Indiana's premier student entrepreneurship competition crowns its 2026 champions, recognizing the state’s most promising young innovators at Clowes Memorial Hall.

INDIANAPOLIS (June 23, 2026) — This year marked a significant milestone for one of Indiana’s most celebrated student entrepreneurship programs: the event formerly known as Innovate WithIN has evolved into the STARTedUP Summit & Challenge Finals, reflecting the program’s continued growth and impact across the state. The STARTedUP Foundation celebrated that milestone at Clowes Memorial Hall on the campus of Butler University, where ten high school finalist teams pitched their ventures to a panel of business leaders and investors, competing for $25,000 in seed funding.

The day extended well beyond the competition stage. For the first time, the event featured a full student showcase with 24 booths representing three groups:

The 10 competing finalist teams
Eight Emerging Innovators: Students at the beginning of their entrepreneurial journey who competed at the 2026 STARTedUP Challenge Regional Competitions
Six STARTedUP Alumni: Founders who competed in the STARTedUP Challenge in a previous year and returned to share what they’ve been building since.

Together, the showcase gave attendees a rare window into the full spectrum of Indiana student entrepreneurship, from first-time pitchers to seasoned young founders.

This year’s competition was the largest in program history. A record 1,174 teams, representing 2,162 students, submitted pitches for the 2026 STARTedUP Challenge, more than doubling last year’s participation of 515 teams and 979 students.

"At Butler's Lacy School of Business, we take extraordinary pride in hosting the STARTedUP Summit and Challenge Finals. While only ten teams take the stage today, every one of the 2,000-plus students who participated this year deserves recognition for their hard work and creativity,” said Craig Caldwell, Dean of Lacy School of Business at Butler University. “The ventures these students built are remarkably sophisticated. From Washington to Warsaw, Lapel to Lawrenceburg, if this is what Indiana's young people are capable of, our state has a very bright future."

COMPETITION RESULTS

**First Place**

OccluSense, founded by Riya Koya & Zaina Khan from Carmel High School, is transforming IV safety by replacing one-size-fits-all alarm systems with context-aware pressure analysis to reduce alarm fatigue and prevent unnecessary patient mortality in hospitals. The team was awarded $25,000 in seed funding, proudly sponsored by the Applied Research Institute (ARI), marking the second consecutive year ARI has served as the Seed Fund Sponsor.
*"Economic growth and national security don’t happen without the next generation of builders,”* said Jeron Peoples, Managing Director of Applied Research Institute (ARI). *“ARI is proud to support the young entrepreneurs who are already proving they’re up to the challenge."*

**Second Place**

Second place was awarded to Course Caddy, founded by Brandon Ateke at Munster High School. Course Caddy is a golf ball retrieval system that saves both time and money through color strip and drone technology and was awarded $5,000 in funding.

**Third Place**

Third place was awarded to PageMD, founded by Chaz Burkett, Seth Donea & Veronica Rodionova from Signature School Inc. PageMD is an AI-powered medical paging system that eliminates phone bottlenecks in clinics by handling and routing incoming calls, allowing staff to focus on patient care and has been awarded $2,500 in funding.

**People’s Choice Award**

Reese Olivia Creative received a $1,500 prize for the People’s Choice Award following an enthusiastic vote from attendees and online supporters. Founded by Reese Streicher from Carroll High School, Reese Olivia Creative offers custom designs through embroidery and painting, turning personal ideas into one-of-a-kind creations.

*“The STARTedUP State Finals is Indiana’s most inspiring day. These students - just 16, 17, and 18 years old - are creating meaningful, often market‑ready ideas,”* said Brian Schutt, Director of Indiana’s Office of Entrepreneurship and Innovation. *“Today reminds us that we choose how we view opportunity, and it’s a rare and powerful proof that there are no limits to growth when imagination and innovation lead the way.”*

2026 AWARDS

**Visionary Educator of the Year**

The Visionary Educator of the Year award was presented to Sarah Ackerman of Speedway High School by Joni Hart, Vice President of State Government & Regulatory Affairs at Comcast, STARTedUP's Diamond sponsor for the 2026 Challenge Finals. Sarah was among the first teachers to join the STARTedUP's Innovation Accelerator and has built something rare at Speedway Schools, an innovation and entrepreneurship program at both the middle and high school level that grows alongside students.

“Teachers like Sarah are exactly why this partnership matters. For the students we serve through this foundation, connectivity means something deeper, it means access to ideas, access to learning, access to a future they can shape for themselves," said Joni Hart, Vice President of State Government & Regulatory Affairs at Comcast. "We are putting tools into the hands of students and challenging them to do more than consume technology. We are asking them to create, to question, and to solve real problems in their communities. To the students: we see you. We believe in you. And we cannot wait to see what you create."

In conjunction with this recognition, Google for Education announced an additional honor for Ackerman: a fully sponsored spot in the prestigious two-day Google AI Educator Series in Chicago, taking place this August 2026. With all travel expenses covered by Google, this immersive experience provides hands-on access to cutting-edge AI technologies, innovative classroom strategies, and a powerful network of education leaders from across the country.

**Emerging Educator of the Year**

The Emerging Educator of the Year award was presented to Valentine Torres of Hobart High School. This award recognizes an educator who has been part of the Innovation Accelerator for fewer than three years and has already made an extraordinary impact by going above and beyond for their students, and the Innovation Accelerator community. Torres has demonstrated exactly that, and this recognition celebrates the meaningful difference she is already making in students’ lives at Hobart High School.

**Legacy in Action Award**

The Legacy in Action Award was presented jointly to Mariah Wright and Joshua Steely, both members of the STARTedUP Alumni Association. While this award is typically presented to one individual, this year it was given to both recipients in recognition of how fully each exemplifies the qualities, commitment, and mission of STARTedUP. The STARTedUP Alumni Association ensures the program's impact doesn't end when students leave the stage. Wright and Steely embody that mission fully: both have navigated the uncertainty of college, life, and founding their own startups while continuing to show up as leaders within the Alumni Association.

**Visionary Leader of the Year**

The inaugural Visionary Leader of the Year award was presented to Patrick Haney, Executive Director of the East Central Educational Service Center. This award recognizes a school, district, or administrative leader who has embraced the mission of STARTedUP and gone above and beyond to champion innovation, entrepreneurship, and student opportunity within their school community, helping create a culture where creativity, leadership, and real-world learning can thrive. Haney’s leadership has done exactly that, and the STARTedUP Foundation is proud to present him with its first-ever Visionary Leader Award.

**Innovation Partner of the Year**

The Innovation Partner of the Year award was presented to Group 1001, accepted by Morgan Murphy, Manager of Community Impact & Engagement. A true champion of the STARTedUP community, Group 1001 has continually opened doors for students and educators through hands-on learning experiences and meaningful mentorship opportunities. Their intentional partnership reflects a shared belief that education has the power to transform communities and create lasting impact for future generations.

Empowering Educators: The STARTedUP Innovation Accelerator

The talent on display at the STARTedUP Challenge Finals does not emerge in a vacuum. What the audience sees on stage is the result of teachers who have invested countless hours guiding, mentoring, and challenging students to think differently. The STARTedUP Innovation Accelerator is a professional development program designed to help educators from any subject area transform their classrooms into innovation hubs. Today, approximately 130 educators across 87 schools participate in the program, and that network is growing.

Now approved as a Work-Based Learning (WBL) solution in Indiana, the Accelerator equips educators with a ready-to-use curriculum, coaching support, access to a statewide community of like-minded teachers, and connections to industry mentors. Applications for the 2026–2027 cohort are now open. Thanks to our generous sponsors and donors, this upcoming program is completely free to participating educators and their schools. Interested educators can learn more at startedupfoundation.org/accelerator.

The Journey to Finals: Bootcamp & Inaugural INnovation Tour

In preparation for the Finals, the ten qualifying teams completed an intensive multi-week bootcamp and two-day intensive at Butler University and 16 Tech, designed to accelerate their ventures through mentorship, feedback, and real-world business development. Bootcamp included one-on-one coaching sessions, skill workshops, and a structured entrepreneurial curriculum to prepare students for their final pitches.

Following the competition, the ten finalist teams embarked on the inaugural INnovation Tour: a four-day journey through Central and Northern Indiana designed to connect students directly with Indiana’s innovation and entrepreneurial ecosystem. Unlike past years’ post-finals trips to Washington, D.C., this year’s experience was rooted in the Hoosier State itself, celebrating the world-class companies and leaders building the future right here in Indiana.

The tour ran from June 15–18, 2026, and included site visits and Lunch & Learn sessions at Lucas Oil Products, Fair Oaks Farms, Urschel Laboratories, Micropulse, Sweetwater, Fort Wayne Metals, Delta Faucet, and Visit Hamilton County. Networking dinners hosted by Elevate Ventures, the Indiana Starters Coalition, WeCreate Media, and the NWI Forum gave students direct access to Indiana’s business community.

Sponsors & Partners

We extend our sincere appreciation to the sponsors and partners who make the STARTedUP Challenge Finals possible.

Summit Host: Butler University & Lacy School of Business

State Sponsor: Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC)

Diamond Sponsor: Comcast

Foundation Partners: Don Wood Foundation & Old National Bank Foundation

Seed Funding Sponsor: Applied Research Institute (ARI)

Gold Sponsors: Beck’s Hybrids, Carmel Redevelopment, City of Bloomington, Doral LLC, Indiana Tech, Lifeboost Coffee, Merchants Bank, MISO, and Westmoreland Pharmacy + Compounding

Silver Sponsors: Unrulr

Bronze Sponsors: Brightwell, Deaconess, Indiana State University Scott College of Business, IU Indianapolis, IU Innovates, IU LAB, IU Luddy School of Informatics Computing and Engineering Indianapolis, Maker13, Plug and Play Indiana, Purdue Innovates, Purdue University Certificate in Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Purdue University Northwest, Team Quality Services, Skilled US, Society of Innovators at Purdue Northwest, and Trine University

2026 STARTedUP Challenge Finalists Teams

A heartfelt congratulations to all ten finalist teams of the 2026 STARTedUP Challenge Finals. Your creativity, resilience, and dedication embody what this program is all about.

Course Caddy | Brandon Ateke | Munster High School | Region 4 Finalist

Dermi | Angie Xiu & Alex Mi | Carmel High School | Region 2 Wildcard

Iconic Looks | Trinity Easley | McKenzie Career Center | Region 3 Wildcard

Luna Bandages | Luke Padgett & Nathan Peck | Brownsburg High School | Region 3 Finalist

NAM | Aris Koehler, Mason Green & Noah Deeds | Mishawaka High School | Region 4 Wildcard

OccluSense | Riya Koya & Zaina Khan | Carmel High School | Region 2 Finalist

PageMD | Seth Donea, Chaz Burkett & Veronica Rodionova | Signature School Inc. | Region 1 Finalist

Phoenix Phuel | Nathan Jones, Bradley Moore & Jude Sabla | Terre Haute North Vigo High School | Region 7 Finalist

Reese Olivia Creative | Reese Streicher | Carroll High School | Region 5 Finalist

Roots2Results | Kishan Patel & Tucker Harris | Floyd Central High School | Region 6 Finalist

STARTedUP Foundation Announces 2026 STARTedUP Challenge Finals Champions