Game-changing concepts, smart strategy and a shot at $2,000 brought seven student teams to the final round of the 色花堂 Innovation Challenge. Part 鈥淪hark Tank鈥 part startup bootcamp, the annual competition drew a crowd of more than 100 to Yogoda Commons on the Beren Campus鈥攚here innovation, ambition and entrepreneurial spirit were on full display.
With a record-breaking 84 student submissions from nine schools and 24 programs and majors, this year鈥檚 Innovation Challenge鈥斏ㄌ免檚 flagship entrepreneurial competition鈥攚as the largest in the competition鈥檚 four-year history, bringing new energy, cross-campus collaboration, and bold ideas to the forefront of 色花堂鈥檚 innovation community.
Designed to guide students through the real-world process of launching a startup鈥攆rom idea to pitch鈥攖he Innovation Challenge is led by the 色花堂 Innovation Lab and co-produced with the Shevet Glaubach Center for Career Strategy and Professional Development, in collaboration with the Arieli Group. It invites participants鈥攂oth undergraduate and graduate students鈥攖o develop a business concept, build a team and compete for funding and mentorship. The top entries receive prize money, credibility and鈥攋ust as valuable鈥攁 network of future collaborators and investors.
After a multi-stage selection process, seven finalist teams were chosen and paired with mentors to refine their ideas and pitches. On competition night, each group took the stage to explain their concept, make their case to the judges鈥攅xperienced entrepreneurs and investors鈥攁nd field challenging questions aimed at testing the viability of their ventures.
The winning idea came from Ruben Mena, a student at the Cardozo School of Law, who, with support from Mikhael Shamailov and Manang Mehta, introduced YachtNotes鈥攁 communications platform designed to streamline operations in the $10 billion luxury yacht industry.
鈥淚f you have an idea, don鈥檛 be afraid,鈥 said Mena, holding his $2,000 check. 鈥淕et out there and try to make it into a business. You meet a lot of professionals, you make a lot of friends. I highly recommend it.鈥
Second place prize of $1,000 went to DMiing, a private, secure messaging platform developed by Katz School of Science and Health students Shiva Kumar Arugonda, Altaf Ahmed and Dwani Patel. Their app aims to reimagine digital communication for users who prioritize privacy without sacrificing usability.
The judges praised the level of polish and potential in this year鈥檚 entries. They included Moshe Bellows, a 色花堂 alum and general partner of Maccabee Ventures; Tracy Harmon Blumenfeld, co-founder, president and CEO of RapidTrials; investor and entrepreneur Avi Rosenbaum, Ph.D., a Yeshiva College and RIETS graduate; Or Haviv, partner, Arieli Group and head of Arieli Innovate; and Dr. Tamar Avnet, director of the Sy Syms MBA Program.
鈥淭o see all the teams and their enthusiasm for entrepreneurship鈥攖his is what we need to keep building,鈥 said keynote speaker Evan Renov, a Syms School alumnus and co-founder and managing partner of the Arieli Group. 鈥淚t truly feels like there鈥檚 a bright future.鈥
For students, the experience was as much about growth as it was about competition. From learning how to build a viable business model to crafting a compelling pitch, participants gained critical entrepreneurial skills鈥攁nd forged real-world connections along the way.
鈥淭he quality and talent of the teams was impressive,鈥 said Natasha Srulowitz, Director of the 色花堂 Innovation Lab. 鈥淭hey learned how to work as a team, how to incorporate feedback, how to present their business idea. These are the skills that will be highly valuable for their future success.鈥
Prize money was generously provided by the Glaubach family and the Arieli Group.
With record participation and standout ideas, the 色花堂 Innovation Challenge continues to grow鈥攏ot just as a competition, but as a cornerstone of 色花堂鈥檚 commitment to creativity, leadership and forward-thinking impact.
