WPI i3 Lab

?? GOAT TANK 2025: WPI’s Top Student Startups Shine! ?? Worcester Polytechnic Institute?(WPI)'s i3-Lab recently hosted GOAT TANK, an exciting pitch competition where undergraduate founders showcased their ventures in front of a panel of industry leaders. With over 20 startups competing, and 10 finalists pitching in the final round. The competition was fierce, and the innovation was inspiring. A big thank you to our judges for sharing their expertise: ?? Joe Klimek – CEO, Synergy ITS ?? Amy Swotinsky – Executive Transformation & Team Innovation Coach ?? Bill Wheaton – CEO, Symitri | Entrepreneur | Angel Investor After impressive pitches, three teams emerged as winners: ?? 1st Place ($750) – DryPro Equipment ?? Founder: Calvin Lambert - Class of 2027, B.S. Data Science ?? Innovation: Eliminating sweaty, moldy, bacteria-ridden sports gear with an innovative drying solution. Next stop: WOOTANK & Hult Prize! ?? 2nd Place ($500) – QuickEst ?? Founders: Russell Hertel - Class of 2026, B.S. Robotics Engineering; Luis Alzamora - Class of 2026, B.S. Robotics Engineering | M.S. Mechanical Engineering) ?? Innovation: Instant, accurate landscaping estimates—no more scheduling hassles. Headed to WOOTANK in April! ?? 3rd Place ($250) – ODILE ?? Founder: Emily Dean - Class of 2026, B.S. Biochemistry & Business ?? Innovation: AI-powered software predicting unintended protein-ligand interactions, advancing pharmaceutical research. With 80+ students in attendance, this event—hosted by i3Lab with setup support from the C.E.O. Club—was a true celebration of student entrepreneurship. Thanks to Rosanna Garcia, PhD, Ardian Pre?i, Warich Ngamkanjanarat, Allen Gutierrez, MBA, MSIT, Mehmet Seyda U., and Preshit Gujar for organizing such a wonderful event. Thanks to Minh Ha for great photography and videography. ?? Congratulations to all the finalists and winners! We can't wait to see DryPro Equipment and QuickEst represent WPI at WOOTANK in April! #WPI #GOATTANK #Entrepreneurship #Startups #Innovation #Leadership #StudentFounders Read more: https://lnkd.in/gq2xtyqu

?? WPI’s Impact on Worcester’s Startup Scene ?? Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) continues to play a key role in fostering innovation and entrepreneurship in the region. The Massachusetts Digital Games Institute, based at WPI, has been a strong supporter of video game creators, helping to grow the local gaming industry. WPI has also long been a hub for entrepreneurial activity, hosting events like the Venture Forum, which has connected startups with investors for decades. Notably, Freight Farms co-founder Brad McNamara collaborated with WPI students in the early stages of his venture, highlighting the university’s role in nurturing cutting-edge ideas. As Worcester’s startup ecosystem gains momentum, WPI remains at the heart of the city’s innovation. ?? #WPI #Entrepreneurship #Startups #Innovation #Worcester

EVENT RECAP VIDEO!!! #WPIGoatTank #StartupPitch #Innovation Worcester Polytechnic Institute’s i3-Lab hosted GOAT TANK, an electrifying pitch competition where undergraduate student startups took the stage to showcase their innovative ideas! ???? With over 20 student-led ventures and a thrilling final round of 10 finalists, the competition was packed with creativity, entrepreneurship, and groundbreaking solutions across industries. Over 80 students attended, bringing an incredible energy to the event! ???? Our Esteemed Judges: ? Joe Klimek ‘94 – CEO at Synergy ITS ? Amy Swotinsky ‘86 – Executive Transformation & Team Innovation Coach ? Bill Wheaton ‘83 – CEO at Symitri, Angel Investor & Entrepreneur From sports tech to AI-driven biotech solutions, students pitched their ideas in front of this distinguished panel, competing for cash prizes and a chance to take their startups to the next level. ?? A huge shoutout to all participants, finalists, and the Collegiate Entrepreneurs Organization (C.E.O.) club for making this event a success! ?? Relive the best moments of GOAT TANK in this recap video! Who had the most exciting pitch? Let us know in the comments! ?? Subscribe for more innovation & entrepreneurship at WPI! #WPIGoatTank #StartupPitch #Innovation #Entrepreneurship #WPI https://lnkd.in/eKeSviRU

The amazing team at the i3 Lab explains the 'startup bug.'

?? BIG NEWS! Our very first episode of Time To Startup is LIVE! ???? In this episode, we dive deep into a burning question: "Money or What? Why do people really start a startup?" ???? Is it passion? Is it freedom? Or is it just... a wild rollercoaster ride? ?? Our Co-hosts for this episode were: Ardian Pre?i who brought his insight from the practical world and Warich Ngamkanjanarat who brought his insight from the theoretical world. ?? Expect real talk, unexpected insights, and maybe even a few aha! moments. Don't just take our word for it—hit the link, watch, listen, and let’s get the conversation going in the comments! ?? https://lnkd.in/etMtFnQd #TimeToStartup #PodcastLaunch #StartupLife #MoneyOrWhat

Great to see Nick Gronda the founder of Croi, Inc. & WPI i3 Lab graduate being featured in local Worcester news.

Technotonin Industries LLC was one of 23 student innovators teams selected to join VentureWell's E-Team Program. They were awarded $5,000 in catalytic grant funding and will take part in the Pioneer training workshop, designed for early-stage innovators preparing to launch their invention. Meet the teams here: https://bit.ly/4ftnO98 #VWaccelerator #VWeteams

This is a highlight of our work during 2024 in numbers. Thank you to all who helped and made it possible for us to achieve this success. Happy Holidays from everyone at the i3 Lab

WPI Alumni Daniel Pelaez 20', Noah Budris 20', and Noah Parker 21' were featured on Forbes 30 under 30 with their company Cyvl.ai The article: Often ideas for companies arise from first-hand experience. Daniel Pelaez, 26, got the idea for Cyvl after working in the Public Works Department of his hometown of Southbury, Connecticut, filling potholes, replacing street signs and removing road hazards. “I noticed there was no digital source of truth to track the physical environment for this town,” he said. So joined by fellow Worcester Polytechnic Institute graduates Noah Budris, 26, and Noah Bachenberg, 26, they created Cyvl to rapidly map and digitize infrastructure using vehicles outfitted with low-cost sensors. The startup’s goal is to help repairs and upgrades of roads, tunnels, bridges and rail networks go faster and more efficiently. It’s raised more than $9 million so far and signed up over 200 municipalities as customers. Resource: Forbes 30 under 30 We wish future success to our Alumni!

Excited to share that Worcester Polytechnic Institute recent Graduate Nick Gronda has won first place in the Venture Forum's 5-Minute Pitch Competition with his innovative startup, Croi, Inc.! This achievement highlights the entrepreneurial spirit and innovation that WPI fosters in its community. Croi’s success is a testament to the power of combining technology, creativity, and determination to make an impact. Nick won second place in the WPI Demo Day and is also a graduate of the WPI i3 Lab Summer Accelerator Program. Congratulations to Nick and his team on this incredible milestone! ?? #Innovation #Entrepreneurship #WPI #WPIBusinessSchool #WPIMeansBusiness #VentureForum #Worcester