The Inaugural

STARTedUP Summit

One Day to Ignite the Future.

Celebrating the next generation of doers, and their educators.

June 12 | Clowes Memorial Hall, Butler University

Join us for the most impactful day of the year.
The STARTedUP Summit is the culmination of a year of hard work, innovation, and grit. We are bringing together the entire STARTedUP ecosystem for one massive event.

Witness the top 10 STARTedUP Challenge Finalist teams as they pitch for $25,000 in prize money, reconnect with alumni, support regional finalists, and celebrate with our Innovation Accelerator Educators.

The Day at a Glance:

Guests will check in upon arrival at Clowes Memorial Hall and enjoy coffee and a light breakfast. During this time, attendees are invited to explore the Morning Showcase in the lobby, where finalists, alumni, and regional participants will be presenting their business ideas.
The STARTedUP Challenge Finals bring together the top ten teams from across Indiana to pitch for the $25,000 first-place prize. In the audience, government officials, business leaders, local innovators, educators, and families will gather to watch the next generation of Hoosier entrepreneurs take the stage.
While guests enjoy lunch, the five judges will deliberate and determine the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners. Attendees are free to grab lunch at local restaurants.
Following lunch, attendees are encouraged to return to the lobby to connect with finalists, alumni, and regional participants during the Afternoon Showcase. At the same time, educators participating in STARTedUP’s Innovation Accelerator will take part in dedicated programming.
Once the Afternoon Showcase concludes, guests will return to the theater for closing remarks and the announcement of:
- Educator of the Year
- Partner of the Year
- Alumni Impact Award
- People's Choice Award
- Third Place
- Second Place
- …and finally, the official check presentation for the winning team!

The Lobby Experience

The Finalists

Main Lobby

Meet the Top 10. A dynamic, student-led exhibition where the top high school founding teams present their ventures. Connect with them before they hit the main stage and offer the real-world encouragement they need to win.

The Innovators

East Lobby

Honor the Journey. Featuring dedicated student teams from our regional competitions. As they pursue their ventures with persistence, offer them the connections they need to propel forward.

The Alumni

West Lobby

See What’s Next. Highlights from past participants who are actively building ventures. Whether advancing original ideas or launching new ones, our Alumni are here for mentorship, collaboration, and strategic feedback.

The Main Event

The centerpiece of the Summit.

Take your seat in Clowes Memorial Hall to watch the top 10 student teams from across Indiana pitch their ventures live for a chance at $25,000.

10:00 AM – 12:45 PM | Main Stage

Learn More

The Celebration

A special track for the STARTedUP Innovation Accelerator Cohort

While the students showcase, we invite our educators to a joyful recognition of the 2025–26 cohort.

Certify: Educators from across the State will be honored with their official STARTedUP certification credentials.
Connect: A welcoming opportunity for new members of our educator community to meet current leaders.
Celebrate: Share wins and stories in a space designed for collaboration.

Meet the Finalists

PageMD

Seth Donea, Chaz Burkett, & Veronica Rodionova
PageMD is an AI-powered medical paging system that eliminates phone bottlenecks in clinics by intelligently handling and routing incoming calls, allowing staff to focus on patient care.
Region 1 Finalist | Signature School Inc
OccluSense

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

Angie Xiu & Alex Mi
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.

Region 2 Wildcard | Carmel High School
Luna Bandages

Luke Padgett & Nathan Peck
Luna Bandages completely revolutionizes the bandage industry with first-of-its-kind reusable, hook and loop secured, fabric bandages that prevents and treats blisters.
Region 3 Finalist | Brownsburg High School
Iconic Looks

Trinity Easley
Iconic Looks delivers high-quality Raw hair extensions designed for women who value consistency, confidence, and trust.
Effortless. Always.
Region 3 Wildcard | McKenzie Career Center
Course Caddy

Brandon Ateke
Course Caddy is a golf ball retrieval system that saves both time and money through color strip and drone technology.
Region 4 Finalist | Munster High School
NAM

Aris Koehler, Mason Green & Noah Deeds
NAM Spike Guard protects track athletes’ racing spikes with a lightweight, snap-on cover that prevents damage on hard surfaces while allowing comfortable movement between events.

Region 4 Wildcard | Mishawaka High School
Reese Olivia Creative

Reese Streicher
Reese Olivia Creative offers custom designs through embroidery and painting, turning personal ideas into meaningful, one-of-a-kind creations, all for His glory.

Region 5 Finalist | Carroll High School
Roots2Results

Kishan Patel & Tucker Harris
Roots2Results is an AI-powered platform that simplifies and translates complex financial and business documents, tailored to local regulations and built to support immigrant and non-citizen entrepreneurs navigating systems like visas and compliance.
Region 6 Finalist |Floyd Central High School
Phoenix Phuel

Nathan Jones, Bradley Moore & Jude Sabla
Phoenix Phuel is a company that cuts down on plastic waste in landfills and helps cut down on gas prices at the same time by turning plastic into fuel.

Region 7 Finalist | Terre Haute North Vigo High School