Fueling the future: HSNVC 2025 sparks statewide innovation

What happens when high school students are given a platform to dream, build, and lead? You spark something powerful—and that’s exactly what unfolded through this year’s High School New Venture Challenge (HSNVC). 

A dynamic spin-off of CU Boulder’s nationally recognized New Venture Challenge, the HSNVC is a multi-round competition designed to ignite the entrepreneurial spirit in students across Colorado. Launched just last year as a pilot, the program was intended to demonstrate what could happen when creativity, resilience and problem-solving were placed in the hands of young people. The response was incredible, so this year we scaled up. 

The results were nothing short of inspiring. In 2025, HSNVC welcomed more than 70 teams representing nearly a dozen high schools statewide. After a round of virtual judging, the top 24 teams advanced to the in-person HSNVC Final Competition at CU Boulder on April 12—a day filled with energy, learning and celebration. Students toured campus, pitched their ventures to judges and a live audience, and left an unforgettable impression on everyone in the room. 

Six finalist teams were awarded a total of $25,000 in CU Boulder tuition scholarships, including a $10,000 grand prize awarded to Monster Be Gone, a non-toxic, fragrant spray to help children vanquish imaginary monsters, created by Rebekah Goldman and Evelyn "Evie" Hughes-Ulmer from Arapahoe High School and the EPIC Campus. The remaining five teams each received $5,000 in CU Boulder tuition scholarships, recognizing their bold thinking, dedication and entrepreneurial spark.

Finalists included Biobandage (Evelyn Kraft and Elise Graves from Peak to Peak Charter School); Earthly Elements (Lex Zienkewicz and Shayan Kian from Kent Denver High School); Prom Pocket (Alexis Pop and Sophie Walker from Peak to Peak Charter School); RadiantSkinAI (Shaffer Piersol and Rachael Pichette from Niwot High School and St. Vrain Valley School District’s Innovation Center); and Sign2Sight (Wyatt Greene, Adam Duncan and Samual Popma from Skyline High School, Niwot High School and St. Vrain Valley School District’s Innovation Center). 

Offering opportunities for high school students

At its core, HSNVC is about access—opening doors for all high school students across Colorado, with a special focus on rural and underserved communities that are too often left out of the innovation economy. Participation is completely free, and every aspect of the program is designed to foster creativity, confidence and opportunity—regardless of a student’s background or zip code.

We’re deeply grateful to our title partner, FirstBank, whose support made the scholarships possible. FirstBank's commitment to Colorado’s young innovators sends a powerful message: your ideas matter, and we believe in you! 

HSNVC is also a testament to the power of community. None of this would be possible without the incredible network of judges, mentors, educators, volunteers and partners who poured their time, insight and energy into supporting HSNVC. This shared dedication to students' growth and future is what makes the program so impactful. 

Looking ahead

This year was a milestone, but we’re just getting started! HSNVC is growing along with the reach and impact of innovation education across Colorado. We remain committed to keeping the program free, accessible and open to every student in the state, continuing to break down barriers, uplift new voices, and create real pathways for the next generation of leaders and changemakers. 

To every student who participated: you are extraordinary. To every partner, volunteer and supporter: thank you for believing in them. And to everyone reading this: stay tuned—the future is just beginning. 

Learn more or explore ways to get involved at: colorado.edu/nvc/compete/high-school-nvc or contact Leah Shafer at: leah.shafer@colorado.edu.