Southwest Indiana’s Top Student Innovators to Compete in Innovate WithIN’s Region 1 Pitch Competition
EVANSVILLE, Ind. (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 Southwest 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 1 competition will take place at Old National Bank Evansville on April 18, 2025, from 9 AM - 1 PM CST. Hosted in partnership with Old National, this event provides young innovators a platform to present their ventures before a panel of esteemed judges, gaining valuable feedback and mentorship opportunities.
“We are proud to support the STARTedUP Foundation and the young entrepreneurs who will become tomorrow’s business leaders and innovators,” said Jim Ryan, Chairman and CEO of Old National. “Indiana has a wealth of student innovation, and we look forward to following the progress of these future innovators in the years to come.”
Region 1 Student Teams:
Fashion Forward – Gabriella Boerner, New Tech Institute
Green Energy Project of the Wabash – Gavin Lemmons & Nathan Cioch, Terre Haute North Vigo High School
Lite-Aero Industries – Joseph Latham, Terre Haute North Vigo High School
Lovey Duv – Lyla Schultz, Perry Central Jr-Sr High School
Medi Match – Yuto Harada, Sebastian Donea & Joseph Arisa, Signature School Inc
Party Krash – Alan Hays & Evan Cheng, Bloomington High School North
Chlora – Janelle Addo, Signature School Inc
Skill Swap – Naren Raghavan, Finn Drozhinin & Vivek Penumetsa, Signature School Inc
Sunny Spritz – Callista Krieg & Alyssa Lindauer, Tell City Jr-Sr High School
TD Innovations – Hunter Kellems, Perry Central Jr-Sr 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 thrilled to partner with Old National Bank, a visionary leader that understands what it takes to start from Indiana and thrive,” said Don Wettrick, co-founder and CEO of the STARTedUP Foundation. “This region continues to demonstrate its remarkable ability to cultivate talent and foster innovation, and we look forward to seeing the next generation of entrepreneurs emerge from this competition."
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 Circular Ventures Lab, City of Bloomington, and Evansville Regional Economic Partnership 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-1
About Old National
Old National Bancorp (NASDAQ: ONB) is the holding company of Old National Bank. As the sixth largest commercial bank headquartered in the Midwest, Old National proudly serves clients primarily in the Midwest and Southeast. With approximately $54 billion of assets and $30 billion of assets under management, Old National ranks among the top 30 banking companies headquartered in the United States. Tracing our roots to 1834, Old National focuses on building long-term, highly valued partnerships with clients while also strengthening and supporting the communities we serve. In addition to providing extensive services in consumer and commercial banking, Old National offers comprehensive wealth management and capital markets services. For more information and financial data, please visit Investor Relations at oldnational.com. In 2024, Points of Light named Old National one of "The Civic 50" -- an honor reserved for the 50 most community-minded companies in the United States.
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.
