New Venture Competition Awards $72,000 in Prizes to Boston University Entrepreneurs
From revolutionizing dental care and eliminating avoidable vision loss to providing innovative data solutions for businesses and high-protein vegan snacks, the winning ventures at Boston University’s annual New Venture Competition (NVC) showcased the incredible potential of BU’s entrepreneurial community. The competition, which has supported hundreds of student-led teams for more than 20 years, awarded a total of $72,000 in prizes to early-stage BU entrepreneurs at Innovator’s Night on April 25, 2024.
The competition consisted of three rounds between February and April 2023, with teams competing in two tracks: the General Track for for-profit ideas from all sectors and the Social Impact Track for ideas focused on providing large-scale, positive change and/or serving underserved populations.
More than an awards ceremony, Innovator’s Night was a large celebration that highlighted the extent to which innovation permeates all corners of the University. Attendees had the chance to explore dozens of tables featuring student-led ventures, network with hundreds of movers and shakers, and learn more about how Innovate@BU is supporting the next generation of entrepreneurs and innovators.
“Year after year, Innovate@BU’s New Venture Competition highlights the exceptional talent and entrepreneurial spirit that thrives in all corners of our student community at BU,” said Siobhan Dullea, Innovate@BU’s executive director. “These young innovators are the driving force behind the future of business and society, and I’m continually inspired by their creativity, passion, and dedication to making a difference.”
General Track Winners
Featuring for-profit ideas from all sectors
First place and a prize of $20,000 was awarded to OpenLake, led by Milan Tahliani (CAS’24), for their solution that makes it easy for small and medium businesses to handle their data, enabling them to automatically move, change, and use their data, reducing costs and driving growth.
Second place and a prize of $10,000 went to PerioSense, led by Alireza Eghdamian (SDM’26), a doctoral student at the Goldman School of Dental Medicine, for their electronic Dental Periodontal Probe that revolutionizes how dentists evaluate gum health, making the process faster, easier, and more accurate.
Third place and a prize of $6,000 was awarded to PROHUSTLERS, led by Parth Mutha (MET’24), for their product PROMUNCH, a simple yet nutrition-dense snack that helps complete daily protein fix, with 48% plant-based protein, and is vegan, gluten-free, and roasted.
Social Impact Track Winners
Featuring ideas that provide large-scale, positive change and/or focus on underserved populations
First place and a prize of $20,000 was awarded to Visilant, led by Jordan Shuff (MET’25), who is pursuing her second master’s degree in computer science and has a master’s degree in bioengineering and biomedical engineering from Johns Hopkins University, for their mission to eliminate avoidable vision loss globally by developing mobile health and artificial intelligence technology to enable equitable access to high-quality eye care.
Second place and a prize of $10,000 went to TLW Ozone Solution, led by Meiting Wang (Questrom’24), for their green, sustainable water treatment solutions that reduce carbon footprints and empower industries to adopt eco-friendly practices by designing and producing ozone generators and containers/trailers as efficient, innovative alternatives to traditional chemical-based water purification methods.
Third place and a prize of $6,000 was awarded to Math Sprouts, led by Cliff Freeman (Wheelock’25), a PhD candidate in the Wheelock School of Education, for their childcare center for 2 to 4-year-olds that focuses on holistic child development and specializes in mathematics learning.
Additional Awards
Mentor of the Year: Janice Ozguc, recognized for her exceptional mentorship at Innovate@BU, serving as a judge for NVC, participating in speed mentoring events, and mentoring teams through the Innovation Pathway program.
Henry Morgan Award: Misty Farrell, honored for her contribution in advancing innovation and entrepreneurship at BU. Ms. Farrell-Pennington leads the business development of Boston University’s physical sciences technology portfolio and has over 14 years of experience in technology product development, business strategy, commercialization, and sales.
Student Innovator of the Year: Noah Sorin (Questrom’24), founder of Idori, a startup focused on empowering parents and teachers with tools to inspire sustainable behaviors in children. Noah’s venture was among the list of Poets and Quants’ Most Disruptive Undergraduate Startups of 2022.