Baylor Hosts 2025 New Venture Competition

The Hankamer School of Business (HSB) at Baylor University hosted the New Venture Competition (NVC) March 28-29 at the Paul L. Foster Campus for Business and Innovation.

NVC, presented by HSB’s Department of Entrepreneurship and Corporate Innovation, allows collegiate teams of entrepreneurs from around the world to showcase their business plans and compete for cash prizes and resources.

“One thing I like about NVC is each team has opportunities for feedback, mentoring, coaching and networking,” said Program Manager Priscilla James. “The competition is intentionally designed to be a transformational experience.”

The Top 10 finalists presented their ten-minute pitches to a judges' panel of accomplished experts and fellow innovators to determine the top three teams. The competitors later presented an elevator pitch at the awards banquet where the audience voted for their favorite.

University of Michigan took home first place in the judges’ vote and a $50,000 grand prize with their pitch for Intero Biosystems. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Boston Quantum) earned second place and a $25,000 prize while Johns Hopkins University (SinuStim) received third place and a $10,000 prize.

Johns Hopkins University won over the audience with its elevator pitch for SinuStim, earning first place and a $1,500 cash prize. The University of Michigan (Intero Biosystems) and Miami University (HERO) took home second ($1,000) and third place ($500), respectively.

“We are excited for all of the teams that competed and congratulate the winners for their hard work,” James said. “It is an honor to be able to play a small role in the success of these high-achieving entrepreneurs.”

The full list of 2025 top 10 finalists includes:

• Florida Atlantic University – Glaucova
• Johns Hopkins University – SinuStim (Third Place, Judges; First Place, Audience)
• Johns Hopkins University – CounselAI
• Johns Hopkins University – ParaMetric
• Louisiana State University – FarmSmarter.ai
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology – Boston Quantum (Second Place, Judge’s)
• Miami University – Hypoglycemia Episode Relief Organization (HERO) (Third Place, Audience)
• University of Michigan – Intero Biosystems (First Place, Judge’s; Second Place, Audience)
• University of New Hampshire – REDD Systems
• University of Pittsburgh – Spine Bionics

As of the close of the 2025 contest, NVC has awarded more than $1 million in cash and in-kind prizes. This is in large part due to the major partners – including the 2025 partners:

• Dexter Ward, CPA, CFA
• Evoce Capital management
• Southwest Airlines
• Intuit
• Integ
• Valorous Advisors
• Baylor Angel Network

“We have a great group of partners who generously gave their time and financial resources to support NVC,” James said. “We simply could not do what we do without their support.”

For more information on NVC, visit https://hankamer.baylor.edu/baugh-center/new-venture.