On Friday, November 22nd the Fall Finale brought together the Texas Tech entrepreneurial community to celebrate innovation and support aspiring entrepreneurs competing for over $18,000 in cash prizes across the iLaunch Competition and Red Raider Idea Competition.

The event showcased the creativity and determination of participants as they pitched transformative ideas to panels of judges and the public. Attendees included iTTU Mentors, Texas Tech alumni, staff, students, and members of the West Texas community, all united in their enthusiasm for fostering innovation and supporting the next generation of changemakers. This vibrant gathering highlighted the power of collaboration and the impact of entrepreneurship on our region and beyond.

A special thank you to the Lubbock Economic Development Alliance (LEDA) and the Tech Hub Entrepreneur Alumni Network for their generous sponsorship of the awards, helping to empower and support the entrepreneurs driving innovation in our community.

First Place ($10,000): K9 Finds

Team Lead: Edgar Aviles Rosa, Faculty, Animal and Food Sciences, Alumni

K9 Finds created an olfactometer-based system that significantly improves detection dog training and performance.

Second Place ($3,000): Strike Guard

Team Lead: Christopher Tobin, Junior, Information Technology, Rawls School of Business, Staff, Enrollmet Manager

Strike Guard will manufacture protective equipment designed to prevent injuries to the arm/hand of baseball umpires.

Third Place ($1,000): PillMed Pro

Team Lead: Pranathi Bingi, Graduate Student, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, School of Medicine

PillMed Pro serves the healthcare industry with life-enhancing supplemental devices outside of a hospital setting, enabling a patient to consume their medication effectively as prescribed by their physician.

Social Innovation Award ($500) & People's Choice Award ($500): Tapped-In

Team Lead: Richard Gaines, 2024 Red Raider Startup Week Alumni

Tapped-In Magazine is a transformative platform designed to uplift individuals affected by incarceration and their families, offering powerful stories of resilience alongside essential reentry resources with the goal of reducing recidivism and supporting successful reintegration into society.