Students Share Entrepreneurial Vision at Johnny’s Innovation Challenge

More than 40 students from St. John’s University and beyond put their entrepreneurial instincts to the test on November 22 at the second annual Johnny’s Innovation Challenge.

The competition, sponsored by The Lesley H. and William L. Collins College of Professional Studies (CCPS) and supported by the University’s Venture & Innovation Center (VIC), encouraged participants from all academic disciplines to develop and pitch business ideas consistent with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.

Luca Iandoli, Ph.D., Dean and Distinguished Chair, Collins College of Professional Studies, and Professor, Division of Computer Science, Mathematics, and Science, said the event encouraged young entrepreneurs to combine classroom skills with personal business ingenuity to create solutions to global issues. “Our students never cease to impress with their vision and fearlessness in pursuing bold ideas,” Dean Iandoli said. “At St. John’s, we are committed to cultivating an environment where innovation thrives, and students feel empowered to lead. This year, we are especially proud to deepen our partnerships with industry leaders and entrepreneurial organizations, whose insights and collaboration enrich our students’ ideation process and bring their concepts closer to real-world impact.”

The competition, held in St. Augustine Hall on the Queens, NY, campus, featured 41 students organized into 18 teams, all tasked with modeling business ideas that have a sustainable impact. The UN goals, adopted in 2015, guide the University’s commitment to sustainability and encompass economic development, the eradication of poverty and hunger, enhanced access to education, action on climate issues, and more.

Student teams—including one from Nysa, Poland—were evaluated by a panel of industry experts, including Steven J. Farella ’77SVC, an entrepreneur, media executive and member of the University’s Board of Governors. Other judges included Charles M. Piluso ’76SVC, ’78G, ’86M.B.A., Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Data Storage Corporation; Joseph Zaarour ’21TCB, Founder, iSolvRisk Inc.; Anil Chacko, Director of Security and Privacy, Protiviti, and Adjunct Assistant Professor, Division of Computer Science, Mathematics, and Science; and Shahed Islam ’00CCPS, Cofounder, SJ Innovation. 

St. John’s faculty were also among the judges. Student teams networked with mentors and sponsors to expand their professional opportunities and cultivate their entrepreneurial vision.

Mr. Farella sponsors the $1,000 Farella Vincentian Innovation Award, which went to senior Angel Salas and his sister, sophomore Adela Salas, for their work in developing the tech platform BryteBlock. This platform enables residents in large cities to directly report issues such as uncollected trash and debris. Reports are then collected and processed, generating jobs that municipalities can respond to.

“We must use every resource at hand, especially technology, to improve the day-to-day experience of humanity,” Angel said. “BryteBlock aims to use technology to its fullest in an effort to achieve an exceptionally clean and healthier New York City.”

College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences doctoral candidates Mural Quadros and Sravani Ravula won the $1,000 CCPS prize for PULBL, a method of delivering inhaled medical therapies directly to the lungs, reducing treatment burdens and improving patient outcomes.        

“As young scientists, winning the Innovation Challenge showed that our ideas can resonate beyond the lab,” Mural said. “It has encouraged us to keep exploring how inhaled drug delivery can make treatments safer, simpler, and more accessible for patients.”

Sophomores Karina Galimova and Lukas Perez won the $1,000 VIC prize for Karina AI. This  language-learning app helps immigrants to the United States adapt to their new environment more efficiently. The app utilizes artificial intelligence (AI) to learn about a user’s culture, education, and hobbies thereby building a personalized learning map. A newly arrived immigrant can use the app to schedule appointments with a dentist or doctor, register children for classes or sports, and locate banks and pharmacies, all without needing to use an online translation service.

“Johnny's Innovation Challenge was an opportunity to hear from real professionals—especially those in technology and education—about my business project,” Karina said. “I realized I need to push my idea forward and start accelerating it.” 

Along with the cash prizes, the winners have the opportunity to unlock spots in the VIC’s Incubation Program, where they can continue developing their business ideas through a stipend and funding to attend the European Innovation Academy’s summer program. There, they can compete for a chance to advance to the final round in London, England, for a grand prize of $1 million.

James M. Kinsley, M.B.A., VIC Director and Instructor of Management, Entrepreneurship, Consulting, and Operations at The Peter J. Tobin College of Business, explained how, through challenges such as this, the University helps students turn ideas into impactful ventures. “By helping to foster innovation, sustainable development, and small-business growth, students are empowered to create solutions that serve the community and the greater good,” Mr. Kinsley said. “That challenge aligns with the University’s Vincentian mission.”