Iona Innovation Challenge

WELCOME TO THE SPRING 2027 IONA INNOVATION CHALLENGE!

The Hynes Institute is excited to present the 10th annual Iona Innovation Challenge (IIC), which will be BIGGER & BETTER! This year's prize amount totals up to $20,000!

What's IIC about? Students creating solutions addressing real-world problems. After completing three milestones, they have the chance to compete in a pitch competition.

IIC 2026 Final Pitch Participant Jared Balcacer (Curriosity) Q&A Session.

IIC 2026 Final Pitch Judges.

Teamwork and creativity on display during the Idea Generation Workshop facilitated by Dr. Aakash Sapru.

IIC 2026 Kickoff Keynote Speaker Lily Baez '20, '22MBA.

IIC 2026 Final Pitch Participants Colin Guinnane and Boden Grimes (SynthSafe).

IIC 2026 Meet the Mentors Networking Event.

Mentor Mike Sancimino and the Orbyte Technologies Team.

Students bringing their ideas to life during the Storytelling Workshop facilitated by Christine Dare-Bryan.

PRIZE MONEY

Iona students have an opportunity to win BIG this Spring 2027!

$20,000 Prize Breakdown

• 1st place - $10,000
• 2nd place - $5,000
• 3rd place - $3,000

Fan Favorite Contest - $1,000 – Milestone 1 (1-minute video pitch) with the most likes/engagement on their video (to be uploaded to the Hynes Institute page) is selected as the Fan Favorite.

2 Superlative Awards - $1,000 ($500 each) Pitches will be selected at the judge's discretion for the superlative award giving honorable mention to outstanding solutions. 

Total cash prizes: $20,000*

*As per Internal Revenue Service regulations, prizes and awards are treated as taxable income to the employee, student or non-employee that receives them. The value of gifts, prizes and awards provided to students, fellows, residents, and other nonemployees will be reported on Form 1099 if aggregate taxable payments received by such.

WHY PARTICIPATE?

Empathize: Everyone has a problem. 

Define: Identify the problem that you want to solve. 

Ideate: Work with a robust network to help discover a solution to your problem, receive support and feedback. 

Prototype: Attend workshops, networking events, and participate in coworking to bring your idea to life.

Test: Complete the milestones and present at the Pitch Practice Session for final feedback and a chance to compete at the final event.  

Win BIG! Finalists compete at the Final Pitch Competition for a chance to win awards totaling $20,000!

Have Fun! Take your ideas to the next level. Enjoy the process, meet new people, learn to DREAM, CREATE, and LEAD the world through innovation!

Tap into the In-Residence Team at the Hynes Institute for additional support through this process. Meet the IR Team.

Spring 2026 IIC Highlights

WHO IS ELIGIBLE TO PARTICIPATE?

• All Iona undergraduate and graduate students! A valid @iona.edu email address is required to enter the competition.
• Students can enter individually or as a team with other students.
• Students can only submit one idea.

How to Enter IIC 2027

Interested in participating? Register here!

STAY UP TO DATE

1. Attend IIC Kickoff Event in Spring 2027
2. Submit your milestones:
   1. Milestone 1: 1-minute Video Pitch
   2. Milestone 2: Executive Summary
   3. Milestone 3: Pitch Slide Deck
3. Connect with your paired mentors for feedback
4. Finalists will be notified by mid-April
5. Finalists present at the Final Pitch Event during the first week of May*

9 YEARS OF IONA INNOVATION CHALLENGE

Launched in 2018, the Iona Innovation Challenge is an annual student competition where solutions are presented that address real-world problems. At Iona, we want to make sure that students from all disciplines have a platform to collaboratively explore creative ways to solve the big challenges of today. Every spring semester, students work on their ideas by completing three (3) milestones and gaining valuable feedback through working with mentors from a variety of fields. Students have the opportunity to utilize our resources and bring their ideas to life. At the completion of the milestones, finalists will then pitch to a panel of judges for a chance to win cash prizes.

Spring 2026 IIC Winners and Judges.

Spring 2025 IIC Winners & Judges.

Spring 2024 IIC Winners & Judges

Spring 2023 IIC Winners & Judges

Spring 2022 IIC Winners.

Spring 2021 IIC Winners & Judges.

Spring 2020 IIC Winners & Judges.

Spring 2019 IIC Winners & Judges.

Spring 2018 IIC Winners & Judges.

IIC WINNERS

IIC Year 2026

The 2026 Iona Innovation Challenge was a remarkable event, with twenty-seven (27) teams and forty (40) student participants. Eight (8) teams comprised of thirteen (13) students, advanced to the finals and presented their solutions to a panel of judges.

Judges: James P. Hynes ’69, ’01H, Anne Marie Hynes, Esq., Roxanne Guerrerio ’98, ’08MBA and Tom Richer ’93

First Place

Curriosity

Jared Balcacer ’26

Curriosity is the first platform that translates required school curriculum into the specific interests and identity of each student. It does not change what students must learn. It changes how it is framed. A student who loves dance still learns algebra but the problem is written in the language of choreography, beats per minute and performance.

Second Place & Fan Favorite

Pelvic Power Pack

Sonia Dobronravov ’27MSOT
Maeve Ingram ’27MSOT 

Pelvic Power Pack is a therapist-informed movement system designed to help individuals with pelvic health conditions move safely and confidently. It combines gentle strengthening, breathwork, education, and practical tools to support pelvic floor function, manage symptoms, and promote both physical and emotional well-being.

Third Place

Orbyte Technologies

Cy Abbott ’28
Xander Chappell ’29
Thomas Melillo ’28
CJ Moriarty ’28

Orbyte Technologies is an all-in-one business assistant that helps owners manage inventory, track budgets, organize business data, and make informed decisions. Through a simple conversational interface, users can quickly access insights from their own business information, receive alerts, and stay on top of day-to-day operations.is an all-in-one business assistant that helps owners manage inventory, track budgets, organize business data, and make informed decisions. Through a simple conversational interface, users can quickly access insights from their own business information, receive alerts, and stay on top of day-to-day operations.

Excellent Presentation

EdiFi

Daniel Lima ’26

EdiFi is is a financial literacy and navigation platform built for prospective and current college students.

Most Useful Tool

Givva

Mathew Mountain ’26

Givva is a campus-based marketplace that makes it easy for students to buy and sell items within their university community. Using verified university accounts, students can quickly list items, browse local offerings, negotiate prices, and connect with other students for secure, convenient transactions.

PAST IIC WINNERS