St. John’s Students Excel in Global Business Development Programs

St. John’s University’s commitment to innovation extended across the Atlantic Ocean in the summer of 2025 when a cohort of students participated in the prestigious European Innovation Academy business development program held at the University’s Rome, Italy, location.

The 13 students represented five of the University’s six Schools and Colleges and was the largest contingent St. John’s has ever sent to the prestigious entrepreneurial program. One student—junior Amoni Smart, who is majoring in Television and Film at The Lesley H. and William L. Collins College of Professional Studies—was part of a five-person team that won first prize for a parental control smartphone app designed to help parents monitor their kids’ online activity.

Amoni’s success continued an impressive run by St. John’s students in business competitions. In October, senior Cara Dunleavy and alumna Niyadeng Tour ’25C advanced to the New York chapter finals of TiE University’s (TieU) Global Pitch Competition. In August, graduate student Uday Kumar took part in the prestigious Hult Summer Bootcamp in Cambridge, MA.

“I have felt an immense amount of support and recognition for what we created and what we did,” Amoni said. “There is a real spirit of entrepreneurship across the campus.”

Amoni, from Bolling, AL, served as Chief Marketing Officer for AIKO, which was developed in combination with four students from across the globe. The app identifies what children are engaging with online and uses artificial intelligence (AI) to help parents begin conversations with their children about objectionable content.

“Think of it as an AI companion,” Amoni explained. “It is a friend for the child, but a helper-educator for parents. It identifies when a child finds his or her way to an unsavory website or display and gives parents a way to have difficult conversations with their children about why they should not be there.”     

St. John’s students have been competing in the EIA since 2019, except for 2020, when the University did not send a cohort due to COVID-19 restrictions. Six students competed in the 2024 competition in Porto, Portugal, including Alpamys Yechshanov ’25C, who earned Top Team recognition for a recycling efficiency project.

As part of her duties as chief marketing officer, Amoni developed strategies to enhance the team’s social media presence, analyze potential market share, and study growth possibilities. She said the media skills cultivated at St. John’s made a challenging job easier.

“I have always been very passionate about entrepreneurship,” Amoni said. “And I was able to use my background in marketing and media to help build up the company and showcase what we made.”         

The EIA program is open to all continuing students from every St. John’s School and College. Students who apply undergo an interview process and, if successful, are paired with other student-entrepreneurs from around the globe. Amoni paired with students from Chicago, IL; Moldova, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates to develop AIKO, which still needs work before it can go live.

In the meantime, St. John’s is preparing for the 2026 EIA program, which will be held in Rome in the summer, but not at the University’s location. Applications can be filed in the spring.

“The European Innovation Academy provides cutting-edge entrepreneurial opportunities to our students and peers from around the world,” said Luca Iandoli, Ph.D., Dean, The Lesley H. and William L. Collins College of Professional Studies, and Professor, Division of Computer Science, Mathematics, and Science. “This engagement exemplifies St. John’s University’s commitment to experiential learning and to preparing the next generation of leaders and entrepreneurs to lead with insight, ingenuity, and a global perspective.”