Innovate WithIN 2023 State Competition winner announced
Ten teams from throughout the state pitched their business idea to compete for over $70,000 worth of seed funding
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Nathan Dierckman and Makayla Phillips - Carmel High School
Clean Line focuses on solving the issue of catheter infections. CAUTIs (catheter associated UTIs) affect almost 600,000 people per year and kill about 16,000. Clean Line is a screening tool to detect and treat symptoms before they arise. The product is a syringe-like structure filled with a chemical indicator which will attach to one of the lumens on a tri-lumen catheter that will change color if a UTI is detected.
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Benjamin Eberle - Hobart High School
Tow Scout is a detachable product used in water crafts to act as a rearview mirror in order to improve the safety of the individuals riding behind the boat.
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Joshua Avila, Austin Beetson, and Sayeed Mohammed - Munster High School
Novos is an eco-friendly product line of air fresheners with scents focused on different cultures, transporting people to locations across the globe. The product is squared with natural oil sheets, magnets to attach on HVAC vents, and is accompanied by a stand to place on any flat surface.
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Nash Brown and Connor Wueller - Dekalb High School
IntelliKits are an assortment of educational and innovative STEM projects for students to work and learn at their own pace. The first is the Water Gauge Kits which teach students about simple circuits and water conductivity, with two other kits in the prototype stage (True Wireless Charging Pad to build a wireless phone and a second kit focused on fluid viscosity).
June 15, 2023 – Indianapolis – On Thursday, June 15, the STARTedUP Foundation’s sixth annual Innovate WithIN State Competition took place at Butler University where they announced the first, second and third place winners as well as the team that won the People’s Choice Award and the educator awarded the 2023 STARTedUP Teacher of the Year.
“Entrepreneurship at scale is a must have engine to any thriving economy,” said Governor Eric J. Holcomb. “Through competitions like Innovate WithIN, we're equipping the next generation of Hoosier entrepreneurs by surrounding them with the support of government representatives, such as those at the Indiana Small Business Development Corporation, mentors and business leaders alike as they take an idea and convert it into a business.”
The 2023 Innovate WithIN state competition first place winner is Clean Line, made up of Nathan Dierckman and Makayla Phillips from Carmel High School. Clean Line focuses on solving the issue of catheter infections. CAUTIs (catheter associated UTIs) affect almost 600,000 people per year and kill about 16,000. Clean Line is a screening tool to detect and treat symptoms before they arise. The product is a syringe-like structure filled with a chemical indicator which will attach to one of the lumens on a tri-lumen catheter that will change color if a UTI is detected.
Clean Line will receive $25,000 in seed funding placed in a business bank account to continue growing their business, as well as $10,000 each towards a 529 education funding plan and the highest scholarship levels offered by nine university partners. These partners have offered a combined total of over $15.6 million in scholarships for all Indiana students who participated in the 2022/2023 Innovate WithIN pitch competition.
“Prior to beginning my career in higher education, I was a young entrepreneur,” Butler University President James Danko said. “I started my first company at age 19 while I was still in college and owned that company for 17 years. That’s why it’s such an honor for me personally to host the Innovate WithIN state competition on the Butler University campus. With the right guidance, nurturing, and encouragement, these young entrepreneurs will not only become successful business owners, but also change agents for our state and beyond.”
In second place is Tow Scout, made up of Benjamin Eberle from Hobart High School. Tow Scout received $5000 in seed funding to continue growing his business. Tow Scout is a detachable product used in water crafts to act as a rearview mirror in order to improve the safety of the individuals riding behind the boat.
Novos received third place. This team is made up of three students from Munster High School - Joshua Avila, Austin Beetson, and Sayeed Mohammed. Novos received $2500 in seed funding to continue growing their business. Novos is an eco-friendly product line of air fresheners with scents focused on different cultures, transporting people to locations across the globe. The product is squared with natural oil sheets, magnets to attach on HVAC vents, and is accompanied by a stand to place on any flat surface.
IntelliKits, made up of Nash Brown and Connor Wueller from Dekalb High School, received the People’s Choice Award with $1500 in seed funding to continue growing their business. IntelliKits are an assortment of educational and innovative STEM projects for students to work and learn at their own pace. The first is the Water Gauge Kits which teach students about simple circuits and water conductivity, with two other kits in the prototype stage (True Wireless Charging Pad to build a wireless phone and a second kit focused on fluid viscosity).
Throughout the past year, the STARTedUP Foundation and the Indiana Department of Education have supported teachers and educators throughout Indiana by inviting them to be part of the Indiana Innovation Educator Fellowship. This year, Krissy LaFlech, a two-time fellow and teacher at Munster High School was awarded the STARTedUP Teacher of the Year - identified as one of the top educators in the state who prioritizes shifting the culture of their school and cultivating a mindset of innovation in their classroom.
“We get students to see problems as opportunities. With so many innovative and investable ideas, we want to continue to support Innovate WithIN students far beyond high school with our alumni program,” said Don Wettrick, CEO of the STARTedUP Foundation. “Our team has invested in building our ecosystem of partners to identify amazing opportunities for our students. To continue growing the spirit of entrepreneurship, this summer we will be taking several Fellows and STARTedUP Alumni to Dallara in Italy for an in-depth entrepreneurial, immersion experience.”
Prior to competing at State, these students have spent the past six weeks participating in a deep-dive bootcamp to help refine and grow their business ideas as they met with well-known innovators. During the bootcamp, students also traveled to Indianapolis where they participated in an innovation challenge hosted by the Pacers Foundation and met with local mentors from organizations like Conexus, Elevate Ventures, TechPoint, Techserv, and more.
Finally, at the end of June, all finalists will be traveling to Washington, D.C. to meet and hear from successful entrepreneurs and government officials, participate in site tours and innovation challenges, and meet with government officials at the Capitol building.
Thank you to State Finals Sponsors: Butler University (event host), Central Indiana Corporate Partnership (CICP), Indiana Small Business Development Center, Indiana Economic Development Corporation, and Google
Thank you to our Regional Competition Hosts: Society of Innovators at Purdue University Northwest, IKORCC (Indiana/Kentucky/Ohio Regional Council of Carpenters), Purdue University School of Management & Purdue Innovates, Purdue University Fort Wayne, and University of Evansville
Thank you to our judges: Andrew Carty (VP of Small Business, Indiana Economic Development Corporation), Aaron Gillum (SVP, 50 South Capital Advisors), Emily Hawk (Assistant Dean of Innovation, Butler University), Carlos Iñiguez (Director of GEN Accelerates, Global Entrepreneurship Network), and Andrea McGordon (VP of Community Outreach and Financial Empowerment, Old National Bank)
Amazing job to all the competitors!
Cancer Catch - Suhani Lodha and Jacqueline Roth - Carmel High School
Clean Line - Nathan Dierckman and Makayla Phillips - Carmel High School (First Place)
Communi - Seth Cavinder, Emilie Henry, and Adrianna Senteney - AMP Lab at Electric Works
Dr. Orthopedic - Claire Deardorff and Jennifer Vazquez - Signature School Inc
IntelliKits - Nash Brown and Connor Wueller - Dekalb High School (People’s Choice Award)
Legaltec - Jude Allaw, Ethan Hilton, and Mann Patel - Signature School Inc
Novos - Joshua Avila, Austin Beetson, and Sayeed Mohammed - Munster High School (Third Place)
Osci Charge - Josiah Findley and Ian Jack - Greenfield-Central High School
Red Applications - Liam Lloyd and Edgar Medina - Westfield High School
Tow Scout - Benjamin Eberle - Hobart High School (Second Place)
