Congratulations to Granite State Systems, the champions of the Spring 2025 Holloway Prize! Pictured from left to right are Rowan Baptista (‘27 CEPS), Shea Garland (‘27 Paul), and Brett Schultz ('25 Paul) who took home the top prize for their brilliant machine learning-powered HVAC solution, designed to slash energy costs in cold storage.
Competition and Coaching Success
Five of the six finalists in Holloway ( with five teams receiving mentorship from ECenter and EIR), including:
First Place ($15,000): Granite State Systems, Second Place ($10,000): Thrival, and Third Place ($5,000): Aerial Perspectives.
4 of 5 finalists in Holloway Prize, including 3rd place winners, (Idea came 9 weeks earlier from Ideathon)
4 of 7 finalists in the Holloway Prize, including 1st & 2nd place winners
4 finalists in SVIC, including two 1st place winners, 3rd place winner
4 of 6 finalists in Holloway Prize, including 2nd & 3rd place winners, and two runner-up teams (including People's Choice)
NATIONAL COMPETITIONS
1st place for national e-Fest competition (a UNH first!)
2 semifinalist teams, Draper Competition for Collegiate Women Entrepreneurs
5 of 9 finalists in SVIC:
Best Well-Articulated Problem: Coweed
Most Impact Potential & Audience Choice Award Second Place: Enersave
Best First-Year Student Entry: Closed Loop
Clean sweep in Holloway Prize, including 1st, 2nd & 3rd place winners, all three runners-up, and People's Choice Award
8 of 9 finalists in SVIC:
Most Well-Articulated Problem, Most Financially Sustainable Solution, and 3rd Place Audience Choice: Scrapp
Most Original Innovation: Mongo
Most Impact Potential and 1st Place Audience Choice: Hydrophos
Best Overall First-Year Student Submission: Roots
2nd Place Audience Choice Winner: MyGreenPlate
Finalists: Promised Protection, SymbioExchange, MatterVerse, and Eizent Innovations
2 of 6 finalists in Holloway Prize, including 1st & 3rd place winners and People's Choice winner
6 finalists in SVIC, including two 1st place winners, 2nd place & 3rd place winner
NATIONAL COMPETITIONS
2nd place ($40,000) winners at national e-Fest competition
Semi-finalists in Draper Competition for Collegiate Women Entrepreneurs
3 of 6 finalists in Holloway Prize, including 1st & 3rd place winners
6 finalists in SVIC, including two 1st place winners, 2nd place & 3rd place winner
NATIONAL COMPETITIONS
Two finalists for national e-Fest competition
William and Joan Grant
Memorial Entrepreneurship Prize
The William and Joan Grant Memorial Entrepreneurship Prize was established by ECenter Executive Director, Ian Grant, in memory of his parents who provided him a lifetime of unwavering support of his entrepreneurial, adventurous, and innovative pursuits and in honor of the ECenter’s 5th birthday in 2021.
The intent of the Prize is to be given to the top two graduating undergraduate or graduate students, selected by a committee, who have exemplified the spirit and actions of “in-the-trenches” innovation and entrepreneurship during their years at UNH. A $500 prize and award trophy will be given to each student.
Award Recipients
Nathan Brennan
Meet Nathan, an enthusiastic business administration major at PAUL College, where he is driven to make a positive impact in society. Nathan actively engages with classmates and professors, brainstorming innovative solutions that could transform communities. His dedication and collaborative spirit recently earned him the esteemed William and Joan Grant Memorial Prize, recognizing his exceptional contributions and commitment to meaningful engagement both on campus and beyond. Through his work, Nathan aims to harness the power of research to foster social change and inspire others in his field.
Brett Schultz
Meet Brett, a dual major in Business Administration and Sustainability at Paul College. He is passionate about problem-solving, innovation, and helping current UNH students stay connected with their peers. Brett has received this year's William and Joan Grant Memorial Entrepreneurship Prize! This prestigious award recognizes graduating students who have fearlessly pursued their innovative and entrepreneurial endeavors. Brett, along with Nathan, has been an inspiration here at UNH. We wish you both continued success and the best of luck in your future endeavors!
James Sullivan III
James Sullivan III has graduated with a degree in business administration, with a specialization in finance, at UNH. James began his ECenter engagement through the Idea & Innovation Society. James co-founded the Crypto Club, was a lead founder for an LLC, was one of the winners of the Maurice Prize in 2023, and worked with a startup, SportVisio, through the ECenter’s paid internship program. The internship led to a full-time opportunity overseeing the start-up's operations, and James currently leads Operations and Finance even as he worked to complete his bachelor’s degree in only three years. A staple of the ECenter, James is always up for a chat about crypto, or to offer his experience and insights to younger students.
Daisy Burns
Daisy completed her Bachelor's degree in Economics with an option in Public Policy, a Sustainability dual major, and a Spanish minor. Daisy started her ECenter journey as a member of the Idea and Innovation Society and was a part of the first group of Shaw Innovation Explorers. Over the years, Daisy has used the Student Idea Seed Fund, was awarded a Summer Seed Grant, and represented the ECenter as an EBassador. Daisy is a lead founder and started an LLC for HydroPhos while working on this startup over a multiyear period. Daisy's team placed first in the Holloway Prize in May 2023, and she had the opportunity to attend Draper University Hero Training for Entrepreneurship and her team won the E-Fest Undergraduate Entrepreneurship Competition at the Schulz School of Entrepreneurship at the University of St. Thomas.
Derek Bobbitt
Derek Bobbitt has graduated with a degree in business administration, with a specialization in finance, at UNH. Throughout his time at the university, Derek's entrepreneurial drive was evident in his various experiences and involvements. He held the esteemed title of President of the UNH Entrepreneurship Club at the ECenter, acted as a Lead Mentor for the Shaw Innovation Program, and is a distinguished alumnus of the Idea & Innovation Society and Shaw Explorers Programs. In addition, Derek served as an Associate at the Rines Angel Investment Fund, an undergraduate-run angel investment fund, and as the Vice President of the UNH Entrepreneurship Club. Through his studies at the Peter T. Paul College of Business & Economics, Derek has gained expertise in data analytics, business development, market research, digital/crypto asset analysis, and public/private equities investments. Derek has received multiple accolades for his entrepreneurial ideas and has founded several successful businesses, each with over 2k users in more than 135+ countries.
Jason Plant
Jason has shown his entrepreneurial spirit during his time at UNH in various ways. He served as Head Principal and Liaison at the Rines Angel Fund, Co-Founder & Co-President of Founders Club, Peer Mentor at the B Impact Clinic, Analyst at the Atkins Investment Group, and Lead Changemaker Coach at the Changemaker Fellowship. Furthermore, he has participated in several competitions such as Social Venture Innovation Challenge (SVIC), the Maurice Prize Competition, the Holloway Competition, the Passport Program, the National Draper Competition, the TCU Values and Ventures Competition, the Business Today Impact Challenge, the Carnegie Mellon University Venture Competition and e-Fest, which is the largest undergraduate entrepreneurship competition in the country.
Caleb Peffer
Caleb has continuously demonstrated his passion for entrepreneurship during his time at UNH. He is currently pursuing his companies SideGuide, FlutterBricks, and HallHub, LLC. SideGuide is a coding course platform designed to help new developers learn and apply concepts at lightning speed. HallHub is a "Digital" Residence Hall that elevates campus communities, and FlutterBricks is a UI toolkit and component marketplace. It offers hundreds of pre-built Flutter widgets and screens that save busy developers time and money.
Caleb has been coached by the ECenter on all these ideas.
Nathaniel Hunt
Nathaniel has demonstrated his in-the-trenches entrepreneurial passion by co-founding and growing SPAITR, LLC. SPAITR is an integrated technology platform company delivering lacrosse quantitative diagnostic information. Nathaniel has invested a significant amount of time growing his company and he’s led the SPAITR team in developing a beta version of their product. He is currently identifying manufacturers for a full launch. Nathaniel has shared his start-up story through our newsletter profiles, in UNH publications, and at many UNH events, and the ECenter is excited to honor his achievements.
Ryan Lefebvre
Ryan is the founder and CEO of Logsmarter, a nutrition tracking software that uses machine learning to help people reach their fitness goals. Ryan carefully built a team to push the company forward and has launched a beta version of his product with just under 2,000 users. Ryan is graduating from the UNH College of Engineering and Physical Sciences with a degree in computer science.
"It was a honor to receive an award that is in memory of Ian Grant's parents and it makes me proud to be representing the ECenter as one of the first two recipients," said Ryan.
Marisa Rafal
Marisa is the founder and president of the NH Toy Library Network, a toy lending library for NH children, including those in need of adapted toys. Marisa had the idea for NHTLN as an undergrad at CHHS and has since grown it to a bonafide LLC with two locations - Dover and Boscawen. Marisa is graduating from the Carsey School of Public Policy with her Master's in public policy (MPP).
Said Marisa, "Ian Grant has been such an amazing mentor, so to get an award in his parents’ name is an honor that’s hard to describe. Ultimately, I just want to say thank you so very much for all you’ve done to support my journey as an entrepreneur and helping me grow my company, the New Hampshire Toy Library Network!"
Student Success Stories
ECenter Career Impact
ECenter Student Showcase
#ECenterImpact
