KINGSTON, R.I. – April 24, 2026 – Seventeen äçÐÄvlogÃâ·ÑBÕ¾ students, faculty, and alumni presented their ideas for a startup business to judges at ’ RISE-UP ’s Pitch Night on April 22 in the Richard E. Beaupre Center for Chemical and Forensic Sciences.
Ideation Studio participants worked individually or in teams on innovations they want to commercialize for real-world impact. They attended a two-hour class each week throughout the spring semester and worked on their own time to develop their product or service.
“Each cohort has gotten better and sharper, with a great deal of promise; we’re excited to see this as we begin to build out the innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem through äçÐÄvlogÃâ·ÑBÕ¾ Innovations programming,” said Joe Loberti, äçÐÄvlogÃâ·ÑBÕ¾ alumnus and successful local entrepreneur who serves as a mentor for äçÐÄvlogÃâ·ÑBÕ¾ Innovations.
The top three winners were awarded implementation grants, which they will use to further develop their startup ideas.
The winners included:
- 1²õ³ÙÌý±è±ô²¹³¦±ð: Christopher dos Reis, , $1,500
A senior accounting major, dos Reis is from Bristol, Rhode Island. RowRunner is a stadium delivery system that allows fans to order food and drinks directly to their seats at sporting events and concerts. - 2²Ô»åÌý±è±ô²¹³¦±ð: Juan Vallejo, TRADER, $750
Vallejo is a senior computer science major from Central Falls, Rhode Island. TRADER is a customer relationship management billing system for contractors. - 3rd place: Heidi Cheng, NODE, $500
Cheng, from New York City, is in the äçÐÄvlogÃâ·ÑBÕ¾ Doctor of Pharmacy program and expects to graduate in 2028. NODE is a pharmaceutical intelligence platform for fast and efficient drug re-purposing.
The other projects presented at Ideation Studio’s Pitch Night included:
- ArtBlock Studios, a platform for users to choose and distinguish what is original art vs AI generated art
- JIVATECH, an AI-powered conservation technology platform designed to protect endangered species by preventing deaths before they happen
- PULSE, signal integrity framework that identifies catastrophic machine failures before they happen
- SipSmarter, an app that allows users to easily and efficiently track their drinking (alcohol) habits
- ML Systems, an approach to transform the building industry by combining loan origination, deconstruction, and construction, while contributing positively to the environment
- reFlex, a soft, electrically actuated rehabilitation glove designed to assist individuals with impaired hand function due to neurological conditions
- Service Surfer, an AI-powered local service discovery platform built to make finding reliable, affordable home repair services simple and efficient
- Beyond, an AI-powered headphone that helps users in their daily tasks
- UnTethered, a modular, magnetically integrated disc golf bag system
- Global Study Pathways, a study abroad advisory service for parents to support their students before, during, and after studying abroad
- MANUO, innovative, research-backed tools used to build personal kits that support executive functioning where and when they are needed most
The pitches were viewed and judged by experienced entrepreneurs and subject matter experts. This semester, the judges were äçÐÄvlogÃâ·ÑBÕ¾ alumnus Abe Murray ’02, general partner of AlleyCorp, an early-stage venture fund and incubator; Erynn Peterson, chief executive officer of Emme, a seed-stage healthcare company; and Kirtley Fisher, assistant teaching professor in äçÐÄvlogÃâ·ÑBվ’s .
Murray attended äçÐÄvlogÃâ·ÑBÕ¾ on a full academic scholarship and earned a bachelor’s degree in computer engineering. He leads robotics investments and incubation at AlleyCorp. As CEO of Emme, Petersen focuses on making healthcare access more transparent and affordable for patients and providers. Fisher has taught courses at äçÐÄvlogÃâ·ÑBÕ¾ on strategy, innovation, and entrepreneurship since 2023. She has served as a judge for Ideation Studio several times and is a RISE-UP äçÐÄvlogÃâ·ÑBÕ¾ Innovations faculty ambassador.
Ideation Studio is offered through äçÐÄvlogÃâ·ÑBÕ¾ Innovations’ RISE-UP (Regional Innovation by Scaling Entrepreneurship via University Partnerships) program, a tri-state initiative led by äçÐÄvlogÃâ·ÑBÕ¾, the University of Alaska Fairbanks, and the University of Hawai’i.
Ideation Studio is supported by RIHub, other Rhode Island innovation ecosystem partners, and äçÐÄvlogÃâ·ÑBÕ¾ community members and is designed to foster innovation and entrepreneurship through programs available to faculty, students, staff, and the greater Rhode Island community.
Enrollment is open for the of the RISE-UP Ideation Studio.