CUNY Startups

We are excited to welcome back one of our mentors, Esma Deljanin, SHRM-SCP, Chief Operating Officer at Hirschen Singer & Epstein LLP who will be joining the judging panel for our Spring 2025 NVA 2 Demo Day! ?? Event Details: Date: Friday, April 4, 2025 Time: 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM EST Location: Baruch College, Lawrence N. Field Center for Entrepreneurship 55 Lexington Avenue, Suite 2-140, New York City Seating is limited, so be sure to register now to secure your spot. ?? Register to Attend Here: https://lnkd.in/eY73MT9d We look forward to seeing you there! #entrepreneurship #innovation #competition #demoday

Curious to see the groundbreaking business ventures from our current NVA 2 startup teams? Join us as a spectator and vote for your favorite pitch! The team with the most votes will win FREE tickets to Area 53 and Ferox Ninja Park. Are there any teams you're excited to cheer on? Scan the QR code or click the link to RSVP: https://lnkd.in/eY73MT9d #Entrepreneurship #PitchCompetition #Innovation

One of our 2023 CUNY Clash Finalists and Founder of Vngle: The Grassroots News & Intelligence Agency, Blake Stoner, is on the move! You're invited to the launch of the?Institute for Nonpartisan Innovation (INI)—CUNY’s newest think tank, created in partnership with the team at?Vngle: The Grassroots News & Intelligence Agency?to tackle America’s biggest challenges through?grassroots intelligence, emerging tech, and cross-sector solutions. ?Date: March 28?| 5 PM ? ?Location: Pier 57, NYC They are aiming to have?representation from all CUNY schools. This exclusive event is a unique opportunity for?faculty, students, and alumni?to: ??Engage?with top researchers, civic leaders, and industry experts ??Explore?strategies to restore public trust and drive policy innovation ??Spark?collaborations that bridge academia, media, and civic engagement Please share this opportunity widely! ?RSVP now: https://lnkd.in/e8srhgNY

?? Find the joy in the journey…on a bicycle! ?? Ryan Rzepecki, founder and former CEO of JUMP Bikes, continues to make waves as he hits the road and sparks innovation along the way. In 2013, he was named one of the 100 Coolest People in Tech by Business Insider and one of the Top 100 City Innovators Worldwide by UBM plc's Future Cities. Rzepecki holds a master’s degree in urban planning with a focus on Sustainable Development from Hunter College at the The City University of New York (2009) and a bachelor’s degree in Marketing and International Business from Penn State University. Early in his career, Rzepecki served as a Project Manager in the bike division of the New York City Department of Transportation, where he played a pivotal role in expanding bike facilities for residents. This experience led him to create a high-tech bike share model, which he entered into the Copenhagen Design Competition. In 2010, he launched his own New York City-based company, originally called Social Bicycles, with a mission to make bicycles a smarter, cleaner, and more enjoyable form of urban transportation. His company became a pioneer in “smart bike” technology, introducing dockless bike sharing that made cycling more accessible and convenient for riders. JUMP offered fast, affordable, and enjoyable electric bikes that revolutionized urban mobility and was acquired by Uber in 2018. Rzepecki’s entrepreneurial journey didn’t stop there. In 2021, he founded Spectra, an Urban Design, Architecture, and Game Development studio that uses immersive Virtual Reality to design better real-world spaces and create interactive content for imagining a brighter future. He is also the co-founder of MeshMap (2024), where he is currently working on building an open and decentralized 3D map of the world. Their goal is to create a mixed-reality game where users can scan real-world locations and interact with them in VR and AR. Let’s continue to support and celebrate visionaries like Rzepecki, who are reshaping the Virtual Reality landscape! More info at www.meshmap.com #Entrepreneur #AugmentedReality #VirtualReality #Gaming

Catching up with the best, squad goals achieved! CUNY Startups Marketing Intern, Christian Martinez, recently sat down with CUNY Startups alumni Zachary Shaked and Thomas Jumper. Zachary holds a BA in mathematics from Baruch College and was also involved with CUNY Tech Prep, while Thomas, his co-founder, graduated from Adelphi University with a bachelor’s degree in finance. Together, they’ve continued their entrepreneurial journey with a new startup that makes it easier for friends to hang out by providing instant access to event planning, scheduling, and nearby connections. Having gained valuable experience from their previous startups and our programs, Thomas and Zachary are now ready to apply that knowledge to their next venture. In this episode, Christian dives into their past challenges in building a business and their goals for the future. Watch the full interview to learn more here:https://lnkd.in/es6mF2ni #Entrepreneurship #App #CustomerValidation #Technology

Need more time? We've got you covered. The CUNY Clash application deadline has been extended!!! Be sure to apply by March 7th to secure your chance at $10,000. Learn more and apply here: https://lnkd.in/eGnzWrMd #IdeasCompetition #Amazon #BusinessIdea

You’re going to love coming home ?? CUNY Startups Marketing Intern, Christian Martinez, recently sat down with Baruch College alum Shray Arora. Shray, who holds a Master of Science in Information Systems, is poised to disrupt the Real Estate industry. Following in his father's footsteps, he has been involved in Real Estate Consulting since the age of 15. Now, Shray is aiming to leave his mark with his new startup, Estate Empire, an AI-driven Rental Marketplace. The platform's mission is to simplify and reduce the stress of the rental process for renters, landlords, and brokers alike. During this episode, Christian delves deeper and learns a little bit more about the man behind this budding startup, including Shray’s love for music and other unique talents. Watch the full interview to learn more about Shray! https://lnkd.in/eA5Hpnmz Estate Empire Instagram: https://lnkd.in/e_772Evd Estate Empire Website: Dropping March 1, 2025 #RealEstate #StartupBusiness #Entrepreneurship #NYC #AIPlatform

Why hurt yourself, when you can enrich yourself? With CUNY Clash, you have the opportunity to win $10,000 and make your business idea a reality. The Spring 2025 CUNY Clash competition invites students from across the CUNY network to bring their creative and innovative business ideas to life. If you're currently a CUNY student and have an idea that addresses a unique problem or challenge, you could compete for cash prizes, with a Grand Prize of $10,000 up for grabs. Applying is super easy. Just upload a 60 – 90 second video explaining your idea and fill out a short form. No idea is too big or small, so even small ideas can have a meaningful impact. The deadline to apply is Friday, February 28th. Learn more at: https://lnkd.in/eGnzWrMd

??Don’t take candy from a baby, sign up for CUNY Clash! With a chance at $10,000, the choice is clear. The Spring 2025 CUNY Clash competition invites students from across the CUNY network to bring their creative and innovative business ideas to life. If you're currently a CUNY student and have an idea that addresses a unique problem or challenge, you could compete for cash prizes, with a Grand Prize of $10,000 up for grabs. Applying is super easy. Just upload a 60 – 90 second video explaining your idea and fill out a short form. No idea is too big or small, so even small ideas can have a meaningful impact. The deadline to apply is Friday, February 28th. Learn more and apply here: https://lnkd.in/eGnzWrMd

?? Dream big, eat well. Today's goals start with a tasty breakfast?? Co-Founder and CEO of Three Wishes Cereal, Margaret W., is a bilingual ‘Jill of all Trades’, with a diverse professional background. However, it was her hunger (pun intended) and passion for improving the consumer experience that propelled her entrepreneurial journey. In 2012, after working full-time during her entire college experience, Margaret received a Bachelor of Arts in sociology from Hunter College.?She currently sits on the Hunter College Advisory Board. After graduation, Margaret worked in various roles, including as Chief of Staff at BIGEYEDWISH, which is the ad agency of her Husband and Co-Founder, Ian Wishingrad. As a new mom, Margaret couldn’t find a nutritionally-dense cereal for her young son and discovered there weren’t any clean, truly better-for-you cereal on the market. Inspired by her desire to provide a better, more nutritious cereal option for her family, she decided to create one. After two long years of research, collaborating with food scientists & manufacturing facilities, refining her product, and convincing retailers to stock her product, Margaret and Ian, launched Three Wishes Ceral in 2018. Three Wishes Cereal is a high protein, low sugar, flavorful breakfast option that is kosher, vegan friendly and gluten free. The base ingredients for most of its cereals include chickpea, tapioca, pea protein, organic cane sugar, natural flavors, and monk fruit (which is a low-calorie sweetener great for people with diabetes). Three Wishes is packed with plant-based protein and each serving only has 3 grams of sugar, which makes it 70% less sugary than the leading cereals brands. It’s also free of any corn, rice, dairy, oats, peanuts, and soy. Overall, It is a healthier breakfast option made with wholesome, quality ingredients. Hungry yet? The product is available on major platforms like Instacart, Thrive Market, Amazon, and Target, as well as in local grocery stores across the country. Just enter your zip code on their website to find the nearest one. ?? Website: https://lnkd.in/euhi2-Tb #Entreprenuership #HealthyFoodChoices #Cereal #Breakfast