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Student startups win $82K in CCNY’s Zahn Venture Competition

Innovative pitches by student startups from º£½ÇÉçÇø and other CUNY and SUNY schools won big in CCNY’s 2025 Zahn Innovation Center Venture Incubator and Competition. Eighty-two thousand dollars in prizes went to the budding inventor/entrepreneurs to develop their ideas. The startups competed for grand prizes of $15,000 each in four categories, with each second-place finisher receiving $5,000. In addition, one team in each category received a $500 demo day audience choice award.

Zahn Software

Grand prize winner ($15K): Chat With Menu (Baruch College) - helps restaurants offer clear, adaptable menu options that cater to dietary references, allergens, and individual tastes, leveraging technology to ensure a safe, efficient, and personalized dining experience for every guest.

• Felix Gonzalez, senior, computer information systems
• Lia Emerson, junior, business management

Finalist ($5k): Banister Learning (CCNY) - personalized, gamified, interactive AI-powered learning. 

• Pragyam Tiwari, sophomore, computer science & mathematics
• Vishnu Vijayakrishnan, sophomore, physics

Zahn Social

Grand prize winner ($15K): WattSage (CCNY) - transforms ordinary windows into power-generating assets with solar harvesting curtains, blending energy efficiency and modern design for sustainable living.

• Hiba Ouadii, junior, electrical engineering;
• Ryan Ramnauth, senior, electrical engineering.

Finalist ($5K): Amor For (CCNY) - an accessible communications agency and platform for community-driven folks and brands. 

• Nichimyo Rich, Masters of Professional Science (MPS) candidate in branding and integrated communications
• Zaakirah Medan, MPS, branding and integrated communications program on PR track

Kaylie Hardware

Grand prize winner ($15K): CardiaLink (CCNY) - a wireless EKG acquisition and EKG lead management system that reduces setup time by 50% and improves patient care through rapid diagnostics and enhanced portability. 

• Abdelrahman Ahmed, graduate student, translational medicine
• Hassan Ahmad (College of Staten Island), senior, engineering science
• Shaedil Dider, junior, electrical engineering
• Yahia Abdalla, junior, biomedical engineering

Finalist ($5K): LOOM (CCNY) - enhancing the experience of users during active recreational activities. 

• Anthony Rodionov, junior, electrical engineering
• Ashraf Alam, junior, electrical engineering
• Mohammed Islam, junior, electrical engineering
• Tanveer Hassan Khan, freshman, electical engineering

Standard Chartered Women+Tech

Grand prize winner ($15K): CareerDay (Queens College, Baruch, and SUNY Stony Brook) - AI-powered platform that guides students in selecting the right major, courses, and career path through personalized roadmaps, mentorship opportunities.

• Sheyla Perez (Queens College), junior, math and design
• Giovanni Xique Moyotl (Queens College), senior, economics
• Natalia Torres (Baruch College), sophomore, computer information systems
• Katherin Solis (Stony Brook University), computer science & political science.

Finalist ($5K): EvalRX - advancing AI in healthcare with inclusive data insights for equitable outcomes for all.

• Mohani Adem, senior, biomedical science
• Nicole Rodriguez (Baruch College), senior, data analytics & new media arts

Final Pitch Judges

Thanks to our Final Pitch Judges:

• Su-Lin Watson, Managing Director and Head, Consumer, Healthcare & Service, Standard Chartered
• Peter Zahn, CEO, Futures Unbounded
• Jesse Nevarez, Emerging Companies + Venture Capital Partner, Morrison Foerster

   

Demo Day Audience Choice Winners ($500 each):

Zahn Social - Cineduca

Cineduca increases the visualization of the LatinX stories through an educational Spanish platform cineduca (film library) that includes other resources such as lesson plans and handouts for teachers and students.

Zahn Software - QuickBites

QuickBites is a student-led food delivery service that provides busy college students with affordable, time-effective, and eco-friendly meal delivery while supporting local businesses through low commissions and campus-focused partnerships.

Kaylie Hardware - CardiaLink

CardiaLink is a wireless EKG acquisition and EKG lead management system that reduces setup time by 50% and improves patient care through rapid diagnostics and enhanced portability.

Standard Chartered Women+Tech - EcoBuild

EcoBuild is a marketplace that connects professionals in the construction industry with surplus and reclaimed building materials, reducing waste and promoting sustainability.

Demo Day Judges

Thank you to our Demo Day judges for spending the day with us!

From left to right:

• Di Cui, Zahn Innovation Center at CCNY
• Chris Bobko, Zahn Innovation Center at CCNY
• Khalilah Webster, MVP Accelerator
• Kesia Hudson, Standard Chartered Women's Entrepreneurship, Zahn Innovation Center at CCNY
• Mitchell Fullerton, Columbia Technology Ventures
• Justin Tosi
• Weeks Mensah, CRE Investor
• Ying Zhou, Tech Incubator at Queens College
• Michelle Ng, Neuemoon Health