Scan QR code below or click here to cheer on the teams
Wednesday, March 27th:
Scan QR code below or click here for the Florida Atlantic Innovation Awards Celebration Thursday, March 28th
Student Track | Top 10 Finalists
About Aldental: The motivation behind Aldental is to address the prohibitive cost of current intraoral scanning technology, which relies heavily on expensive components like LiDAR and high-performance CPU units, making it inaccessible to various dental practices, and by extension to many patients. This limitation in technology availability contributes to a disparity in oral health outcomes. The goal of Aldental is to develop a cost-effective yet high-quality intraoral scanner by relying on a custom algorithm to create 3D models of the mouth simply with a camera. This method not only reduces equipment costs but also minimizes the need for extensive computing power, further lowering the overall investment required for advanced scanning technology.
-------------------------
From: Weston, Florida
Major/year: Electrical Engineering, sophomore (dual enrolled FAU High)
Why is entrepreneurship important to you? I find entrepreneurship
interesting and as an engineering student, it enables so many
opportunities to innovate and collaborate.
Fun fact: I drank a milkshake each day straight
for 100 days.
Founder: Charles Russo
About Happy Heart Beats: Happy Heart Beats is a company that will sell hard shell cases that perfectly snap onto patient monitoring devices. These cases are vibrant, fun, aesthetically pleasing, and matched for each patient’s personality, favorite sport, animal, color, and more! Instead of seeing your scary original monitoring device, patients will be reminded of something they love and are passionate about! Not only will this brighten the day of the patients but for everyone who used to be reminded each day of their loved ones deadly disease.
-------------------------
From: Plantation, Florida
Major/year: Communication Studies, Freshman
Why is entrepreneurship important to you?
Entrepreneurship is important to me because it lets everybody be creative,
innovative and think critically about changing the world. What I love about
the process is that you can do anything you want with entrepreneurship
because it is so broad and unique.
Fun fact: I know American Sign Language!
FOUNDER: Julia Mosher
About Joyn: “Easy to build modular furniture that grows with your child” - Growing up, most furniture for kids get thrown away after a certain age.
This is most commonly seen with cribs. There may be an exception or two with families re-gifting cribs, but why not have it act as a second function throughout the years rather than it sitting in your grandmother's attic.
Through the use of Japanese wooden joinery and the smooth durable wood, we can create modular pieces of furniture to transform into different formations throughout your child’s childhood.
It would foster the relationship between children and parents to create something new. This would help with motor skills and further creativity within the child through the easy connection pieces and guide used to help assemble the piece.
"TRANSFORMING NURSERIES, BUILDING MEMORIES: EXPERIENCE JOYN."
Founders: Vivian Yu, Yuji Kitamura, & Giuliana Comini
Vivian Yu
From: Florida
Major/year: Major: Architecture w/ ENT minor, sophomore
Why is entrepreneurship important to you?
I've always had interest in the field of entrepreneurship. By combining my architectural aspirations with entrepreneurial knowledge, I can transform as an architect, bringing to life my creations and innovations through the view as an entrepreneur.
Fun fact: I play six musical instruments!
Yuji Kitamura
From: Brazil
Major/year: Major: Architecture w/ENT minor, senior
Why is entrepreneurship important to you?
Entrepreneurship holds profound significance for me as an architecture student. Entrepreneurship is the means to open new opportunities in the world of architecture through a business lens.
Fun fact: I am vegetarian!
Giuliana Comini
From: Brazil
Major/year: Major: Architecture w/ ENT & Digital Marketing minors, senior
Why is entrepreneurship important to you?
Entrepreneurship is where my love for architecture merges with innovation. It empowers me to forge connections across diverse fields.
Fun fact: I speak two languages!
About MarineGuard: The project "MarineGuard" aims to tackle the escalating issue of nutrient pollution in brackish water environments, primarily caused by agricultural runoff, industrial waste, and urban development. At the heart of MarineGuard's initiative is the innovative use of Gracilaria tikvahiae, a species of red seaweed, as a natural biofilter.
-------------------------
From: Born and raised in South Florida.
Major/year: Biology, Junior (dual enrolled FAU High)
Why is entrepreneurship important to you?
Entrepreneurship allows individuals to bring their unique ideas to life, contributing
to societal development and solving real-world problems. What's captivating
about the entrepreneurship process for me is the journey from concept
to execution - identifying a need, devising a solution, and
navigating the challenges of bringing a product or service
to market.
Fun fact: I skipped 2nd grade!
FOUNDER: Yashwin Adusumilli
About NanoSense:
The Nanosensor Array E-Nose would be a state of the art device that employs an array of extremely sensitive nanosensors to detect and quantify various volatile organic compounds (VOCs) present in the user’s breath. These compounds will serve as possible biomarkers for many different medical conditions including diabetes, asthma, lung cancer, tumors, and more.
By analyzing these specific biomarkers for each user, our system can provide valuable insights into their health and the help they need.
Key features include a mobile app that connects seamlessly with the E-Nose device.
Users can easily exhale into the device and then the app will display real-time results in a user friendly format, making it accessible for everyone. In addition to that, the app will be designed to securely store and transmit data to a cloud-based platform.
FOUNDERS: Noor Habona & Abigail (Abby) Sinu
Noor Habona
From: Born and raised in Florida and would not trade the beach and palm trees for anything else!
Major/year: Biological Sciences w/minor in Health Administration, junior (dual enrolled FAU High)
Why is entrepreneurship important to you?
Entrepreneurship is vital as it allows me to turn ideas into reality, solve problems creatively, and make a positive impact on the world. I personally love the core values of entrepreneurship, as it embodies freedom, innovation, and the opportunity to shape a better future for myself and others.
Fun fact: I am an amazing ping pong player!
Abigail (Abby) Sinu
From: South Florida
Major/year: Double Concentration Bachelor of Science in Medical Biology & Neuroscience and Behavior, junior (dual enrolled FAU High)
Why is entrepreneurship important to you?
Entrepreneurship holds a special place in my heart because it's where I get to blend my passions, skills, and experiences into solutions that make a difference. My focus on pre-dental has equipped me with a profound understanding of how we function and coupled with my hands-on dental experience, I've seen firsthand the impact of innovation in healthcare. Entrepreneurship allows me to channel this drive for innovation into areas that address real-world challenges, improve patient care, and push the boundaries of research.
Fun fact: I am an avid violinist, having over 9 years of experience playing!
About N.E.T.: Neurodiverse Educational Testing (N.E.T.) is an innovative business venture aimed at addressing the critical need for accessible, preliminary assessments and support for individuals with neurodiverse conditions such as Autism, Dyslexia, Dyscalculia, Dysgraphia, and ADHD. Our mission is to identify early signs that may warrant professional evaluation, particularly for those without immediate access to such services, including economically disadvantaged groups.
A key feature of N.E.T.'s offering is the provision of individualized and customized 504 education plans for parents. Understanding that each child's educational needs are unique, especially in neurodiversity, these plans are designed to ensure that children receive the accommodations and support they need in their educational environment. The 504 plans are developed based on the insights gained from
the preliminary assessments and are tailored to address the specific needs of each child,
ensuring they have the best possible support to succeed in their learning journey.
Neurodiverse Educational Testing
founders: Tarruck Wheeler & Ellie Pfahler
Tarruck Wheeler
From: Manhattan, NY
Major/year: International Relations and Computer Science, junior at Wilkes Honors College in Jupiter
Why is entrepreneurship important to you?
Entrepreneurship is important to me because it offers a pathway to address and solve personal challenges, transforming them into opportunities that benefit not just my family but also the wider community.
Fun fact: I have a unique hobby of barefoot running!
Ellie Pfahler
From: Gainesville, FL
Major/year: International Relations with Spanish, junior at Wilkes Honors College in Jupiter
Why is entrepreneurship important to you?
I believe starting at the grassroots level is the best way to enact change, allowing me to use my skills and passions to help those in my community facing similar educational hurdles.
Fun fact: I am returning to Guatemala this May, where I aim to conduct research and fund raise for children's technology access!
About Port-A-Bana: At Port-A-Bana, we minimize the issues that are faced at the beach and aim to make everybody’s visit to the beach as convenient and as pleasant as possible. The all-in-one blow-up setup is the ideal solution to the problem of having to carry multiple items through the difficult sand because now you can worry about fewer pieces and assembly, giving you an overall easier set-up process.
-------------------------
From: Orlando, Florida
Major/year: Management-Entrepreneurship w/psychology minor, senior + continuing with MBA in Fall 2024
Why is entrepreneurship important to you?
Entrepreneurship is important to me because I grew up in a family of
entrepreneurs that all created and/or ran their own business. I was raised
to have one day one of my own and have been passionate about
it ever since.
Fun fact: I have traveled to 19 countries!
founder: Joey Watson
About Purity: We at Purity want to revolutionize the insulation industry with our eco-friendly solution, transforming garment waste into cozy, reusable, energy-efficient insulation for a sustainable future.
We are a pioneering green business dedicated to revolutionizing the insulation industry by upcycling garment waste into high-performance, eco-friendly insulation materials.
Our innovative process converts discarded textiles into premium insulation products, addressing the growing demand for sustainable construction solutions while minimizing environmental impact. By diverting garment waste from landfills, Purity Insulation not only reduces our carbon footprint but also provides cost-effective, energy-efficient insulation options for residential and commercial properties, paving the way for a more sustainable future.
founders: Brianna Carnaval & London Powell
Brianna Carnaval
From: Ohio
Major/year: Management-Entrepreneurship, senior
Why is entrepreneurship important to you?
It offers the freedom to shape one’s own destiny, fosters personal growth and resilience, and contributes to economic development and job creation. Through entrepreneurship, you can turn your ideas into reality, challenge yourself, and leave a lasting impact on the world.
Fun fact: I do boxing!
London Powell
From: Maryland
Major/year: Interdisciplinary Studies, senior
Why is entrepreneurship important to you?
For as long as I could remember, I’ve wanted to become an entrepreneur. From lemonade stands, to middle school businesses, I have always felt compelled to create. Becoming an entrepreneur felt like the perfect role to bring my ideas and innovation to life. I love the journey of taking a leadership roll and executing a vision. Entrepreneurship has helped me grow by allowing me to challenge myself and unlock new levels of potential.
Fun fact: I have been a track and field athlete a majority of my life and I have picked up paddle boarding as my new loved hobby!
About QuickBLD: QuickBLD is a platform containing video tutorials. Ideally, when a customer purchases a DIY item that needs to be assembled, they will scan our QR code either on or within the manufacturer's packaging. We are more of a "production company" and will fly out to the manufacturers so we do not have unwanted products on our hands.
-------------------------
From: Spring Lake, New Jersey
Major/year: Management-Entrepreneurship, Senior
Why is entrepreneurship important to you?
For as long as I can remember, my parents have pushed me to think outside of the
box and be entrepreneurial! My favorite part of the entrepreneurship process is
overcoming hurdles and creating solutions to the problems or obstacle
discovered.
Fun fact: I took a gap year in between eighth grade and
freshman year to travel internationally!
founder: Hannah Whitcomb
About Stone Pine Productions: Non-profits need social media management, short videos, email marketing, newsletters, and fundraising letters. Stone Pine Productions is in a unique position to be able to focus on these niche aspects of the advertising world and offer affordable rates whilst doing so.
-------------------------
From: Born in Georgia, grew up in Florida, Cuban heritage
Major/year: Foreign Relations w/minor in Spanish Literature at Wilkes Honors College in Jupiter
Why is entrepreneurship important to you?
I am deeply committed to using film as a medium to tell compelling stories that can inspire
change and bring attention to important causes. My primary responsibility in this
venture is to produce videos that showcase the missions and achievements of
various non-profit organizations. I view my work as a vital service to our
global community, offering a creative avenue to support and
highlight their invaluable work.
Fun fact: I enjoy reading, hiking, and
playing the guitar!
founder: Alberto Hernandez