Past New Venture Winners
2025 New Venture Fair
The New Venture Fair 2025 showcased 67 student-led startup projects, including:
- 39 teams from Cal Lutheran’s undergraduate, graduate, and Executive MBA in Europe programs
- 3 teams from Cal State Channel Islands
- 23 high school teams from Thousand Oaks High School, Westlake High School, Newbury Park High School, and Bakersfield Christian High School
We also welcomed our youngest-ever entrepreneur! 6-year-old Valentina, who makes and sells handmade jewelry.
We also had a special award for participating BUS 151 classes called the Elevator Pitch Award. These students formed teams, identified real-world problems, developed solutions, and created elevator pitch videos to bring their ideas to life.
Some of this year's innovative startups included:
🧪 A platform that monitors chemotherapy side effects in real time to support better and faster care during systemic cancer therapy
🏛️ A platform for centralized civic engagement
🏅 A platform to empower athletes with the tools and connections they need to reach their full potential
📚 A productivity app to help college students thrive academically and personally
🍵 Matcha protein powder
🐶 Environmentally-friendly, nutritious dog treats made from rescued produce
👟 A two-part footwear solution with an indoor shoe and interchangeable outdoor sole
💡 A light mounting solution for increased utility and safety
⚡ A new line of energy drinks
…and many more!
The community, students, staff, and faculty were invited to circulate the room, meet the teams, learn about their startup ideas, and vote for their favorites. We handed out $18,000 worth of prizes at the end of the evening.
Keylow
Misfit Munchies
Poo Guard
Emulsify
Mantaray
NomNomNom
| Prize | Team | Startup Idea | Prize $ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best Team (CLU) | Thermostore Technologies | Transforming wasted thermal energy into a reusable asset | $1,000 |
| Best Team (CLU) | Ventura Games | Bumbleball - a new, lost-cost field game with remarkable applications | $1,000 |
| Best Team (CLU) | myPRISMO | A platform that monitors chemotherapy side effects in real time to support better and faster care during systemic cancer therapy | $1,000 |
| Best Team (CLU) | PureVidaFit | Matcha protein powder | $1,000 |
| Best Team (CLU) | AthleteConnect | Platform that connects student athletes with coaches and specialists | $1,000 |
| Best Team (CLU) | SPF805 |
Spotlighting the ocean's significance and the crucial role of coral reefs through the lens of fashion |
$1,000 |
| Best Team (CLU) | Poo Guard | A dog waste removal service that keeps yards clean and pet parents happy | $1,000 |
|
Best Team (HS) |
NextGen Recruits | A recruiting platform that matches athletes to schools based on performance metrics and connects athletes directly with college coaches. | $400 |
| Best Team (HS) | Go Academy | A platform that makes professional guidance accessible to everyday athletes | $400 |
| Best Team (HS) | Madison's Boulangerie |
An online bakery service providing |
$400 |
| Best Team (HS) | TufWax | Eco-friendly surf wax crafted using 100% sustainable ingredients | $400 |
| People's Choice (college) | LUMMAG | A light mounting solution for increased utility and safety | $500 |
| People's Choice (HS) | TufWax | Eco-friendly surf wax crafted using 100% sustainable ingredients | $300 |
| Best Startup for Good (College) | CalThrive Community Agriculture | Reducing food inequity and inproving the quality of food available to those in need though existing food bank infrastructure |
$1,000 |
| Best Startup for Good (College) | Citizens Informed | A platform for centralized civic engagement | $1,000 |
| Best Side Hustle (college) | SPF805 | Spotlighting the ocean's significance and the crucial role of coral reefs through the lens of fashion | $500 |
| Best MVP (college) | Ventura Games | Bumbleball - a new, lost-cost field game with remarkable applications | $2,500 |
| Best Brochure (college) | Misfit Munchies | Environmentally-friendly, nutritious dog treats made from rescued produce | $500 |
| Best Brochure (HS) | Emulsify | Making composting accessible with a 'middle ground’ composter between large industrial composters and expensive electric composters | $300 |
| Best Executive Summary (college) | PureVidaFit | Matcha protein powder | $500 |
| Best Executive Summary (HS) | Sports Reach | Recruiting app designed to connect underrepresented high school athletes with college coaches and recruiters |
$300 |
| Best Sign (college) | Misfit Munchies | Environmentally-friendly, nutritious dog treats made from rescued produce | $500 |
| Best Sign (HS) |
Sports Reach | Recruiting app designed to connect underrepresented high school athletes with college coaches and recruiters |
$300 |
| Best Recorded Pitch (college) |
Inner Sole | A two-part footwear solution with an indoor shoe and interchangeable outdoor sole | $500 |
| Best Recorded Pitch (HS) |
Sports Reach | Recruiting app designed to connect underrepresented high school athletes with college coaches and recruiters |
$300 |
| Best Elevator Pitch (BUS151) | Ryder | A ride-sharing platform designed for college communities--for students, by students | $500 |
MORE PAST WINNERS
2025 NVF Walkthrough
2025 NVF Time Lapse
2017 New Venture Competition
2017 Awards:
Grand Prize: Weave (Austin Janik, Joshua Janik, Dominic Lunde)
First Place: ChorStor (Evan Brandt, Jake Gould)
2nd Place: HypoxAware (Tyler Gross, Ryan Gibson)
3rd Place: SoleFit (Molly Strawn, Machenzie Hiatt, Bhushan Parulekar, Sam Ott)
4th Place: Startup Kids (Tyler Lucas, Nathaniel Thompson, Dariush Apfelthaler, Zujaja Tehreem)
People's Choice Award: ChorStor
2016 New Venture Competition
2016 Awards:
Grand Prize: Coding Autism (Oliver Thorton)
First Place: RepWatch (Ryan Angel, John Ikudaisi, Robert Kyler, Alexis Schomer)
2nd Place: Xchange (Jonathan Luu)
3rd Place: Jam In (Brianna Bryan, Josh Cardena, Parker Boone, Devin Dimattia, Nick Keithley, Omar Marroquin, Karly, Absher)
4th Place: SkyEarth (Matthew Kromka)
People's Choice Award: Xchange
2015 New Venture Competition