Announcing the 2025 New Venture Awards Finalists
The Patricelli Center New Venture Awards (NVAs), formerly known as the Seed Grants, are three $6,000 awards that aim to recognize and support impactful student projects, organizations, and companies across sectors and communities.
On April 4th, 2025, ten Wesleyan student finalists will pitch their projects for a chance to win one of the three $6,000 grand prizes. Join us this Friday at Memorial Chapel from 12-2pm to hear the pitches!
The 2025 finalists of the Patricelli Center New Venture Awards are:
Chukwudi Udechukwu ‘27 - Anya
Anya is a social networking and community-based mobile app designed to reduce criminal illiteracy by equipping everyday Nigerians with the technology to stay aware, secure, and connected. Through real-time alerts, direct messaging, and AI-powered insights, Anya empowers users to proactively respond to security threats in their communities.
Adil Mohammed ‘27 - OneChart
OneChart is an AI-powered back-office suite designed to streamline clinical documentation, billing, and administrative workflows for specialty care teams. The platform automates pre-appointment intake, medical charting, billing optimization, and compliance processes, significantly reducing administrative burdens on healthcare providers.
Anh Tran ‘27 - The House of Wisdom Malaysia
The House of Wisdom Malaysia (HOW-M) is a non-profit initiative focused on expanding educational access for underserved children in rural Vietnam, aiming to empower individuals through English language and literacy, as well as global mentorship.
Ajooni Kaur ‘28 - Elytra Robotics
Elytra Robotics seeks to disrupt the global waste cycle through autonomous drone-based waste collection, leveraging robotic automation to drastically reduce costs and improve efficiency while reaching previously inaccessible locations.
David Mun ‘27 - GlobeLease
GlobeLease is a tech-enabled rental service designed to help international students secure safe, affordable housing in the U.S. by offering verified listings, alternative tenant screening methods, and bilingual AI tools to navigate lease agreements, ensuring a smoother housing experience.
Pelumi Sokunbi ‘25 - LAFF
LAFF, which stands for (Lovers, Artists, Family, and Friends) is a platform for artist talks, public programming, exhibitions, residencies, and workshops that explore the social impact of art, centering underrepresented voices. LAFF seeks to foster dialogue on arts roles in times of change and resilience through conversations, creative sessions, and community engagement, influenced by the ideas of Art as a form of Activism.
Shannon Burke ‘25 - Cycle-Aligned Athletics
Cycle-Aligned Athletics advocates for female athletes to understand their menstrual cycle and utilize this understanding to optimize performance through tangible, holistic steps. CAA provides female athletes with clear, actionable, and research-backed strategies to train in alignment with their menstrual cycles, ensuring that menstruation is no longer ignored or stigmatized but instead understood and leveraged as a powerful tool for performance optimization.
Lois Amponsah ‘27 - Wings of Change
The Wings of Change Entrepreneurship Fellowship equips Ghanaian youths with practical skills, mentorship, and opportunities to drive entrepreneurship, combat unemployment, and foster community development. The venture aims to raise a generation of youth who will transform the economy of Ghana and Africa at large through entrepreneurship, social impact and innovation.
Ryan Wong ‘27 - The Southeast Asia Exchange
The Southeast Asia Exchange hosts free virtual panels where Southeast Asian high school students can learn about topics relevant to the region—such as climate migration and heritage preservation—from experts across the arts, sciences, and humanities, all while sharing their perspectives with each other.
Abdiasis Dauud ‘27 - Agab
Agab is transforming businesses in the Horn of Africa by replacing traditional ledgers with a cloud-native POS SaaS platform. With automated reconciliation, embedded analytics, and BI-driven inventory optimization, Agab empowers businesses with real-time insights and operational efficiency.
Special thanks to our wonderful judges this year:
David Kobrosky, Founder & CEO, Intros.ai
Inayah Bashir‘20, Founder & CEO, The Knowledge Haven
Khalilah Brown-Dean, Executive Director, Allbritton Center and Rob Rosenthal Distinguished Professor of Civic Engagement
Archie Wilson Jr.’18, Corporate Associate at King & Spalding LLP
Nadejda Marques, Visiting Assistant Professor of Public Policy, Wesleyan University
Sarah McNamara, Associate Director for Employer Relations, Gordon Career Center
Peter Liang, Co-Founder & Advisor, Æthos
Ferdinand Quayson‘20, Founder & Executive Director, Young Achievers Foundation Ghana
Kayla Slagter, Associate Director of Development, RefugePoint