2026 Business Plan Competition Finalists

CognitionIQ

Sam Mahannah ’26 (Biology & Financial Management)

Ilham Mohamud ’26 (Business Law & Compliance)

Breanna Ranglall ’26 (Computer Science & Data Science)

CognitionIQ is a medical technology company delivering objective concussion risk assessments for student athletes. Using NASA patented eye tracking algorithms integrated into VR hardware, the platform provides data driven cognitive safety protocols to schools and athletic programs. Operating on a hardware enabled SaaS model, CognitionIQ offers accessible, clinical grade brain health monitoring to improve athlete safety.

IGNITE

Itamar Perez Ryan ’26 (Physics)

Ana Rubio Chinchilla ’27 (Biochemistry)

IGNITE is an AI powered healthcare marketplace connecting uninsured and underinsured patients in the United States with accredited hospitals in Latin America. The platform automates medical record processing, hospital matching, and care coordination to reduce operational costs and expand access to quality procedures at significantly lower prices. Through a commission based model, IGNITE addresses healthcare affordability while supporting hospital capacity utilization abroad.

RE:BORN

Mindy Nguyen ’28 (Entrepreneurship)

RE:BORN is a circular fashion company that reduces textile waste by collecting donated clothing and transforming it into limited edition apparel. Through recycling partnerships and small batch production, the company creates sustainable garments with transparent sourcing and measurable environmental impact. By combining community engagement with responsible design, RE:BORN advances a more regenerative fashion model.

Ruta’al

Hapaki Lorenzo Quintana ’26 (Mechanical Engineering)

Sambhav Lamichhane ’26 (Finance & Data Analytics)

Ruta’al is a financial inclusion platform providing accessible banking and credit services to unbanked rural populations in Mexico and Nepal. Leveraging local agent networks and USSD phone technology, the platform delivers essential financial tools without requiring smartphones or internet access. Ruta’al expands economic participation by offering secure, low cost financial services tailored to underserved communities.

Weha Life

Beamlak Petros ’26 (Entrepreneurship)

Weha Life is a clean water company using solar powered desalination technology to convert brackish water from Lake Beseka into safe drinking water. Serving both households and bulk customers in Ethiopia, the company provides affordable and locally produced water solutions. By combining renewable energy with scalable distribution, Weha Life addresses water scarcity and public health needs.

Halo

Regina Talavera ’25 (Entrepreneurship & Finance)

Halo is a wearable health technology company developing a non invasive cortisol sweat patch for female athletes. Paired with a mobile app, the patch delivers real time hormonal insights that support recovery, reduce injury risk, and improve performance. By translating biometric data into personalized recommendations, Halo empowers athletes and coaches to make informed training decisions grounded in measurable physiology.

HelioHeater

Colin Fjelsted ’26 (Electrical Engineering)

HelioHeater develops compact solar thermal systems that capture and store sunlight as usable heat to supplement residential heating and hot water systems. Designed for cold climate homes, the technology lowers winter energy costs while reducing electrical demand. By integrating efficient thermal storage with practical installation models, HelioHeater provides a scalable clean energy solution for homeowners.

Medvo

Ellie Pigott ’23 (Entrepreneurship)

Medvo is an AI powered medical billing advocacy platform that identifies billing errors, disputes inaccurate charges, and negotiates cost reductions on behalf of patients. The platform centralizes medical bills and provides transparent, success based pricing, with human escalation when needed. By combining automation with personalized support, Medvo helps families and self insured employers reduce healthcare expenses and streamline payment management.

Nuubi

Kathryn Wifvat ’16 (Mathematics & Statistics)

Nuubi is an AI enhanced academic support platform embedded within a university’s existing learning systems. It provides 24/7 course assistance through an AI teaching assistant, structured peer question and answer tools, and instructor analytics. By improving engagement, strengthening collaboration skills, and offering actionable insights to faculty, Nuubi supports student retention and readiness for technical careers.

Weber Blooms & Orchard, LLC

Michael Weber ’16 (Data Science & Software Engineering)

Weber Blooms & Orchard, LLC, operating as Tulip & Peony Co., is a vertically integrated Minnesota based cut flower company specializing in peony cultivation. The business combines large scale perennial growing operations with cold storage infrastructure and strategic land acquisition to reduce reliance on imported flowers. By building long term production assets designed to yield for decades, the company aims to capture market share in a growing domestic floral industry.

AI Multimodal Systems

Venkata Sai Praneeth Sirigiri ’25 (AI)

AI Multimodal Systems develops and commercializes artificial intelligence solutions for digital media, education, and software applications. The company delivers production ready AI systems, consulting services, and technical training to organizations seeking to integrate advanced automation. By focusing on practical deployment and cross platform capabilities, the company enables businesses to implement scalable AI solutions.

IGNITE

Itamar Perez Ryan ’26 (Physics)

Ana Rubio Chinchilla ’27 (Biochemistry)

IGNITE is an AI powered healthcare marketplace connecting uninsured and underinsured patients in the United States with accredited hospitals in Latin America. The platform automates patient support, medical record review, hospital matching, and care coordination to lower costs and improve access to high quality care. Through an efficient commission based model, IGNITE advances both healthcare affordability and global resource optimization.

Judi Wine

Simon Latim ’21 MBA (MBA)

Judi Wine produces locally sourced sweet wines in Northern Uganda, addressing unmet consumer demand while creating economic opportunity for women. The company crafts distinctive fruit based wines tailored to regional taste preferences. Through training and employment programs for young women and single mothers, Judi Wine integrates commercial growth with measurable social impact.

MERIS

Duc Coung Nguyen ’29 (Actuarial Science & Statistics)

Anup Chapagai ’29 (Accounting)

MERIS is an AI powered risk intelligence platform supporting immigrant and minority owned food businesses. Acting as a continuous strategic partner, the system provides proactive, plain language guidance in the owner’s preferred language to reduce operational and compliance risks. By preventing avoidable closures and strengthening financial decision making, MERIS promotes long term community economic resilience.

Ruta’al

Hapaki Lorenzo Quintana ’26 (Mechanical Engineering)

Sambhav Lamichhane ’26 (Finance & Data Analytics)

Ruta’al is a financial inclusion platform delivering accessible banking and credit services to unbanked rural populations in Mexico and Nepal. Through local agent networks and USSD enabled phone technology, the company provides essential financial tools without reliance on smartphones or broadband connectivity. By expanding secure financial access, Ruta’al supports entrepreneurship and economic mobility in underserved regions.