Thanks to the generosity of Emeritus Trustee Thomas H. Scholl, Stevens students are inventing the future.
Since 2020, Thomas H. Scholl Launchpad Awards have been fueling the creativity of Launchpad@Stevens participants, rewarding their commitment with an infusion of funds to take their inventions to the next stage.
“Scholl Awards have been instrumental in encouraging some of Stevens’ most innovative and determined students to develop their ideas into highly marketable products and services,” says Dr. Mukund Iyengar, director of the university’s Center for Entrepreneurship Education. “These students are creating real value, contributing to Stevens’ identity as a builder’s university.”
This year, 11 corporations received a boost with the help of Scholl Awards:
Amplify is a smart support app for neurodivergent minds developed by Lily Stone, Class of 2027. Using real-time data from an Oura Ring, Amplify helps people tune into their body’s signals to ease overwhelm and unlock focus when it matters most.
Aventix, developed by Aidan Nestor, Jack Patterson and Aidan Ruck, all from the Class of 2026, is transforming ticket sales, using blockchain technology to create secure and transparent transactions.
BIND is a solution being developed by David Bazyan, Class of 2028, to help users organize their desk, tools and more.
BioProxal is a health tech company developed by Michael Moschello, Class of 2027, that is developing wearable devices that predict asthma attacks before they occur. BioProxal leverages real-time health data and advanced machine learning to deliver early warnings, empowering proactive respiratory health management.
CarbonDex, developed by Joseph Welsko, Class of 2026, secures and scales control systems for critical infrastructure using a patented suite of technologies that enable encrypted data transmission, immutable storage and real-time autonomous risk mitigation. It is designed for industries like energy, telecom and government.
Clipt is an AI-powered tool being developed by Logan Thomas, Class of 2028. Clipt identifies hair type from a photo, offers personalized hair care tips and recommends custom-designed clips based on a client’s unique needs.
DuckCross, by Thiago Andrade, Class of 2027, is a user-friendly public transit app designed to help NY/NJ residents navigate local transportation options more effectively by offering detailed maps, real-time tracking and crowd-sourced condition reports.
FixIt is an AI-driven home repair workflow app designed by Gavin O’Mara and Noah Spencer, both Class of 2027. Users upload a description or photo of the item needing repair. FixIt responds with DIY guides, a list of required tools and prices, a search of local repair services, and information to help users choose between DIY and hiring a professional.
MIPS Lab creates easy-to-use modular robotics kits and carefully designed lesson plans to transform STEM education into an engaging, hands-on experience. Developed by Sebastian Dytrich ’25, Gage Iannitelli ’25, Ryan Piedrahita ’25 and Richard Ens ’25, MIPS Lab is empowering middle and high school students to explore STEM with confidence.
Sage is an AI-powered emotional companion for guided self-growth, reflection and inner clarity being developed by Luke Hoerle ’25 and Carmen Cortese, Class of 2027.
Vertex, developed by Ivan Farfan Diaz, Class of 2026, is an AI-powered 3D modeling software. Vertex aims to introduce the cursor of 3D modeling: an AI assistant capable of creating the geometry needed to generate a 3D model using vehicle blueprints as inputs.
Scholl Award recipient teams, chosen based on their readiness for continued progress, may use the funds to meet the unique needs of their projects.
“This year’s Scholl Awards helped teams cover a wide variety of expenses,” says Zita Doktor, the center’s assistant director. “This included a Bambu Lab P1S With AMS 2 Pro 3D printer, filament, stepper motors, voltmeter, an Asus-Rog Zephyrus G14 laptop for GPU tasks and AI model training, and subscriptions to ChatGPT, Claude Code, Amazon Web Services, ElevenLabs and Google Places.”
For O’Mara and Spencer, Scholl funds made it possible to form an LLC, purchase a domain and professional email addresses and explore different APIs. “In the future we plan to use the money for marketing and distribution,” they tell us. “This award not only showed us that others believe in us – it provided us with freedom to build our ideas!”
With his Scholl Award, Welsko was able to accelerate development of his endpoint risk-mitigation platform. “These resources allowed me to procure the specialized hardware and tooling required to continue building and validating the platform,” he says. “I am now in active discussions with several large corporations regarding beta-program deployments. I am deeply grateful for this grant and the opportunity it created to advance my company.”
Both Iyengar and Doktor note that the enthusiasm of each team is inspiring. “When you see that grin, that twinkle in the eye when they know they have a great idea, you just stand aside, give the students the tools they need, and let their engineering know-how make their idea real,” Doktor says. “It’s the coolest thing to be a part of, and none of this would be possible without the support we receive from generous alumni and friends. We truly appreciate how the Stevens community steps up for our entrepreneurial-minded students.”
