On Friday, the culmination of the 2025 NYU Entrepreneurs Challenge brought together more than 300 guests from across the NYU and NYC startup community for an unforgettable day of innovation, competition, and celebration. NYU’s premier venture competition, this year’s Final Pitch-Off showcased 11 game changing ventures to compete for more than $300K in prize funding and pro bono services.
The day began with a judges orientation and networking lunch, offering this year’s distinguished panel of judges the opportunity to connect ahead of the pitches.
Judges were grouped by track, each panel bringing a wealth of entrepreneurial and industry experience:
DIGITAL TECH TRACK: Janelle Benjamin, Sally Chung, Zane Lackey, David Rose, and Nelson Boone Schubart
NEW VENTURE TRACK: Brian Cohen, Zeena Freeman, Michael Nogen, Web Sun, and William R. Berkley
HEALTHCARE TRACK: Joe Borrello, Sadhana Chitale, Jay Tapper, Lisha Yang, and John Younger
The excitement mounted as guests filled the pitch rooms. It was standing room only to watch the Finalists deliver 9-minute presentations followed by 20 minutes of intensive Q&A with the judges. Each venture brought bold ideas and polished business cases to the table, aiming to impress not only the judges but also the larger NYU entrepreneurial community.
As judges moved into deliberations, guests and teams transitioned to the evening’s Showcase and Awards Ceremony. Held in Stern’s Patron’s Lobby and auditorium, the event began with opening remarks from Cynthia Franklin, Executive Director of the Berkley Center, followed by brief pitches from each Finalist, introduced by emcee Paul Hardart, Director of NYU Stern’s Entertainment, Media & Technology program and Academic Director of the Berkley Center. Guests cast their votes for the Audience Choice Awards while reflecting on the impressive range of ventures on stage.
Before announcing the winners, Ayman Mukerji Househam (MSW ’20), founder of 2024 Challenge winner Jivika, took the stage to present the Mentor of the Year Award to long-time Challenge supporter Brian Cohen, honoring his nearly two decades of guidance to NYU founders.
The evening culminated in the presentation of awards across each track, recognizing both the judges’ Grand Prize selections and the audience’s top picks:
GRAND PRIZE WINNER: Happenings — Kiva Loor, Eliot Brown (Tandon B.S. ’21), Oishika Chaudhury (CAS ’22)
AUDIENCE CHOICE AWARD: Loopini — Damiano Messineo (CAS B.S. ’23), Lorenzo Felli (NYU Shanghai B.S. ’24), Alessandro Pignataro (NYU Shanghai B.S. ’25)
GRAND PRIZE & AUDIENCE CHOICE WINNER: Athlitix — Girish Kumar Adari, Sachin Dasari (Stern B.S. ’25), Alexander Seljuk
GRAND PRIZE WINNER: Definitive Diagnostics — Ellis Malovany, Alan Harris (NYU Langone Health), Robert Puskas, Steve Bolland
AUDIENCE CHOICE AWARD: Vitalis Regenerative Materials — Asser El Ashwah (Tandon B.S. ’26)
In a special announcement, the Berkley Center awarded the YOPE x NYU Founder Award to Asser El Ashwah of Vitalis Regenerative Materials. This prestigious honor is not presented annually and reflects exceptional entrepreneurial promise. Established by Michael Baum, founder of Splunk and creator of YOPE, which stands for young entrepreneurs creating hopeful change in the world, the award celebrates a student founder whose journey exemplifies resilience, resourcefulness, humility, and drive. El Ashwah was awarded $100,000 to advance his work at the intersection of science and social impact.
YOPE X NYU FOUNDER AWARD: Vitalis Regenerative Materials — Asser El Ashwah (Tandon B.S. ’26)
The celebration continued at an evening reception, where teams, mentors, alumni, and supporters came together to toast this year’s cohort and the vibrant entrepreneurial spirit at NYU. The 2025 Final Pitch-Off affirmed what the Entrepreneurs Challenge represents at its core: bold ideas, ambitious founders, and a community that champions what’s next. Learn more about the winners and this year’s cohort using our 2025 Team Directory.
Interested in learning more about the NYU Entrepreneurs Challenge? Head over to our Challenge page to learn more!
