social entrepreneurs, without requiring NGO paperwork. The platform has successfully supported campaigns like the Vaitalika Foundation and GirlUp Hyderabad, helping students sustain their missions and promoting community development. Udayaa’s infrastructure includes low-cost payment processing and regulatory support, ensuring students can raise funds legally and efficiently.
