The Zahn Innovation Center is proud to welcome the 2025 Venture Incubator and Competition cohort. This year’s group comprises inspiring entrepreneurial teams from City College and the broader CUNY community. These innovative ventures span diverse industries; each team brings unique ideas and a passion for solving real-world problems. Over the next six months, these student teams will refine their business models, develop prototypes, and pitch their ventures to expert judges while competing for significant funding opportunities, including a $15k grand prize for each of the four tracks listed below. The Venture Incubator and Competition provides a platform to showcase the vibrant talent and ingenuity of CUNY students. Stay tuned as we spotlight their journeys and celebrate the power of student-led innovation!
Kaylie Hardware Track
- CardiaLink: A wireless EKG for more efficient ambulatory care
- Concrete Water Monitoring Device: Our startup develops a real-time water content monitoring system for cement trucks, enhancing concrete quality and ensuring compliance on construction sites
- Edgewood Created: Inspired by biodegradable materials and hypoallergenic fabrics, our collection offers a unique blend of fashion designs and Eco-friendly attire
- HydroHeat: A retrofitted boiler device that produces green hydrogen in tandem with natural gas boilers to reduce boiler repair/maintenance costs while maintaining a warm home
- Mancer Robotics: Revolutionizing Construction Inspections With Robotics
Standard Chartered Women + Tech Track
- CareerDay: Empowers students to explore and navigate their career paths through interactive tools and personalized guidance
- EcoBuild: A platform that connects homeowners and small contractors in New York City to recycle and reuse surplus construction materials, reducing waste and making building materials more affordable
- EvalRx: Transforming AI in healthcare by delivering unbiased data insights for better outcomes for all
- RedChip: A new banking card that focuses on consumer savings and coupon accessibility, by instantaneously applying coupons at checkout
- ViruScan Kit: A portable diagnostic box that includes test strips that can detect viruses upon contact with contaminated objects; color changer for different viruses
Zahn Social Impact Track
- Amor For: A social impact communications agency that prioritizes community, brand growth, and authenticity
- Cineduca: Increases the visualization of the LatinX stories through an educational Spanish platform cineduca (film library) that includes other resources such as lesson plans and handouts for teachers and students
- EcoUnity: Bridging the gap between sustainability knowledge and action by providing short-form digital education clips that simplify sustainability management concepts and technologies, while partnering with agencies and corporations to drive systemic change for a healthier ecosystem and environment
- TARA: TARA interactively involves students with climate change
- WattSage: An innovative energy management platform that helps building owners and tenants save money while creating a more sustainable environment
Zahn Software Track
- Banister Learning: Personalized, gamified, interactive AI-powered learning
- Chat With Menu: An app that provides vetted menu options for customers with dietary restrictions, ensuring a safe and enjoyable dining experience
- Hypothesis Prism: A flexible mathematical framework that aims to address science communication, systematize hypothesis-driven research, and organize the scientific landscape
- QuickBites: A student-led food delivery service that provides busy college students with affordable, time-effective, and eco-friendly meal delivery while supporting local businesses through low commissions and campus-focused partnerships