Eleven years of innovation. Eleven bold entrepreneurs. Just three minutes to pitch—and only three winners.
It can only be Spark Tank.
Now in its 11th year, 亚洲色吧’s signature entrepreneurship and innovation competition lit up the stage on Wednesday, April 16, with a high-energy showcase of student ingenuity. From boat fueling innovation and next-gen supplements to historical storytelling and accessible arts education, this year’s ventures reflected the diverse and daring ideas cultivated at the Nest.
Hosted by the Colin and Erika Angle Center for Entrepreneurship and generously sponsored by the Cummings Foundation and TD Bank, Spark Tank allows student founders to pitch their ventures to a panel of expert judges in a high-stakes, high-reward format.
“It's hard to believe, but over the past 11 years, Spark Tank has grown into something far more than a pitch competition,” reflected Angle Center Executive Director Gina Deschamps. “What makes tonight so special is the variety of voices and perspectives in this room—students from across every school on campus and discipline are here not just to pitch, but to collaborate. It’s all about cross-pollination. At the heart of Spark Tank is a mindset we’re trying to cultivate here on campus.”
This year’s panel of judges included Carole O’Leary, a student entrepreneurship leader from Munster Technological University’s Rubicon Center; Justin Young, Assistant Vice President at Unum Ventures; and Kate Morgan, serial entrepreneur and founder of Boston Capital Partners.
Several standout stories took the stage, including former Angle Center graduate assistant Ryan Curley ’23 M’24, who returned to Spark Tank to pitch a more compelling—and authentic—way to share history with consumers and educational institutions.
“Historical content is all around us—but it’s broken,” he said. “It’s either a boring documentary your dad falls asleep to, or it sacrifices accuracy for overdramatization. We want to change that.”
His idea, the Carver Litchfield Project, is based on a pair of Civil War soldiers he discovered while walking through his hometown cemetery, and his curiosity about their graves sparked a historical deep dive that included partnerships with Trustee Tim Collins and the University of Michigan.
After studying pastry arts at Johnson & Wales, Kara Stingo M’25 came to Endicott for an MBA and to launch her new venture, The Smart Cookie. An offshoot of her pastry business, , The Smart Cookie caters to college students and parents who want to give their darlings a taste of home. And what better way than through a care package of cookies?
In just three months, she has filled 125 orders at Endicott alone. “The Smart Cookie isn't just about delivering cookies,” Stingo said. “It’s about connection.”
Other standouts included marketing major Elijah Wilson ’25, in his third Spark Tank appearance. For Wilson, his idea started with a painful experience.
As a sophomore, Wilson spent more than $400 on Celtics tickets purchased through Ticketmaster only to be turned away at the gate when the tickets turned out to be fake.
“I was left leaving the city with real tears flooding down my face,” he recalled.
Determined to prevent others from experiencing the same heartbreak, Wilson created , a blockchain-based ticketing platform that eliminates fraud, reduces fees, and gives hosts full control over their ticketing ecosystem. His idea resonated deeply with the judges and the audience as a solution that combines technical innovation with true empathy for the user experience.
Wilson placed second last year, but this year, he took home the big prize—$10,000 in funding and an opportunity to participate in Student Inc., a global entrepreneurship incubator led by judge Carole O’Leary.
Second place (and $3,000) went to Atticus Kelly ’24 M’25 and his venture, Line Sniff, a peer-to-peer sports betting app built for league-style competition among friends, removing the house and enhancing user experience.
Meanwhile, Emilie Kushner M’26 captured third place (and $2,000) for Colturo, a digital platform that empowers museums to create accessible, multilingual audio tours using AI, making cultural storytelling more immersive, efficient, and sustainable.
Audience members voted on the fan favorite, which biology and biotech major Abbey Agrodnia ’26 nabbed for EasyCoat, an all-in-one surf wax applicator and removal gadget.
Alongside Curley and Stingo, other innovative ventures came from business management major Ridge Ranaletti ’27, entrepreneurship major Therian Thiesing ’28, Nate Chandler ’24, and graphic design major Kayla Rivera ’26, all of whom received support and encouragement from Deschamps and the Angle Center.
“There’s something there,” said Deschamps. “And we’re here to help you keep going.”