Rev. Brian J. Shanley, O.P. President | St. John's University website

Five teams of student entrepreneurs gathered at St. John’s University’s Manhattan campus on October 7 to compete in the New York chapter finals of the TiE University (TiE U) Global Pitch Competition. The event attracted more than 100 attendees, including administrators, students, and aspiring entrepreneurs.

The participating teams presented business plans in sectors such as counseling, environmental sustainability, medicine, sports, and technology to a panel of judges. TiE U is an initiative established in 1992 that supports college students and recent graduates in developing their business ideas.

Among the finalists was Hot Stuff, a company led by St. John’s students Cara Dunleavy and Niyadeng Tour. Their business uses biological composite materials to produce single-use drinking cups that self-decompose and help reduce agricultural waste. Dunleavy is a senior majoring in Environmental Sustainability and Decision-Making at St. John’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, while Tour recently graduated with a degree in the same field. Liam Verdesi, a junior Management major at The Peter J. Tobin College of Business, serves as Head of Business Development for Hot Stuff.

In February, Hot Stuff received the Farella Vincentian Innovation Award at Johnny’s Innovation Challenge for exemplifying the university’s mission of ethical and community-focused service.

“We are Gen Z,” Ms. Tour said. “Our generation is going to take control of our environmental future.”

The competition began with more than 70 pitch applications submitted to TiE U’s New York chapter before being narrowed down to five finalists through multiple rounds over the summer.

The winning team was psyflo, an artificial intelligence-powered mental health platform designed for elementary and high school students by Deanna Oliver from Cornell University. Oliver explained her motivation: “The platform can identify when students exhibit signs of risk to themselves and to others.” As winners, Oliver and her team will attend TiE U’s Global Summit in Rajasthan, India in January 2026 to compete for $100,000 in cash and prizes.

St. John’s University highlighted its ongoing commitment to entrepreneurship through hosting this event. Its Venture & Innovation Center (VIC), opened in January 2024, offers programs such as a yearlong Start-up Incubator Program and an eight-week Start-up Boot Camp aimed at helping students turn their ideas into viable businesses. Students also have opportunities to compete for start-up funding at events like Johnny’s Innovation Challenge and the James & Eileen Christmas Business Plan Competition.

At the event, Henry “Hank” Watkins Jr., Regional Director and President of the Americas at Lloyd’s and Executive Director at The Tobin College of Business’ Maurice R. Greenberg School of Risk Management, Insurance and Actuarial Science addressed participants: “I love the innovation on display, because that is everything in our business,” Dean Watkins said. “Industries really rely on innovative people.”