Northwest Indiana's Student Entrepreneurs Step Into the Spotlight — 2026 STARTedUP Challenge Regional Finalists
Ten Student Ventures from Northwest Indiana Compete for a Shot at $25,000
The STARTedUP Foundation is proud to announce the regional finalist teams advancing in the 2026 STARTedUP Challenge — Indiana’s premier high school pitch competition, now in its 9th year (formerly known as Innovate WithIN). With a $25,000 grand prize on the line, the STARTedUP Challenge brings together the state’s brightest young innovators and challenges them to develop real ventures, pitch to judges, and compete for life-changing opportunities. The Northwest Indiana (Region 4) Competition will be held on April 23, 2026 from 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM CDT at The Great Hall Events & Conference Center at Purdue University Northwest, hosted in partnership with Purdue University Northwest & Society of Innovators at Purdue Northwest. The event is free and open to the public.
The STARTedUP Foundation is proud to recognize Erosion Construction Solutions as a Silver Regional Sponsor of this Regional Competition. Their support makes it possible for student entrepreneurs in this region to take the stage and compete for life-changing opportunities.
How the Competition Works
The 2026 STARTedUP Challenge follows an exciting multi-stage format designed to identify and accelerate Indiana's top young entrepreneurs:
Regionals: April 2026: One winning team will be selected from each of the 7 regional competitions across the state.
Wildcard Selection: 3 additional teams from across Indiana will be chosen as wildcard finalists, bringing the total number of advancing teams to 10.
Regional & Wildcard Prize: Each advancing team member (up to 3 members per team) will receive a $1,000 prize.
6-Week Bootcamp: All 10 advancing teams will enter an intensive bootcamp featuring weekly calls, mentorship opportunities, expert support, and a 2-day in-person experience, all designed to take their ventures to the next level.
Finals: June 12, 2026: The top teams will compete in the STARTedUP Challenge Finals, where the ultimate winner will claim the $25,000 grand prize.
Northwest Indiana Finalists
We are proud to introduce the student teams competing to represent Northwest Indiana at the 2026 STARTedUP Challenge:
Course Caddy: Brandon Walker | Munster High School
CryoCollar: Kane Tilley | Griffith Senior High School
Berean Dynamics: Jonathan Lai | Valparaiso High School
Filet Twist: Cameron Hutson | Hobart High School
NAM: Aris Koehler, Mason Green & Noah Deeds | Mishawaka High School
Ready Set Grow Enterprises, LLC: Ethan Hollins | Lake Central High School
Spider-X: Tyler Triplett | Hanover Central High School
SunCompute: Kelly Fields | Hanover Central High School
WeSpeak: Juliet Lux | Lowell Senior High School
pHemme: Amelie Adam, Karly Pala & Joslyn Burnett | Munster High School
Powered by the Innovation Accelerator Classroom
Many of this year's competing students have been prepared through STARTedUP's Innovation Accelerator; a three-level professional development path that helps teachers bring real-world entrepreneurial thinking into their classrooms. For eight years, STARTedUP has partnered with educators across Indiana to build classroom cultures rooted in innovation, problem solving, and real-world impact. Through the Innovation Accelerator, teachers receive training, coaching, classroom-ready resources, and access to a statewide community of educators doing groundbreaking work. Over the course of the program, students identify real-world problems they care about and build venture concepts with tangible deliverables like prototypes, business models, and pitch presentations. Students have gone on to launch businesses, nonprofits, inventions, services, civic projects, in-school initiatives, and more.
Event Details
Date: April 23, 2026
Time: 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM CDT
Location: The Great Hall Events & Conference Center at Purdue University Northwest, 1401 US-421, Westville, IN 46391
Host: Purdue University Northwest & Society of Innovators at Purdue Northwest
Admission: Free and open to the public
About the STARTedUP Foundation
The STARTedUP Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to building the next generation of innovators and entrepreneurs across Indiana. Through programs like the STARTedUP Challenge and the Innovation Accelerator, STARTedUP works with students, teachers, and communities to turn classrooms into launchpads for real-world ideas. Now in its 9th year, the STARTedUP Challenge (formerly Innovate WithIN) has grown into the state's premier high school entrepreneurship competition. For more information, visit www.startedup.org.
