Medical technology startup ATHENGUARD was named the winner of the $10,000 first-place prize at the 13th annual InNOLEvation® Challenge Finals Friday, March 28.
ATHENGUARD, founded by Saiabhinav "Sai" Devulapalli, addresses the pervasive issue of sports-related concussions (SCs) and traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) in the workforce. Devulapalli is a senior studying Biomedical Engineering in the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering.
The annual InNOLEvation® Challenge provides students from all majors and grade levels the opportunity to gain valuable insight into innovation and entrepreneurship. This year's judging panel heard pitches from five finalists during the business model competition, which focuses on identifying problems and potential solutions, building effective teams, defining the assumptions of a new venture and testing those assumptions in the field.
Devulapalli appreciates the event for boosting his startup and building confidence in ATHENGUARD's long-term capability.
"The InNOLEvation® Challenge gave me the structure and support to turn a simple idea into a viable startup," Devulapalli said. "It pushed me to think critically about the real-world impact of my innovation, from customer discovery to long-term sustainability. More than anything, it showed me the power of combining passion with business strategy, and how students like us can be real changemakers."
Leading into Friday's final round, the event took place over two semesters with students submitting parts of their business model during the academic year. For the first time ever, the 2025 finals were held in front of a live audience, giving interested attendees a front-row seat to the next wave of student entrepreneurs.
Other prize winners in the competition were Genesis Zero (2nd place) by Ameen Babbs at $7,000; Bebop (3rd place) by Ryan Zambrano and Hugo Davies at $4,000; YourGuide eXplorer (4th place) by Hayk Bejanyan and Meri Hovsepyan at $2,000; and Job Jumper (5th place) by Cooper Carty at $1,200.
The InNOLEvation® Challenge is organized by the Jim Moran College of Entrepreneurship, with partnerships and support from the Challenger Learning Center of Tallahassee and the FSU Innovation Hub.
To learn more about the Jim Moran College of Entrepreneurship InNOLEvation® Challenge, visit icse.jmc.fsu.edu/competitions/innolevation-challenge.
