Collider Cup XV Wrap-Up — Announcing the Winners!
The Sutardja Center for Entrepreneurship & Technology (SCET) at UC Berkeley proudly hosted Collider Cup XV on December 13, 2024. Hosted by student emcees Benecia Jude and Daniella Spero, the biannual event brought together some of Berkeley’s brightest minds, showcasing innovative solutions addressing pressing challenges in disaster management, health, sustainability, and the future of work. SCET was excited to welcome industry professionals, faculty, students, staff, and the larger community to see this semester’s innovative technology and startup ideas.
🏆 1st Place & People’s Choice Award – 1Village
Team: Innocent Farai Chikwanda (‘25 Computer Science)
Course: Startup Catalyst: Let’s Speed Up Your Startup
What it is: “1Village is a trust-first platform allowing college students and young professionals to share room accessories, learning tools, or special equipment with others.”
Frustrated by the lack of community and resource sharing, Startup Semester student Innocent Chikwanda launched 1Village this fall at International House. The platform quickly gained momentum, reaching over 100 users before its debut at Collider Cup. By enabling students and young professionals to share tools, equipment, and learning resources, 1Village not only saves users money but also fosters a culture of collaboration and sustainability. Chikwanda’s confident pitch and practical solution resonated with both the judges and audience, earning him the 1st Place title and the coveted People’s Choice Award.
🥈 2nd Place – Levitree
Team: Laurence Allen (‘24 Mechanical Engineering)
Course: Connected Life: How Mobile/AI/Internet of Things Will Improve Our Lives
What it is: “Levitree combats coastal flooding and sequesters carbon through biomass elevation.”
Levitree takes a holistic approach to flood resilience by combining cutting-edge technology with an affordable, scalable solution. Starting with custom flood risk reports and adaptation software, the team empowers users to explore mitigation options and costs. At its core, Levitree introduces biomass elevation, a method where contractors inject wood slurries underground to lift properties out of flood zones—at a fraction of the cost of traditional methods. By simultaneously tackling climate resilience and carbon sequestration, Levitree sets a new benchmark for addressing coastal flooding.
🥉 3rd Place – BioJect
Team: Mahitha Gollapudi (‘26 Business Administration), Nathaniel Santoso (‘27 Business Administration and Data Science), Jacqueline Woo (‘25 Molecular & Cell Biology and Data Science), Hung Vo (‘25 Chemical Engineering)
Course: Berkeley Method of Entrepreneurship Bootcamp
What it is: “Revolutionizing medical injection safety with self-dissolving biodegradable needles.”
BioJect is redefining medical injection safety with its innovative biodegradable microneedle technology. Developed during SCET’s Berkeley Method of Entrepreneurship Bootcamp, the team leverages polylactic acid (PLA) and starch formulations to create medical-grade needles that dissolve entirely within nine months. This not only eliminates biohazardous waste but also reduces healthcare costs and environmental impact. By blending sustainability with precision engineering, BioJect offers a promising solution to a longstanding healthcare challenge.
💡 Most Innovative Technology – RescueSight
Team: Alper Gel (‘26 Electrical Engineering & Computer Sciences / BioEngineering), Charlie McDonald (‘26 Applied Math / Computer Science)
Course: Disaster Technology: Creating Innovative Solutions to Environmental ChangeDisaster Lab
What it is: “Comprehensive snapshots for first responders during disasters.”
RescueSight equips first responders with real-time, actionable insights during disaster scenarios. Their platform provides critical information—routes to take, necessary equipment, entry and exit points, and the number of individuals needing assistance—before responders even arrive on site. By streamlining decision-making and minimizing response times, RescueSight not only enhances personnel safety but also increases the chances of saving lives. Their innovative suite represents a significant leap in disaster preparedness and emergency management.
👥 Alumni Expo Winner – Code Blue AI
Team: Ashmita Kumar
Courses Taken: ENGIN 183A (F22), ENGIN 183E (S24), ENGIN 183 (F24)
What it is: “Automatic stroke detection using any device.”
Code Blue AI is revolutionizing health tech by addressing one of the most critical medical emergencies: stroke detection. Their custom AI technology works seamlessly with any device equipped with a camera and microphone, enabling early stroke detection and triggering automatic alerts to ensure rapid medical intervention. By reducing delays in treatment, Code Blue AI aims to save lives and minimize long-term damage for stroke victims.
🎯 At-Large Bid Winner – TradeMatch
Team: Ryan Haddad (‘27 Political Economy), Skyler Luk (‘27 Business Administration), Madeline Louise (‘27 Computer Science & Business Administration), Nithyashree Prabhu (‘27 Cognitive Science & Economics), Anika Kesavulu (‘26 Data Science & Business Administration)
Course: Berkeley Method of Entrepreneurship Bootcamp
What it is: “Bridging workforce gaps by connecting employers with skilled trade workers.”
TradeMatch addresses critical labor shortages by creating a dynamic platform that connects employers with skilled trade workers. The solution not only empowers workers to explore meaningful career opportunities but also helps industries bridge workforce gaps and adapt to the rapidly evolving job market. TradeMatch stands as a beacon for the future of work, fostering both growth and equity in employment.
🎓 SCET Teaching Awards
At SCET, hands-on learning thrives under the mentorship of dedicated educators and coordinators who go above and beyond to support student success. Each semester, students nominate and vote for those who have made the most meaningful impact.
- Best Instructor Award: Victoria Howell
Course: Applied Resilience | Your Innovation Springboard
Victoria Howell, a long-standing SCET instructor, continues to inspire students with her innovative teaching methods. This semester, her new course, Applied Resilience, resonated deeply with students, who praised her supportive demeanor, curated guest speakers, and ability to foster intellectual growth.
One student shared:
“Victoria Howell has not only imparted knowledge but has actively inspired student curiosity, creating a dynamic and meaningful learning environment.”
- Best Course Coordinator Award: Maggie Chen
Course: Applied Resilience | Your Innovation Springboard
Maggie Chen’s exemplary coordination of the Applied Resilience course earned her widespread recognition. Students praised her efforts to streamline course content, implement feedback, and create clear, engaging modules that enhanced their learning experience.
One nomination highlighted:
“Maggie has redefined expectations for coordinators, ensuring content is visual, interesting, and relevant while connecting weekly lessons to personal and professional resilience.”
- SCET Innovation Education Champion: Sepehr Khosravi
Course: Decal: Product Launch: How to Quickly Launch Your First Startup
Sometimes you are so good that they literally invent an award for you. That’s what happened this fall with Decal instructor, Sepehr Khosravi, who by all accounts, led an incredibly popular and innovative DeCal course this semester for SCET to help students launch products faster. SCET awarded Sepehr the first-ever, SCET Innovation Education Champion award.
Collider Cup Presenters
Beyond the winners, several standout teams showcased their innovative solutions:
InstaTrainVR
Team: Ashwin Joshi (‘28 Interdisciplinary Studies), Amit Borkar (‘24 Mechanical Engineering)
Course: Decal: Product Launch: How to Quickly Launch Your First Startup
What it is: “Transforming hotel staff training from weeks to hours using VR simulations.”
InstaTrainVR’s AI-driven platform reduces hotel staff training time from weeks to hours, achieving a 75% knowledge retention rate while cutting costs. Their innovative use of VR helps hotels address high turnover rates and deliver consistent guest experiences.
ReCharged
Team: Jason Jayalie (Chemical Engineering), Antoine Vermesse (Entrepreneurship), Fareed Enani (Chemical Engineering), Luqman Elbakri (Business Administration and Data Science), Hajong Lim (Chemical Engineering)
Course: Technology Entrepreneurship
What it is: “Connecting EV users to available home chargers nearby.”
ReCharged’s mobile app connects EV users with idle home chargers, improving charging accessibility while enabling homeowners to earn passive income. This dual-sided platform promotes sustainability and convenience for EV adoption.
Judges and Emcees
Cheers to this semester’s emcees, Benecia Jude (’25 Public Health and Data Science) and Daniella Spero (’26 Political Science and Government) for keeping the event on time, providing context to the audience about the event, and expertly setting up each of the team’s pitches.
Also, we want to recognize this semester’s esteemed judges, Khalil Fuller, Lan Fong, and Sibyl Chen for their insightful questions and feedback during the event.
Sponsors
We also want to thank our sponsors for providing Pear VC, SkyDeck, and Alchemist Accelerator for providing meaningful prizes for the event, including:
- 1st place: The top team will automatically be accepted into the SkyDeck Pad-13 Incubator program. They will additionally be awarded the opportunity to interview for the AlchemistX accelerator, as well as PearX for the chance to receive a $25,000 uncapped SAFE (Simple Agreement for Future Equity) investment. The team will also receive professional headshots and access to professional development sessions.
- 2nd place: The team earning second place will receive professional headshots and access to professional development sessions.
- 3rd place: The team earning second place will receive professional headshots and access to professional development sessions.
Celebrating Innovation and Impact
Collider Cup XV once again demonstrated the remarkable ingenuity and entrepreneurial spirit of Berkeley SCET students. We celebrate all the winners, presenters, and participants who continue to tackle global challenges with groundbreaking ideas.
Called the ‘Collider’ Cup as SCET aims to bring students from all over campus and world to “collide”, bringing fresh perspectives, diverse knowledge, to create unique collisions resulting in innovative startup ideas and ventures. Students learn entrepreneurship and innovation skills utilizing SCET’s award-winning Berkeley Method of Entrepreneurship.
Stay tuned for Collider Cup XVI, where Berkeley’s brightest innovators will return to inspire, compete, and lead the way toward a better future