Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship

DifferenceMaker Central

The DifferenceMaker program explained was presented at the National Collegiate Inventors and Innovators Alliance Conference in March 2013.

Thank you for the tremendous response in Idea Challenge Applications from UMass Lowell students! We received 45 applications with 20 of them presenting at the Preliminary Pitch-off Event and 10 presenting at the Idea Challenge.  This will be an annual event so please keep a look out for upcoming DifferenceMaker events this summer and fall! 

Congratulations to all students who worked hard and participated in the Idea Challenge this year.

• Preliminary Pitch-off Event - April 12
  

  This event will determine the 9 finalists who will present at the Idea Challenge on April 17

  Mark & Elisia Saab Emerging Technology & Innovation Center, North Campus  3 - 6 p.m.
• 9 Finalists
• Bright Future Generation: Vanessa Colomba, Steve DiPerna, Isaie Mihigo, Yousef Theeb 
• Developing Nation Prosthetic: Katherine Cain, Jonathan De Alderete, Brendan Donoguhe, Sean Gibson, Olivia Keane, Erin Keaney
• Healthy Habits: Jacqueline Bradley, Meghan Hathaway, Katerina Kafkas, Nicole Leblanc, Haley Mayne, Michelle Racioppi
• Hybrid Power Tricycle: Anthony Capone, Derek Dempsey
• Lowell Sprouts/Lets Grow Lowell: Mary Beth Burwood, Sean Hicks, Christopher Horne 
• Notoja: Avery DeCesare, Rohit Krishnan, Eric Marcoux, Tanjil Mustafa, Brian Tran
• Tactile Feedback for Quality Posture and Breathing During Movement: Ramez Antoun, Nick Bleil, Ryan Connor, Michael Tadros, Robert Roufail
• U.R. Corp: Robert Fisher
• Robotic Feeding Arm: Philip Colangelo
• Fan Favorite
• Grab a Bite: Aldo Beqiraj

• Idea Challenge - April 17
  Saab Center, North Campus
  5:00 - 8:30 p.m.

If you would like a recap of the DifferenceMaker workshops Please check out our workshop videos.

Through the Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship, along with affiliated faculty and other campus programs, the University is introducing a range of activities geared toward expanding our students' understanding of how they can make a difference in the world.

The DifferenceMaker program sponsors specific programs and activities that support students in solving big problems through innovative and entrepreneurial action.

We already know our students do make a difference, our many successful alumni are evidence of this, but rather than waiting for future graduates to discover their chosen career path, we are introducing academic and extra-curricular programs that specifically engage our students in innovative and entrepreneurial problem-solving.