What happens when classrooms are given the space to thrive?

When students have the right space to explore, a simple spark can grow into something real. In Accelerator classrooms, students go beyond learning theory to create real solutions to problems they see in their schools, towns, and world.

Each year, once a semester, students have the chance to bring their ideas to life through an in-class pitch competition. The top teams from each classroom will then move on to compete in a statewide competition and showcase of young Hoosier innovation. This culminating experience allows students to refine their ideas, test their entrepreneurial skills, and present their solutions on a bigger stage.

This is the heart of Innovate WithIN, Indiana's most elite high school pitch competition. Many participants first discover their innovative potential in Accelerator classrooms, where teachers guide them through those crucial first steps of creative problem-solving.

Check out 2025's Top 10 State Finalist Teams! These students took their ideas all the way from concept to opportunity and their stories show what's possible when classrooms become launchpads for innovation.

(Remember: while these teams reached State Finals, every success story starts with a single idea. We're not expecting students to build the next unicorn startup overnight—we're creating spaces where they feel empowered to think boldly, explore curiously, and grow confidently.)

Meet the 2025 Finalists

  • Lovey Duv

    Lovey Duv Sugar Scrub is an all-natural, organic skincare product that gently exfoliates, deeply hydrates, and restores a healthy, radiant glow to all skin types.

    Lyla Schultz | Perry Central Jr-Sr High School | Region 1

    Sizzle Reel

  • SpheriLine

    SpheriLine innovates upon central lines to fight infection risks, improve patient experiences, and to support nurses.

    Kelly Fulk & Maxwell Gootee | Carmel High School | Region 2

    Sizzle Reel

  • NextGen Research Institute

    NextGen connects high schoolers all across the world with real-world research opportunities at less than 1% the cost of our competitors.

    Prabanjan Jayachandran & Tianle Liang | Zionsville Community High School | Region 2

    Sizzle Reel

  • Compleyes.ai

    Compleyes.ai helps manufacturing companies streamline environmental compliance by automating manual reporting tasks with AI-powered tools.

    Raina Maiga & Truman Greaves | Purdue Polytechnic High School Schweitzer Center at Englewood & Zionsville Community High School | Region 3

    Sizzle Reel

  • SafetyGlow

    SafetyGlow enhances road safety with a retractable, highly-visible LED light strip for trucks, making broken-down vehicles easy to spot in dark conditions, reducing the risk of accidents on highways.

    Ashton Verbish | Hanover Central High School | Region 4

    Sizzle Reel

  • Septo

    Septo provides a simple, noninvasive solution for infection tracking through an X-shaped, plant-powered bandage designed to comfortably wrap around vulnerable joints.

    Alexis Karahalios, Abigil Mena &Jocelyn Aguirre | Munster High School | Region 4

    Sizzle Reel

  • True Blue

    True Blue is dedicated to raising awareness about juvenile diabetes through educational outreach programs in elementary schools.

    Lydia Yoder & Kyla La Rue | Dekalb High School | Region 5

    Sizzle Reel

  • Tailored Bites

    Tailored Bites offers affordable, high-quality, dog and cat food tailored to pets dietary needs using locally sourced ingredients.

    Ruby Campbell-Carpenter & Emma Sanders | AMP Lab at Electric Works, North Side High School, Wayne High School | Region 5

    Sizzle Reel

  • VisiTube

    VisiTube is a glow-in-the-dark cover for medical tubing that helps prevent falls and brings peace of mind to patients, caregivers, and families.

    Max Vanderhoof, Kishan Patel & Hikari Shiga| Floyd Central High School | Region 6

    Sizzle Reel

  • GripGuard Soccer Sox

    GripGuard Soccer Sox’s mission is to reduce landfill waste, improve performance factors for athletes, and protect them by introducing a higher quality sock with innovative grip technology.

    Leanna Rotondo | Charlestown Senior High School | Region 6

    Sizzle Reel

Meet The 2024 Finalists

  • Hydroxy

    Hydroxy creates affordable, easy-to-use devices that pull water from the air to help farmers irrigate crops even in dry areas.

    Lenea Elliot, Matthew McKeehan, Colten Mitchell | Perry Central Jr-Sr High School | Region 1

    Sizzle Reel

  • Caseflood.ai

    Caseflood.ai streamlines legal practices with an AI-powered receptionist that handles calls affordably and efficiently, ensuring law firms never miss a client opportunity.

    Ethan Hilton, Emily Rudolph, Tolen Schreid | Signature School | New Tech Institute | Region 1

    Sizzle Reel

  • ShellSafe

    ShellSafe offers a discreet, efficient firearm detection system for schools, utilizing specialized sensors to identify guns at entry points, enhancing safety without the intrusiveness of traditional metal detectors or costly AI systems

    Pragathi Arunkumar | Carmel High School | Region 2

    Sizzle Reel

  • Epipatch

    Epipatch offers a life-saving wearable that automatically detects and treats severe allergic reactions, providing peace of mind with continuous monitoring and instant epinephrine delivery.

    Max Ledingham, Alexander Lu, Adithyan Naren Carmel High School | Region 2

    Sizzle Reel

  • PinPoint Allergy

    Pinpoint Allergy offers a simple, pain-free allergy testing kit that uses a single finger prick to quickly identify common indoor, outdoor, and animal allergies, empowering users with easy-to-understand results to manage their allergies effectively.

    Genesis Austin, Jayden Brosman | Speedway Senior High School | Region 3

    Sizzle Reel

  • Wringo

    Wringo offers a discreet solution for individuals suffering from hyperhidrosis, providing immediate, lasting dryness without creams or wipes, using a unique, fabric-based technology that absorbs moisture and restores confidence.

    Connor Gomez, Ameen Musleh, Vasili Papageorge | Munster High School | Region 4

    Sizzle Reel

  • SafetyGlow

    SafetyGlow enhances road safety with a retractable, highly-visible LED light strip for trucks, making broken-down vehicles easy to spot in dark conditions, thereby reducing the risk of accidents on highways.

    Ashton Verbish | Hanover Central High School | Region 4

    Sizzle Reel

  • SkyGuard

    SkyGuard revolutionizes precision agriculture with drone technology that targets only weeds, reducing herbicide use and costs, ensuring more affordable, sustainable farming practices.

    Luke Herring | Southwood Jr-Sr High School | Region 5

    Sizzle Reel

  • CayPops Bakery LLC

    CayPops Bakery LLC offers a unique franchise opportunity that empowers aspiring entrepreneurs to operate a home-based bakery, specializing in custom cake pops and sugar cookies. This model reduces startup costs and leverages local cottage food laws, making entrepreneurship accessible and profitable for teens and home-based individuals.

    Caylyn Pruitt | Columbus North High School | Region 6

    Sizzle Reel

  • Bluer Waters

    Bluer Waters innovates affordable, eco-friendly industrial filtration solutions to significantly reduce toxic waste in waterways, offering simple, effective systems that empower medium-sized factories to meet environmental regulations and protect public health.

    Tucker Harris, Tyler Harris, William Trask | Floyd Central High School | Region 6

    Sizzle Reel