Central Indiana

STARTedUP Challenge 2026: Region Two

Twelve student teams from central Indiana will compete for a spot in the Challenge Finals this June. The event will bring together government officials, business leaders, entrepreneurs, educators, and family members to support and celebrate these young innovators.

Event address:
Kurz Purdue Technology Center
1281 Win Hentschel Boulevard West Lafayette, IN 47906

🗓️ April 16, 2026

⏰ 9AM - 1PM EST

Hosted by:

    • Boone

    • Clinton

    • Fountain

    • Hamilton

    • Hendricks

    • Marion

    • Montgomery

    • Morgan

    • Tippecanoe

    • Warren

Meet the Finalists

  • Dermi

    Dermi is a bias-corrected skin cancer screening platform that combines an affordable smartphone dermoscope with high-accuracy AI to deliver accessible, equitable early detection across all skin tones.

    Angie Xiu & Alex Mi
    Carmel High School

  • Templ

    Templ reduces head pain, eye irritation, and disrupted sleep cycles through the use of blue light glasses with built in micro-vibration massage that go directly over your temples to reduce stress, promote relaxation, and boost mood and activity.

    John Bunch & Nick McKeown
    Westfield High School
    Website

  • Occlusense

    OccluSense is transforming IV safety by replacing one-size-fits-all alarm systems with context-aware pressure analysis, reducing alarm fatigue, preventing unnecessary patient mortality, and freeing up critical nursing time through a smarter, more responsive hospital alerting system.

    Riya Koya & Zaina Khan
    Carmel High School
    Website

  • TraceAI

    TraceAI solves one of hardware engineering's most frustrating bottlenecks: reverse engineering printed circuit boards. By simply photographing a board, TraceAI automatically generates schematics using AI, saving engineers significant time and enabling faster diagnosis, repair, and redesign of existing hardware.

    Alexander Weiland
    Hamilton Heights High School

    Website

  • Hydraband

    Hydraband monitors body hydration levels primarily for elderly patients residing in assisted living facilities, making it easier for nurses and patients to be aware of patient hydration levels, thereby reducing the risk of preventable medical emergencies such as dehydration, stroke, urinary tract infections, and more.

    Isaac Qian & Mahesh Duvvuri
    Carmel High School

  • CropConnect

    B2B Marketplace for Farmers and Industrial Buyers in order to reduce waste and increase farmer profits.

    Keshav Krishnan
    Park Tudor School

  • Veristryp

    VeriStryp prevents medication errors with a syringe adhesive strip sensitive to unique optical properties of high-risk and commonly confused medications, providing nurses with immediate visual confirmation of drawing up the correct medication, thereby reducing the risk of administering the wrong drug to patients and mitigating the financial burden of medication errors.

    Aparna Parasad & Jessica Flowers
    Carmel High School

  • VitaFlex+

    VitaFlex+ combines high-grade kinesiology tape and non-adherent gauze to make an amplified bandage that allows athletes to spend as much time as possible competing in the sport they love while simultaneously treating their wounds with the upmost care.

    Liv Bates & Sam Foster
    Westfield High School
    Website

  • OrthoCore

    OrthoCore is focused on improving the Ganz osteotome used in hip surgeries by creating a modular, quick-swap handle system that enhances surgeon grip, efficiency, and workflow during procedures.

    Zoe Baldauf
    Carmel High School

  • Arys-Rx, LLC

    ARYS-Rx is a HIPAA-compliant digital platform that uses video verification to improve medication adherence, which improves health outcomes and reduces avoidable healthcare costs, thus allowing employers to lower expenses through more effective benefit plans.

    Jack Hamilton & Shayen Maun
    Brebeuf Jesuit Preparatory School
    Website

  • Exit Point

    ExitPoint effectively streamlines the hospital discharge process with an automated three-component RFID system that instantly detects when patients leave, thereby eliminating the pressing issue of dead bed time and creating major financial and operational gains for hospitals.

    Freddy Brubaker & Zoya Syed
    Carmel High School

  • ArgOS

    With AI and tech demand, power plant operations are now exceeding human bandwidth; ArgOS is the human coordination system that translates thousands of alerts daily into action. 

    Tianle Liang, Anthony Thieu & Ishan Pande
    Zionsville Community High School

Agenda

  • Check in and take your seat!

  • The audience will be welcomed by a representative from Purdue Innovates and hear from the CEO of the STARTedUP Foundation, Don Wettrick.

  • The twelve student teams will pitch their business concepts/ideas. Teams will pitch in the following order:

    1. Dermi

    2. Templ

    3. Occlusense

    4. TraceAI

    5. Hydraband

    6. CropConnect

    7. Veristryp

    8. VitaFlex+

    9. OrthoCore

    10. Arys-Rx, LLC

    11. Exit Point

    12. ArgOS

  • Food will be provided to the teachers and competitors as the judges deliberate on the pitches. Nearby restaurants are available for all guests to grab something to eat during this time.

  • The top team will be recognized and invited to participate in the STARTedUP Challenge Finals!

Meet the Judges

  • Bernardo Moreira

    Co-President , The Anvil & Business Engineering & Econ Student, Purdue University

  • Christian Butzke

    Senior University Fellow for Innovation & Entrepreneurship, Purdue University

  • Mike Roark

    Vice President, Alliances at Purdue Research Foundation

  • Sherine Abdelmawla

    Founder & CEO, Akanocure Pharmaceutical

  • Tim Branyan

    Ecosystem Navigator, Hoosier Heartland Indiana Small Business Development Center

Thank You to Our Regional Partners and Sponsors

Gold State Sponsor