2025 Global Finals Results

OUR 2025 GLOBAL FINALS HOSTS

FIRST PLACE GRAND PRIZE

$25,000 SEED FUNDING

MARITEST

AFRICAN LEADERSHIP UNIVERSITY

Kigali, Rwanda

Reimagining malaria diagnosis with an AI-powered, non-invasive point-of-care device designed for remote and resource-limited areas. MariTest ensures fast, accurate malaria detection and real-time disease tracking.

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SECOND PLACE

$15,000 SEED FUNDING

BILIROO

CALVIN UNIVERSITY

Grand Rapids, Michigan

A patent-pending, non-electric, low-cost medical device designed to treat neonatal jaundice in low-resource settings.

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THIRD PLACE

$10,000 SEED FUNDING

ONTHEJOB

LIPSCOMB UNIVERSITY

Nashville, Tennessee

A career platform dedicated to transforming the skilled trades industry and empowering a workforce that has long been underserved and overlooked.

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HIGHLY COMMENDED

$3,000 SEED FUNDING

GROW WITH FLORA

UNIVERSITY OF ST. THOMAS

St. Paul, Minnesota

LIGHTED

AFRICAN LEADERSHIP UNIVERSITY

Kigali, Rwanda

UPCYCLEX

MIT & HARVARD UNIVERSITY

Cambridge, Massachusetts

A period and puberty education app designed for girls ages 8-14 and their guardians. Flora allows girls to learn at their own pace through engaging and age-appropriate content. Our mission is to help girls feel more comfortable and confident as they navigate these changes.

A social enterprise transforming plastic waste into energy to address three critical challenges: energy poverty, plastic pollution, and climate change.

Transforming plastic waste into valuable chemicals through our zero-waste, zero-carbon electrocatalytic process. We convert PET waste into essential textile and animal nutrition components under mild conditions, offering a sustainable alternative to landfills.

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RUNNER UP TEAMS

In addition to the top finalists, several outstanding teams earned recognition as preliminary round runner-ups. These teams placed second in their respective rooms, narrowly missing advancement but demonstrating exceptional innovation and impact.

ELEVATE BIOTECH

NORTH DAKOTA STATE UNIVERSITY

Fargo, North Dakota

Elevate Biotech is pioneering the next generation of biomaterials for tissue engineering, advanced manufacturing, and surgical innovation. Our mission is to revolutionize healthcare and space research technologies by developing cutting-edge, biomimetic solutions that enhance patient outcomes, optimize surgical procedures, and expand the possibilities of regenerative medicine beyond Earth.

QUILLY

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY

Berkeley, California

Quilly is a social platform helping college women build meaningful, in-person support systems through tight-knit virtual houses. We foster connection through spontaneous meetups, planned events, and everyday helpâ€”redefining community for students who feel lost in the crowd. Quilly makes it easy to ask for and offer support.

FETAL THERAPY TECHNOLOGIES

JOHN HOPKINS UNIVERSITY

Baltimore, Maryland

Fetal Therapy Technologies is the first female-led microsurgical device company developing instruments and training models optimized for the uterine environment to improve the safety of life-saving fetal surgical procedures.

MAB LAB

HARVARD UNIVERSITY

Cambridge, Massachusetts

MabLab is building rapid tests to end overdoses from laced drugs and spiked drinks. Our product simultaneously detects the five deadliest lacing agents in one strip, addressing a global crisis that claims more than 109,000 lives each year. Backed by $100K+ in pre-orders and features from CBS News and TechCrunch for our commitment to impact, MabLab is setting a new standard for accessible, life-saving overdose prevention.

GESCOL SAS BIC

UNIVERSIDAD EAN

Bogota, Colombia

GESCOL SAS BIC is a circular innovation startup transforming both post-consumer and production footwear waste into eco-friendly building materials and new products. Through modular recycling plants operated by women and vulnerable populations, we generate sustainable employment, reduce pollution, and promote a scalable model of inclusive circular economy.

SARA TECHNOLOGY

COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY

New York, New York

Sara is an AI-powered speech therapy supplemental app that helps provide personalized, evidence-based and cost-effective speech therapy practice for children with speech difficulties and disorder, helping them communicate with confidence. We empower speech-language pathologists and caregivers through automated progress tracking that delivers actionable insights. Our mission is to bring high-quality speech therapy into every home, allowing children to fulfill their full potential.

SOCIAL INNOVATION JAM

One of the highlights of the Global Finals was the Social Innovation Jam—a fast-paced, collaborative challenge where participants formed mixed teams with fellow innovators from around the world. Working with peers they’d just met, teams developed entrepreneurial solutions to pressing social problems. It was an energizing showcase of creativity, adaptability, and global teamwork.

Congratulations to the winning team!

See you next year!