$100k New Ventures Competition 2020
Welcome to the $100k New Ventures Competition, hosted for the first time as a virtual event!
In the spirit of entrepreneurship, we decided not to cancel this year's competition, but rather pivot to an interactive digital experience. So, how did the event work?
The finalists pre-recorded their pitch as a video submission for our panel of judges to review, then we hosted a live Lightning Round and Q&A between each team and the judges on Friday, April 3rd.
Meet the Winners
After much deliberation, the winners of the 2020 $100k New Ventures Competition have been selected! If you didn't get the chance to watch their live Lightning Round Pitches during the virtual event, check them out now.

Meet the Finalists & Finals Judges
General Technology
Read more about the judges & teams who competed in the finals, including:
- Anaïs
- Cogna
- Immuto
- redsand.io
- Rezzi
- Sea Dragon Aquaculture Farm

Medical Devices & Life Science
Read more about the judges & teams who competed in the finals, including:
- Cellens
- Indent Therapeutics
- Nanoscience Solutions, LLC
- Notemeal
- THREADletics

Social Impact
Read more about the judges & teams who competed in the finals, including:
- FoodEase
- Potencia
- Resonance Lab
- Sacramento Valley Food Hub
- Textbook Exchange Network
- TravelEZ

Thank you to our sponsors, partners, and supporters!
Tufts University and the Tufts Entrepreneurship Center would like to offer special thanks to The Earth Awards Foundation for their loyal and generous support of the Tufts $100k New Ventures Competition. We also want to sincerely thank our Advisory Board, and our many generous supporters for their active engagement with the Tufts Entrepreneurship Center.
Sponsors include:
Partners include:
John Cuming, A81
Tufts University and the Tufts Entrepreneurship Center would like to acknowledge John Cuming, A81 for his special generosity and leadership, supporting the students and alumni you are seeing in today’s General Technology Track. As an engaged member of the TEC Advisory Board since 2017, John’s impact on the Tufts Entrepreneurship Center is also through coaching and offering guidance as a judge for our students. Through his time, expertise, and philanthropy, John has deeply strengthened the mission and outreach of TEC.
Kim Winston Hartman, J85
Tufts University and the Tufts Entrepreneurship Center would like to offer special thanks to Kim Winston Hartman, J85, for her loyal and generous support of the Tufts $100k New Ventures Competition. Her active engagement, leadership, and financial support of this competition has allowed students, faculty, alumni, and staff the opportunity to pursue their entrepreneurial passions. As an accomplished entrepreneur herself, Kim recognizes the value in empowering the next generation of successful leaders. Thanks to dedicated alumni like Kim, Tufts can provide our students with the practical leadership tools, knowledge, and support necessary to encourage and develop innovative ideas that make a difference in the world.
Earle Yaffa, E61
Earle Yaffa is Managing Director at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, one of the leading business law firms in the world. Earle graduated from Tufts University’s School of Engineering in 1961, obtained a graduate degree from the Sloan School of Management at MIT, and joined the consulting group of Arthur Young where he worked for 17 years. His involvement in the Tufts Entrepreneurship Center goes back to the beginning of the program in 2004, and he has been a continuous supporter since then. He takes great pride in the impact entrepreneurship has and continues to have on the Tufts community.
Who were the Semi-Final Judges?
General Technology
- Jared Melillo
- Jay Mixter
- Catherine Popper
- Matt Verminski
Medical Devices & Life Science
- Parker Cassidy
- Rebecca Horan
- Catherine Monaghan
- Michelle Motta Dardeno
- Stuart Portnoy
- Paula Soteropoulos
Social Impact
- Jimmy Edgerton
- Bob McTighe
- Sanford Rosenberg
- Andrew Takacs
Who were the Competition Screeners?
General Technology
- Adam Blake
- Annica Blake
- Paul Halpern
- Alfred Naayem
- Charles Parsow
- Robert Petti
- Brian Richards
- James Rogers
- Paget Stanco
Medical Devices & Life Science
- Sophia Atik
- Peter Eng
- Brian Herrick
- Jake Lombardo
- Christopher Manos
- Ryan Pandya
- Alex Ray
- Konstantinos Tzortzakis
- Jeff Weber
- Daniel Weinstein
Social Impact
- Trachtman Hill Ali
- Morgan Babbs
- Groom Dinkneh
- Stephanie Lawrence
- Taylor Perkins
- Lee Scott
- Joel Simkhai
- Sherri Sklarwitz