SOUTH KINGSTOWN – Seventeen students, faculty members and alumni at the University of Rhode Island recently presented startup business ideas during a spring pitch competition hosted by URI Innovations’ RISE-UP Ideation Studio, the university announced.
The event, known as Pitch Night, was held April 22 at the Richard E. Beaupre Center for Chemical and Forensic Sciences, where participants showcased ventures developed over the course of the spring semester. Individuals and teams worked to create products or services intended for real-world commercialization, attending weekly sessions and conducting additional work independently.
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“Each cohort has gotten better and sharper, with a great deal of promise,” said Joe Loberti, a URI alumnus and mentor involved with the program. “We’re excited to see this as we begin to build out the innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem through URI Innovations programming.”
Three top entries received implementation grants to further develop their concepts. First place went to Christopher dos Reis, a senior accounting major from Bristol, for his venture RowRunner, which proposes a delivery system allowing spectators at sporting events and concerts to order food and beverages to their seats. Second place was awarded to Juan Vallejo, a senior computer science major from Central Falls, for TRADER, which was described as a customer relationship management billing system designed for contractors. Third place went to Heidi Cheng, a doctoral pharmacy student from New York City, for NODE, a pharmaceutical intelligence platform focused on drug repurposing.
Additional projects presented at the event spanned a range of industries and technologies, including platforms for distinguishing human-created art from artificial intelligence-generated work; conservation tools aimed at protecting endangered species; and systems intended to predict mechanical failures. Other concepts included an application to track alcohol consumption; a rehabilitation glove for individuals with neurological conditions; and an AI-based platform for locating home repair services.
Several entries explored consumer technology, including AI-powered headphones designed to assist with daily tasks and a modular disc golf bag system. Other proposals addressed education and health-related needs, such as a study-abroad advisory service and tools intended to support executive functioning.
The competition was evaluated by a panel of entrepreneurs and academic professionals, including Abe Murray, a venture fund general partner and URI alumnus; Erynn Petersen, CEO of a healthcare technology company Emme; and Kirtley Fisher, an assistant teaching professor at the university’s College of Business.
The Ideation Studio program is part of URI Innovations’ RISE-UP initiative, a collaboration involving the University of Rhode Island, the University of Alaska Fairbanks and the University of Hawai’i. The program aims to promote entrepreneurship by providing structured training and mentorship to participants interested in developing business ideas.
Veer Mudambi is the special projects editor of the Providence Business News. He can be reached at Mudambi@PBN.com.
