East-Central Indiana’s Top Student Innovators to Compete in Innovate WithIN’s Region 3 Pitch Competition
INDIANAPOLIS (March 28, 2025) – The STARTedUP Foundation’s Innovate WithIN competition, the nation’s largest high school pitch competition, is set to showcase the best young entrepreneurs in East-Central Indiana.
Across the state, 60 teams are competing in six regional pitch competitions, with 10 teams in each region. The winners of each regional event will move on to the State Finals in June at Butler University, where they will compete for $25,000 in seed funding, scholarships, travel experiences, mentorship, and additional entrepreneurial resources.
The Region 3 competition will take place at IU Indianapolis – Campus Center Theater on April 21, 2025, from 9 AM - 1 PM EST, hosted in partnership with Indiana University Luddy School of Informatics, Computing, and Engineering in Indianapolis, Indiana University Indianapolis, and IU Innovates. This event provides young innovators a platform to present their ventures before a panel of esteemed judges, gaining valuable feedback and mentorship opportunities.
"The Innovate Within competition and the STARTedUP team draw students and entrepreneurs of different personalities and motivations.These leaders of tomorrow identify problems as opportunities to change lives positively and build their community economy,” said Zebulun Wood, Sr. Lecturer, Media Arts and Science, Luddy Indianapolis. “These are the students we faculty want to mentor and change lives alongside! On behalf of all our faculty and leadership, we at Indiana University Indianapolis and the Luddy School of Informatics, Computing and Engineering in Indianapolis welcome this year's competitors. We are excited for you to see the campus surrounded by all the action in the big city."
Region 3 Student Teams:
Archifuturae – Tania Marquez, Herron High School
Bussl – Kieron Bishop, Leland Rowe & Liam Green, Herron High School
Car Wash App – Sol Jimenez, Dylan Brown & Fernando Hartzer, McKenzie Career Center
CropConnect – Keshav Krishnan, Park Tudor School
EK Designs – Evelyn Hinshaw & Idalia Inman, Speedway Senior High School
Klick & Switch – Hope Hullinger, Westfield High School
compleyes.ai – Raina Maiga & Truman Greaves, PPHS Schweitzer Center at Englewood & Zionsville Community High School
Pretty Pinchers – Libby Lehr & Bee McClure, Westfield High School
Shelf Crew – Roran Figueiredo, Speedway Senior High School
Stadium Clipmate – Adrian Feltrinelli, Noah Vaughner & Braxton Terry, Westfield High School
This year’s competition highlights the continued success of the STARTedUP Innovation Educator Fellowship, which has now expanded to include 100 educators. Over 30 fellows from 33 schools have teams participating in the regional pitch competitions, further demonstrating the program’s significant impact in fostering entrepreneurial education.
“We are honored to have Indiana University Luddy School of Informatics, Computing, and Engineering in Indianapolis once again hosting this regional competition,” said Don Wettrick, co-founder and CEO of the STARTedUP Foundation. “This event is consistently supported by a wide range of mentors and corporate leaders who recognize the value of fostering innovation in students. It’s truly inspiring to see the community come together to encourage creativity and entrepreneurial spirit.”
The Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC) and the Indiana Small Business Development Center have been longtime supporters of Innovate WithIN. All regional finalists will meet with their local ISBDC advisors to refine their business models and prepare for the competition with expert guidance. We also extend our appreciation to 16Tech, Army National Guard, BIC, Beck’s Central Midwest Regional Council of Carpenters, EdChoice, Elevance Health, Indy Women in Tech, Innovation Connector, Kaps for Kids, MISO and TCC for their support of this region’s pitch competition.
In addition, Innovate WithIN continues to secure scholarship opportunities for competitors through partnerships with institutions such as Depauw University, Grace College, Indiana Tech, Purdue University Fort Wayne, and Purdue University Northwest. These partnerships provide valuable educational opportunities for students, further supporting their entrepreneurial journeys.
The event is open to the public, and community members are encouraged to attend to support these young entrepreneurs. More details and RSVP information can be found at https://www.startedupfoundation.org/region-3
About Indiana University Luddy School of Informatics, Computing, and Engineering in Indianapolis
The Indiana University Luddy School of Informatics, Computing, and Engineering in Indianapolis is the first school of its kind in the nation and a leader in information and data science. The IU Luddy School of Informatics, Computing, and Engineering in Indianapolis is committed to building a smart, future-focused workforce of creative, people-centered problem solvers through undergraduate and graduate programs in computer science, human-computer interaction, biomedical engineering, health information management and health informatics, artificial intelligence, library and information science, data science, and media arts and science.
About the STARTedUP Foundation
The STARTedUP Foundation is an Indiana-based nonprofit dedicated to transforming classrooms into hubs of innovation, entrepreneurship, and industry alignment. Through student competitions, educator fellowships, and real-world partnerships, STARTedUP inspires the next generation of problem-solvers and creators. Learn more at www.startedupfoundation.org.
