Big Ideas Take Center Stage at the Eighth Annual Iona Innovation Challenge
Students pitched their ideas for a chance to win cash prizes totaling $20,000
New Rochelle, N.Y. – Iona University students recently competed for cash prizes totaling $20,000 as they pitched creative business solutions to help solve real-world problems during the eighth annual Iona Innovation Challenge (IIC).
Hosted by the Hynes Institute for Entrepreneurship & Innovation, the event took place in a dynamic pitch competition format and featured interdisciplinary student teams addressing challenges ranging from sensory regulation and rehabilitation to travel planning and fashion innovation.
“Year after year, our students show us what is possible when imagination meets determination,” said Christoph Winkler, Ph.D., endowed professor and founding program director of the Hynes Institute. “They are the embodiment of the entrepreneurial spirit at Iona University — building meaningful ventures that reflect the University’s mission and values.”
Congratulations to the 2025 Winning Teams:
- First Place Winner, $10,000: Hydrate and Regulate – One sip at a time with a water bottle sensory support. Team: MaryBrigid McManus ’26, Colleen Slevin ’26, Eunice Anderson ’26, Yu Ting Lin ’26
- Second Place Winner, $5,000: Strendex – Rehab hand glove that moves with you.
Team: James Phelps ’27, Anthony Zambrano ’27 - Third Place Winner, $3,000: Bracelet Buddy – Jewelry that empowers independence. Team: Nicole Karmin ’25, Grace Massaro ’25
- Fan Favorite, $1,000: PlanGenie – Discover, plan and book local experiences – all in one app. Student: Kedarjah Lewis ’25
Superlative Awards:
- Promising Prototype, $500: Frost Core by Jay Restorations – Your kicks deserve a comeback. Student: Jaiden Houston ’25
- Most Creative, $500: PlanGenie. Student: Kedarjah Lewis ’25
The final pitch event continues to demonstrate Iona’s commitment to providing students with opportunities to learn outside the lines of the classroom as they explore entrepreneurship and apply their skills in practical ways. Learn more about the Hynes Institute for Entrepreneurship & Innovation.
ABOUT IONA
Founded in 1940, Iona University is a master's-granting private, Catholic, coeducational institution of learning in the tradition of the Edmund Rice Christian Brothers. Iona's 45-acre New Rochelle campus and 28-acre Bronxville campus are just 20 miles north of Midtown Manhattan. With a total enrollment of nearly 4,000 students and an alumni base of more than 50,000 around the world, Iona is a diverse community of learners and scholars dedicated to academic excellence and the values of justice, peace and service. Iona is highly accredited, offering undergraduate degrees in liberal arts, science and business administration, as well as Master of Arts, Master of Science and Master of Business Administration degrees and numerous advanced certificate programs. Iona students enjoy small class sizes, engaged professors and a wide array of academic programs across the School of Arts & Science; LaPenta School of Business; NewYork-Presbyterian Iona School of Health Sciences; and Hynes Institute for Entrepreneurship & Innovation. Iona also continues to be recognized in prestigious national rankings. Most recently for 2025, Iona has been named one of the nation’s best colleges by The Princeton Review, The Wall Street Journal, Forbes and others. Additionally, U.S. News & World Report recognized Iona as one of top for social mobility in the country, while Georgetown University's Center on Education and the Workforce (CEW) ranked an Iona degree in the top 5 percent nationally for long-term return on investment. Iona’s LaPenta School of Business, meanwhile, is also accredited by AACSB International, a recognition awarded to just 6 percent of business schools worldwide. In addition, The Princeton Review recognized Iona’s on-campus MBA program as a “Best Business School for 2024.” Iona also offers a fully online MBA program for even greater flexibility. In July 2021, Iona announced the establishment of the NewYork-Presbyterian Iona School of Health Sciences, which is now principally located on Iona’s Bronxville campus in collaboration with one of the nation’s top hospitals. Connecting to its Irish heritage, Iona also opened a new campus in County Mayo, Ireland, located on the historic 400-acre Westport House Estate. A school on the rise, Iona officially changed its status from College to University on July 1, 2022, reflecting the growth of its academic programs and the prestige of an Iona education.