Innovate@BU Selects a Diverse Cohort for the 2025 Enlight Fellowship Program
The 2025 Enlight Fellowship cohort brings together ten passionate students from six different BU schools, each receiving a $10,000 stipend to intern at Boston nonprofits while developing their own social ventures. From combating human trafficking to enhancing healthcare literacy, expanding financial education access to sustainable art supply redistribution, these Fellows are addressing crucial community needs through innovative approaches and entrepreneurial thinking.
Introducing the Semi-Finalists of the 2025 New Venture Competition!
Boston University’s $80K New Venture Competition has selected its semi-finalists for 2025, advancing one step closer to determining which student-led ventures will share in this year’s substantial prize pool. The annual competition, organized by Innovate@BU, provides BU students and recent alumni with a platform to showcase their entrepreneurial concepts while competing for funding that can […]
Sailboat Buoys with a Sustainable Twist- Noah Robitshek’s Minibots
Most Boston University students see the Charles River winding through campus, and consider it little more than a scenic waterway. Noah Robitshek (ENG’25) on the other hand, sees an untapped opportunity for data collection. The senior computer engineering major from Traverse City, Michigan has combined his technical expertise with environmental impact through an innovative […]
Sustainable Fashion For All- Iffany Zou and the BU Closet
When College of Arts & Sciences senior Iffany Zou (CAS’25) was given an assignment to complete a passion project during her freshman year, she decided to pursue a longtime interest: the intersection of fashion and sustainability. Equipped with a storage bin, poster board, and paint, Iffany began collecting clothing donations outside her dorm room. […]
Moving Made Easy with MatchBox- Riya Shukla’s Student Storage Solution
During her first year at Boston University, Riya Shukla (CAS’25) faced a common challenge among college students – the logistical nightmare of moving out for summer break. Amid finals, booking flights home to California, and emptying her dorm room, Riya realized there had to be a more efficient solution to this expensive and time-consuming […]
Meet the Spring 2025 Innovate@BU Student Ambassadors!
At Innovate@BU, we believe that innovation thrives when fueled by curiosity, passion, and collaboration. That’s why we’ve introduced our student ambassadors—your go-to peers for all things Innovate@BU. These ambassadors are more than just student representatives—they’re experienced innovators who have been in your shoes. Here’s how they can help you: Answer Questions: Get insights into Innovate@BU’s programs, […]
Changing the Environmental Narrative with BU Alum Ethan Brown and the Sweaty Penguin
When Ethan Brown (COM/CAS’21) first encountered the idea of climate change in middle school, he found himself paralyzed by the scale of the problem. “I found it really scary and really overwhelming to the point where I wasn’t even interested in it,” Ethan recalls. During his time at Boston University, he discovered something that would […]
Bringing the Impact Home: Jaime Rodriguez-Estrada’s Story
When Jaime Rodriguez-Estrada (CAS’26) was applying to colleges as a high school senior in Hood River, Oregon, he didn’t know much about the college application process. But he did know about QuestBridge, a program connecting exceptional low-income students with leading institutions. Through QuestBridge, Jaime matched with Boston University and received a Fulbright scholarship to pursue […]
Mobility Made Easy: The Story of Technotonin
What started in a Massachusetts garage with two high school friends has grown into a promising startup. Arav Tyagi (ENG’27) and his co-founder Antonio Marzoratti are revolutionizing mobility solutions for wheelchair users through their company Technotonin, which provides Portable Affordable Wheelchair Enhancers (PAWE) that motorize standard wheelchairs in seconds. Their inspiration came from observing the […]
From Tech Visionaries to Green Ventures: Celebrating New and Advancing Innovation Pathway Teams!
The Innovation Pathway is a self-paced program designed to help you launch your for-profit or nonprofit venture. Here are some of the teams: Walk: Teams with a venture idea with early validation research. Run: Teams with a compelling and feasible venture idea with a viable business model. Fly: Teams with a venture that’s ready for […]