Florida State University’s Innovation Hub recently held the Seminole Innovators Open House, where students presented projects in science, technology, and entrepreneurship. The event included live demonstrations, exhibits, and presentations that highlighted student collaboration across various disciplines.
Ken Baldauf, founding director of the Innovation Hub, said: “Students from across disciplines invested significant time and energy in learning and innovating through a wide range of projects over the past academic year. Although we were disappointed to cancel our year-end showcase last April, this open house offers students closure, camaraderie and a chance to celebrate their achievements while ushering in a new year of innovation and opportunity.”
The open house provided workshops for attendees and opportunities to network with student creators. Wes Dorce, assistant director of Experiential Learning at the Innovation Hub, described the event as “a celebration of innovation in action.” He added: “This is a space where immersive media, digital fabrication, and ideas transform into tangible possibilities. Every year, I’m energized by the wave of new faces discovering this dynamic environment, engaging with projects, and collaborating with fellow innovators. These students aren’t just exploring technology — they’re building skills, perspectives and experiences that position them to lead and create in whatever fields they choose.”
A central feature was the Shark Tank pitch competition sponsored by the Jim Moran College of Entrepreneurship (JMC). Student entrepreneurs competed for a $1,000 grand prize to support their ventures. Participants also received tickets from the Challenger Learning Center. Students from both FSU and the University of Florida took part in this event.
The Shark Tank competition is one of several initiatives offered by the InNOLEvation Center for Student Engagement at JMC to foster student innovation and entrepreneurship across disciplines.
May Jingyan Wang, student engagement program coordinator for JMC, explained: “The JMC Shark Tank offers students a hands-on opportunity to experience what it’s really like to pitch in front of real entrepreneurs and successful business owners. These students are learning how to communicate under pressure, respond to feedback and adapt their strategies in real time. It’s an invaluable simulation of the entrepreneurial world that builds confidence and sharpens their professional skills.”
Pramesh Regmi won first place in the Shark Tank competition with his business “College Town,” an AI-driven app designed to answer questions about campus life at FSU. Kensington Wheeler placed second with “Teen Op,” a digital marketplace for teens offering service-based businesses. Evan Ammar came third with RustyGoldRenders, a retro animated logo design venture.
Attendees also voted on their favorite projects during the open house. Orbital Odyssey led by Dion Tryban with DevLUp FSU received first place; BridgeWeaver by Arcvale earned second; Game IQ came third; ParkSense was fourth; and OurPatch finished fifth.
Miles Rosoff from the College of Arts and Sciences emphasized student involvement: “All of our projects are completely student-led and volunteer-based — no experience required. Our goal at Seminole Innovators is to teach students valuable skills, help them learn how to do the kinds of things the industry is looking for and give them real experience. If you’re someone who wants to be here and grow, we’d love to have you join our projects.”
More information about upcoming events can be found at https://innovation.fsu.edu/.
