Big Ideas, One Minute: UMass Amherst Students Shine at the Minute Pitch Competition

Innovation was on display at the Minute Pitch Competition, hosted by the Berthiaume Center for Entrepreneurship at the University of Massachusetts Amherst’s Isenberg School of Management on October 16th at the Old Chapel. In just 60 seconds each, students wowed the crowd and judges with creative, high-impact ideas that could shape the future.

With no slides, props, or second chances, participants stepped into the spotlight to deliver fast-paced, high-energy pitches that captured the spirit of innovation thriving at UMass. Every pitch showcased the bold thinking that defines the UMass entrepreneurial community, from sustainable solutions to cutting-edge tech and social impact ventures.

“It’s amazing what students can accomplish in a single minute,” said Gregory Thomas, Executive Director of the Berthiaume Center. “The energy in the room was electric — you could feel the creativity and the courage it takes to stand up and share their big idea.”

This year’s top honors went to:
🏆 1st Place Winner: Air-Gen – Air-Gen is a revolutionary technology that generates electricity from the humidity in the air, aiming to unlock a new class of scalable, sustainable power solutions for devices and infrastructure.
🥈 2nd Place Winner: EquiHealth – EquiHealth is a culturally adaptive health app that personalizes diet, exercise, and lifestyle plans for chronic disease management. Multilingual support empowers diverse communities better to manage diabetes, hypertension, cholesterol, etc.
🥉 3rd Place Winner: Ghaia Snacks – Ghaia Snacks is a venture creating the first nutritious health bar specifically designed to support women’s needs, with functional ingredients that promote hormonal balance, ease PMS, and improve period comfort.
⭐ Future Founder Start-up Award: TrendifyAI – TrendifyAI helps social media creators go viral using their existing videos and photos. Our AI scans content, matches it to trending formats, and suggests edits, captions, or audios—no new filming needed.

In a surprise moment during the evening, judge Myke Connolly and his son Mychal Connolly Jr., both impressive founders, presented a special $250 prize to Mingl, recognizing the team’s innovative idea and standout presentation. Their spontaneous gesture added to the excitement and highlighted the supportive spirit of the UMass entrepreneurial community.

The competition drew over 100 student participants and an enthusiastic audience of peers, faculty, alumni, and judges who are passionate about innovation and entrepreneurship.

The Minute Pitch Competition is one of the Berthiaume Center’s signature fall kick-off events. It is designed to help students think, communicate confidently, and bring their innovative, creative, entrepreneurial ideas to life. The competition is part of the Center’s mission to grow a vibrant innovation ecosystem across campus, and throughout the Pioneer Valley, the Commonwealth, and beyond. 

For more information about the Berthiaume Center for Entrepreneurship and upcoming events, visit https://linktr.ee/berthiaumeumass.

Media Contact:
Amy LeClair
Associate Director for External Relations
Berthiaume Center for Entrepreneurship
University of Massachusetts Amherst
aleclair@umass.edu