Student Entrepreneurs at Iona College Tackle Real-World Problems in ‘Shark Tank’-Style Competition
Despite COVID-19 Challenges, Iona Students Demonstrate A Vision for Driving New Solutions.
Student entrepreneurs compete in the third annual Iona Innovation Challenge, held virtually on April 30, 2020.
NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. — Even as COVID-19 forced students to online platforms, entrepreneurs from Iona College’s Hynes Institute for Entrepreneurship & Innovation demonstrated a vision for solving real-world problems during the 3rd annual Iona Innovation Challenge (IIC). Held virtually on April 30th, students pitched their ideas in a ‘Shark Tank’-style competition to a panel of expert judges selected from corporate, nonprofit, investment, and higher education partners across the region. Winners received cash prizes ranging from $3,000 for first prize and $1,200 for second prize, to $500 for the Fan Favorite. The 2020 winners were:
Top Three Winners:
EVITAL – A company launched by Raymond Carapella ’20 and Michaela Ceci (Marist College) that manufactures eco-friendly, decomposable and cost-effective clothing hangers for major retailers.
AccessiGear – A concept presented by Amanda Fitzgerald ’22MA and Gurpreet Singh ’22MA to bring representation and inclusivity through the form of college branded adaptive apparel to the Iona College community.
Nightcap – A beverage pouring device pitched by Christina Bryde ’20MBA to monitor pouring levels for consistency and safety.
“We are so proud of the students' commitment to building their mindset and mission through this experience,” said Danny Potocki ’06, Entrepreneur-in-Residence, who led the program at Iona College’s Hynes Institute for Entrepreneurship & Innovation. “That they were able to bring their ideas to completion and deliver such compelling pitches – even virtually – perfectly captures the spirit of entrepreneurship. As innovators, we keep going despite, and often because of, the challenges we are presented with.”
The ICC was the culmination of a full-semester of idea development, research and mentorship. Students worked on their ideas by completing a series of milestones that included a video pitch, an executive summary, and a pitch slide deck. Throughout the process, students gained valuable feedback by working with mentors from a variety of fields.
In addition to the top three winners:
The Social Impact Award was presented to 1st place winner, The Entrepreneurial Guide, created by Riana Khan ’22. This concept is a cohesive digital guide comprised of proven entrepreneurial sources in one platform. Second place in this category was awarded to Giving Smiles, a technology platform to provide impoverished children with gifts, founded by Amanda McCormack ’19, ’20MBA.
“Competing in the Iona Innovation Challenge expanded my understanding of what it means and what it takes to be an entrepreneur of color,” Khan said. “It is part of my mission to help build the mindset of other minority entrepreneurs through my company, like the Hynes Institute has helped me over the past several months.”
The “Fan Favorite” Award was given to JR10 Corp., which used high-quality fashion to raise awareness for children diagnosed with brain cancer in memory of Jack Egan Reyna, of Bedford, N.Y., who passed away at the age of 13. Presented by Giuliano Santucci, this pitch video received the most likes on Iona College’s Instagram.
In 2017, the Hynes Institute started with a vision to bring new learning opportunities to Iona College by helping students develop an entrepreneurial mindset. Almost three years later, this vision is visibly alive at the intersection of the state-of-the art learning spaces, the students who engage in those spaces, and the programs that support the students in those spaces. With an interdisciplinary undergraduate and graduate program in entrepreneurship and innovation, Iona has emerged as a leader in the region. In doing so, the Hynes Institute continues to build a community of support for its students by bringing together businesses, industry professionals, and other stakeholders with deep and diversified expertise and experience.
Christoph Winkler, Ph.D., endowed professor and founding program director of the Hynes Institute, emphasized that “our students are at the center of everything we do. They are our most valuable asset as we continue to build and grow our program not only for our students, but also with our students. The work that they did, despite the current climate, is a testament to their commitment as leaders and scholars in our community.”
ABOUT THE HYNES INSTITUTE
The Hynes Institute for Entrepreneurship & Innovation was established in 2017 through a record-setting $15 million gift from James P. Hynes ’69, ’01H and Anne Marie Hynes. It is an interdisciplinary program that fosters the development of creativity, leadership and entrepreneurship skills critical for success in a global economy. The Hynes Institute offers two undergraduate majors – a Bachelor of Arts in Entrepreneurial Leadership and a Bachelor of Business Administration in Entrepreneurship, as well as an advanced certificate in Entrepreneurship & Innovation. Located at the center of campus, the Hynes Institute is housed in a 3,800-square-foot, state-of-the-art coworking space offering a modern and sustainable home for creativity on campus and beyond. In addition, the Hynes Institute operates its GaelVentures Incubator at 748 North Avenue. Explore the Hynes Institute and get in touch to learn more today!
ABOUT IONA
Founded in 1940, Iona University is a master's-granting private, Catholic, coeducational institution of learning in the tradition of the Edmund Rice Christian Brothers. Iona's 45-acre New Rochelle campus and 28-acre Bronxville campus are just 20 miles north of Midtown Manhattan. With a total enrollment of nearly 4,000 students and an alumni base of more than 50,000 around the world, Iona is a diverse community of learners and scholars dedicated to academic excellence and the values of justice, peace and service. Iona is highly accredited, offering undergraduate degrees in liberal arts, science and business administration, as well as Master of Arts, Master of Science and Master of Business Administration degrees and numerous advanced certificate programs. Iona students enjoy small class sizes, engaged professors and a wide array of academic programs across the School of Arts & Science; LaPenta School of Business; NewYork-Presbyterian Iona School of Health Sciences; and Hynes Institute for Entrepreneurship & Innovation. Iona is widely recognized in prestigious rankings, including The Princeton Review’s 2025 national list of “The Best 390 Colleges” and The Wall Street Journal/College Pulse’s “2024 Best Colleges in America,” which ranked Iona at #66 in the nation overall and #8 in the nation among Catholic schools. Iona’s LaPenta School of Business is also accredited by AACSB International, a recognition awarded to just six percent of business schools worldwide. In addition, The Princeton Review recognized Iona’s on-campus MBA program as a “Best Business School for 2023.” Iona also offers a fully online MBA program for even greater flexibility. In July 2021, Iona announced the establishment of the NewYork-Presbyterian Iona School of Health Sciences, which is now principally located on Iona’s Bronxville campus in collaboration with NewYork-Presbyterian. Connecting to its Irish heritage, the University also recently announced it is expanding abroad with a new campus in County Mayo, Ireland. A school on the rise, Iona officially changed its status from College to University on July 1, 2022, reflecting the growth of its academic programs and the prestige of an Iona education.