Purdue University Northwest (PNW) and the Society of Innovators at PNW will host the Innovate WithIN Region 6 Finals during a live event in Alumni Hall at the PNW Hammond campus on Monday, April 18 from 1:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Innovate WithIN is the most elite pitch competition in the country for aspiring high school innovators and entrepreneurs. Student contestants have an opportunity to win $25,000 in funding, tuition and other prizes.
Eleven teams were selected from over 400 regional applicants to compete live in the Northwest Indiana Region 6 competition for a chance to win $1,000 and participation in the state finals. Region finalists that will compete on April 18 include:
Certikey: Conner Niemann, Andrew Navarro and Brett Herrin (Hobart High School)
-Clockworks of Indiana: Ethan Pinegar and Leandra Kelly (Hobart High School)
-Flower Power: Morgan Sanchez and Elijah Puente (Hobart High School)
-Outpost193: Ethan Lucas (Valparaiso High School)
-Patchables: Kayla Davis and Isis Fleming (Hobart High School)
-Picopack: Vance Vojslavek and Patrick Rall (Valparaiso High School)
-PupWizz: Jacob Thometz, Emma Miles and Sierra Sweeney (Munster High School)
-RepelSand: Braedon Rossetti and James Dillabaugh (Valparaiso High School)
-SimaraJae Creations: Simara Jenkins (Michigan City High School)
-SupDog: Teresa Burzynski, Daniella Nahnsen and Thomas Choros (Munster High School)
-WRM Medical Bands: Jelena Kolundzija (Hobart High School)
Purdue Northwest is offering additional incentives to participants and winners of Innovate WithIN who enroll at the university:
-A one-year (non-renewable) full tuition scholarship will be offered to 1st place winners (at the NWI regional competition), once the winner is enrolled as a full-time student
-A one-year full tuition and room & board scholarship will be offered to 1st place winners at the state competition, once the winner is enrolled as a full-time student
-A $250 book scholarship will be offered to any IWI participant who registers as a full-time student at PNW
-Students whose teams place (1st, 2nd, or 3rd) at the regional and/or state competition will have an opportunity to intern with the Society of Innovators or the NWI Small Business Development Center, if they enroll as a degree-seeking student at PNW
For more information about financial incentives for Innovate WithIN participants or to learn more about enrolling at PNW, please contact admissions@pnw.edu.
The region finals are open to the public. More information and free registration can be found at pnw.edu/innovate-within.