On Friday, November 14th 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 showcases the creativity and determination of participants as they pitch transformative ideas to a panel of judges and the public. Attendees include 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 highlights 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) for their generous sponsorship of the awards, helping to empower and support the entrepreneurs driving innovation in our community.

FIRST PLACE: FireTechAI ($10,000)

Team Lead: Rafael Reyes Ramirez, Graduate Student, Electrical Engineering, TTU Whitacre College of Engineering

FireTechAI develops AI-powered smart fire detectors that connect to mobile apps, enabling faster detection, remote monitoring, and real-time safety alerts for homes and businesses.

SECOND PLACE: Bitebuddy.AI ($5,000)

Team Lead: Muhammad Meeran, Graduate Student, Computer Science, TTU Whitacre College of Engineering

24/7 AI receptionist that answers restaurant calls, captures lost sales, and makes reservations.

THIRD PLACE: ResidAlly ($2,500)

Team Lead: Dr. Keya Malhotra, Community Member

ResidAlly facilitates mid-term rentals in shared homes with extra bedrooms for single tenants looking for flexible affordable rentals.

PEOPLE'S CHOICE: Wounded Wilson ($500)

Team Lead: Jacob Gann, Undergraduate Student, TTU Rawls College of Business Administration

Wounded Wilson is a multi-use, realistic, and affordable training dummy that helps responders practice under real conditions.