Statewide Startup Competition 
Sponsored by New Jersey’s Colleges
and Universities 
and Nokia Bell Labs

UPITCHNJ is a unique collegiate business model startup competition for undergraduate student entrepreneurs organized by the entrepreneurship education programs at participating colleges and universities in New Jersey. Each year, the competition is held on the campus of a participating institution of higher education.

UPITCHNJ 2025 is grateful to Rutgers University New Brunswick for hosting UPITCHNJ 2025. The 2026 UPITCHNJ contest is scheduled to be held on Friday May 1, 2026 at Rowan University in Glassboro, N.J. The contest will take place from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. All college students, faculty, administrators and members of the state’s entrepreneurship community are invited to attend. (Students interested in participating in the 2026 competition should contact their college or university’s entrepreneurship program. Students do not apply directly to the contest through this website.)

1st place:  
Monmouth University: Student: Alex Kalina; Startup: LINK

2nd place:
Drew University: Student: Maximillian Renieris: Appentice Intelligence

3rd place (tie):
NJIT: Students: Jordan-River Samuel and Myron Paes; Startup: Tapyoca
Rutgers New Brunswick: Students: Safa Karaguz and Yusuf Sallan; Startup: Reminisce

Best Early Stage Startup:
Rutgers Newark: Student: Chinonso Anyanwu Startup: Synergy

Audience Choice Award:
NJIT

• Centenary University
• Drew University
• Fairleigh Dickinson University
• New Jersey Institute of Technology
• Monmouth University
• Montclair State University
• Princeton University
• Ramapo College of New Jersey
• Rowan University
• Rutgers University-New Brunswick
• Rutgers University-Newark
• Saint Peter’s University
• Seton Hall University

1st Place: $2,000
2nd Place: $1,500
3rd Place: $1,000
Best Early Stage Startup: $1,500
Audience Choice Award: $500