Big Idea Center

Excited. Inspired. Ready to scale. I am thrilled to share that Eco-Soap Bank is joining Cohort 6 of the prestigious 100+ Accelerator! We're joining 40 of the world's most impressive sustainability and technology start ups who will receive unprecedented access and partnership with some of the world's largest companies. For nearly a decade, we’ve been recycling soap from global manufacturers and artisan soapmakers into new bars, providing lifesaving hygiene to communities in need. Now we have the chance to scale up this award-winning recycling solution to global operations at Colgate-Palmolive and Unilever! Immense thanks to: Marisol Rodriguez Adam Spunberg Maisie Devine Sherman Laurence Du-Thumm, Ph.D Andrea Brillembourg Susna Jacobs Isabela Perea Cordoba Sharon Rapetswa for seeing the special value in this work and putting up with my ten thousand questions. BIG IDEAS. REAL IMPACT. Let's goooooo!

?? Pittsburgh Business Times unveils 10 promising tech startups to watch in robotics, AI, and life sciences ? Pitt startup Astria Biosciences and Lexi Medical, a Pitt innovation team working toward licensing their technology from the university, have been recognized among top emerging startups for their exceptional potential, major product launches, and success in securing outside investment. Congratulations Aditya Mittal Kamil Nowicki, MD, PhD (Astria Biosciences) and Elvira Pirondini, Jordyn Ting and Jorge Gonzalez-Martinez, MD, PhD (Lexi Medical). Read more in the PBT: https://lnkd.in/eUqu_Giu

Duquesne University’s New Venture Challenge has announced its five finalists, selected from a record-breaking 150+ entries. Among them are Scale Resident, Clean Plate Innovations, leveraging machine learning to reduce cafeteria food waste, and Robotics Factory Alum, Reclamation Factory, Inc., using small-scale robotics to revolutionize plastic manufacturing. They’re joined by medical device innovators EASI and PinPointDX, and Pittsburgh Coastal Energy, specializing in underwater charging for drones. These teams will compete for over $40,000 in prizes, legal support, and business consulting on April 12, 2025. To learn more about the finalists and the upcoming competition, read the full article. https://lnkd.in/epJRRGZ8

?? NEW TEAMFINDER REQUEST ?? This medical innovation team is seeking a Computer Science or equivalent student to help bring an idea to life and grow with the team. If you're interested in joining this team, please reach out to them via the contact info they've provided in the request. Looking to add a new member to your team or join an existing team? Our TeamFinder tool is a great resource to connect with other students and utilize your unique skills (coding, marketing, etc.) to boost an existing team’s idea or round out your team with a member that has the qualifications you’re looking for! ?? To create your own TeamFinder request, go to https://hubs.li/Q03bKm9q0

Need help in raising funds for your startup? ?? Join us for our next Start Smart session on Thursday, Mar. 20 from 5:00 - 6:15 P.M. to learn about the legal issues associated with raising capital through friends and family, seed funding, and more! ?? This session is a prerequisite to understanding and participating in Part 2 of this session on Thursday, Apr. 3 - “Negotiating the Term Sheet Workshop”. This session is open to all University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University students as well as members of the community. Registration is required to receive the link and password for the event. To register, please go to https://hubs.li/Q031mrkc0. ---- University of Pittsburgh Office of Innovation and Entrepreneurship Institute for Entrepreneurial Excellence

Ready to step out and plug into innovation & entrepreneurship opportunities in the 412, across the nation, and/or around the world? ???? We've curated a list of notable events, programs, and competitions happening in Pittsburgh and beyond for you to check out and get involved in! Updated every week, this resource brings you the *freshest* opportunities to take advantage of as a budding innovator & entrepreneur! Access our External Events Portal to view our comprehensive list of curated opportunities: https://hubs.ly/Q02VpZWY0

…And then there were six! ???? We're thrilled to introduce the finalists selected to advance in our inaugural Keystone Space Innovation Challenge, each driving groundbreaking advancements in space technology and research: ?? Beyond Reach Labs, Inc. ?? Kurt J. Lesker Company ?? Revitalize ?? Goeppert LLC ?? Monolith Blue LLC ?? Fourth State Therapeutics LLC These teams will present their visionary concepts during our Pitch Day Competition in early March for a chance to win up to $50,000. Thank you to all the outstanding applicants that took the time to apply for the Challenge—we’re thrilled to see how all these ideas will advance our space ecosystem! For more details about the Innovation Challenge, visit: https://lnkd.in/eMc-5W6A

On behalf of the Big Idea Center team, thank you to those who gave to the Big Idea Center during the #PittDayofGiving! Thanks to our generous donors, the Big Idea Center received over $3100 in donations to help us power students' innovative and entrepreneurial possibilities. ?? Additionally, the Office of Innovation & Entrepreneurship came in 7th place on the Places, Experiences, and More leaderboard and unlocked $1K of extra funding! ?? Hail to Pitt!

Congratulations to the 15 finalists for the 2025 Big Idea Competition! These University of Pittsburgh student-led teams are working to bring their idea to life in the Big Idea Center's LARGEST experience-based learning competition around idea development and pitching. Learn about the teams competing for the grand prize of $25,000!

There is just one hour left in #PittDayofGiving - make your gift count! Donate to the Big Idea Center at https://hubs.li/Q0383QDy0. #PDoG25 #H2P