• Indoor Hydroponic System
    DifferenceMakers

    Indoor Hydroponic System ensures an optimal environment for plants.

  • TopaCan
    DifferenceMakers

    TopaCan is a product development company whose first product turns any empty can into an environmentally friendly way to dispose of cigarette butts.

  • Bean Hub
    DifferenceMakers

    Developing a program to automate order-taking for coffee chains.

  • MetaLingual
    DifferenceMakers

    Learn a new language via a virtual reality platform.

  • DifferenceMakers

    Buddies Without Borders aims to bridge the gap between domestic students and international students.

  • Minds with Purpose
    DifferenceMakers

    Helping bring together all entrepreneurs and creatives alike.

  • ClassRoots
    DifferenceMakers

    ClassRoots is an organization striving to facilitate connections between students in the classroom and to share this with their instructors.

  • Happy Heart Cart
    DifferenceMakers

    Happy Heart Cart is a program that provides advanced therapeutic and holistic practices to improve patient stays in adult hospitals

  • Apple a Day, Contribution to a Healthier Lifestyle
    DifferenceMakers

    Apple a Day is a fun product that makes the process of taking pills more efficient.

  • EV Guardian
    DifferenceMakers

    Working to create a product that enhances safety in EV vehicles and prevents EV fires from starting.

  • ECG For Me
    DifferenceMakers

    ECG For Me is dedicated to stopping the harsh and fatal effects of an unexpected cardiac event with an integration software for a wearable device that detects underlying heart conditions before they are expected to occur.

  • Grab a Bite
    DifferenceMakers

    Grab a Bite received "Fan Favorite" at the Inaugural DifferenceMaker Idea Challenge, pushing them to the final round where they won the title “First to Market” and were awarded $3,500 by the panel of judges.

  • Jonathan Aguilar
    Mechanical Engineering

    Jonathan Aguilar ’21 started a 3D printing company as an undergrad that he now runs at the Haverhill Innovation Hub.

  • WordPro
    DifferenceMakers

    WordPro is a vocabulary builder aimed at high school students learning a second language.

  • Low Income Community Homework Center
    DifferenceMakers

    Low Income Community Homework Center plans to improve test scores and the graduation rate of high school students.

  • Love of the Game
    DifferenceMakers

    Love of the Game will unite universities and people with physical and cognitive disabilities through sports.

  • Project Starfish
    DifferenceMakers

    Project Starfish is an effective, non-invasive, and cost-effective prosthetic hand for people with disabilities.

  • Hydraulic Walker
    DifferenceMakers

    The Hydraulic Walker utilizes hydraulics, allowing for the legs to be quickly adjusted, so that it can be used on stairs.

  • TermaGreen
    DifferenceMakers

    TermaGreen is a thermodynamic generator that captures heat and converts it into energy that can be reused.

  • NerdOnyx
    DifferenceMakers

    NerdOnyx is a web-based learning tool that will provide articles, videos and other resources to enhance the learning of engineering students and help bridge the gap between the classroom and the industry.

  • ThermoEXA
    DifferenceMakers

    ThermoEXA reduces energy costs and is aiding the environment.

  • UMass Lowell Japanese Student Association (UML JSA)
    DifferenceMakers

    UMass Lowell Japanese Student Association (UML JSA) is a student organization that aspires to promote greater awareness of Japanese culture throughout the University of Massachusetts Lowell community.

  • Tendren
    DifferenceMakers

    Tendren is a wristband that monitors a patient's vitals while they are in the hospital waiting room.

  • ZHUUM
    DifferenceMakers

    ZHUUM is a mobile application platform aimed at helping owners across the food service industry drive out inefficiencies and reduce wait times.

  • eNABLE
    DifferenceMakers

    eNABLE is an international organization that makes 3D printed prosthetic hands for children in need.

  • Zipper Buddy
    DifferenceMakers

    Developing a velcro piece that attaches to a garment and acts in the same way zippers do and can be used one-handed.

  • Living, Green Wall
    DifferenceMakers

    Vertical green walls reduce carbon dioxide and increase oxygen levels.

  • CatNap
    DifferenceMakers

    Developing a device to sense when toddlers are about to have a nocturnal asthma attack.

  • Rent Scoop
    DifferenceMakers

    Taking the challenge out of finding the correct information regarding rent in your area.

  • Spread the Love
    DifferenceMakers

    Spread the Love is an online platform that would consist of personalized lesson plans for struggling schools that cannot afford the resources that they need.

  • Mass Heartbeat
    DifferenceMakers

    Mass Heartbeat is an organization focused on screening children and young adults for heart conditions and anomalies to ensure they seek treatment before any undiscovered issues occur.

  • Veteran’s QRF
    DifferenceMakers

    Veteran's QRF is a web platform that will simplify the application process for service connected disability benefits.

  • EV SmarT
    DifferenceMakers

    EV SmarT wants to create a charge sharing platform, where electric vehicle users can open up their home charging stations to other users, extending their ride times past what they are able to obtain today.

  • SmartEater
    DifferenceMakers

    SmartEater is an Automated Diet Monitoring (ADM) System designed to help people manage their dietary behavior.

  • Security Top
    DifferenceMakers

    Security Top is a reusable bottle cap designed for the purpose of increasing the prevention of contaminates entering a bottled beverage.

  • NavLens, Sutherland Innovative Technology Solution
    DifferenceMakers

    NavLens will help those who are visually impaired by providing navigation in these unfamiliar areas as well as supplemental audio-visual cues to avoid obstacles.

  • Turtle Tours
    DifferenceMakers

    Developing a robot tour guide to solve the problems of understaffing and poor customer service.

  • DEXTER
    DifferenceMakers

    DEXTER is aiming to help reduce the costs financially and environmentally to fruit farms by improving the efficiency of spraying pesticides on farms, and to helping to reduce the financial strain that comes with dumping the pesticides over their crops.

  • NeuroLyze
    DifferenceMakers

    Taking preventive actions by alerting athletes when they possibly experienced trauma to the head.

  • Treehouse
    DifferenceMakers

    A website and phone application that connects people with plans, events and small businesses nearby.

  • Healthy Habits
    DifferenceMakers

    At the DifferenceMaker Idea Challenge, Healthy Habits won first place in the category “Significant Social Impact,” and was awarded $3,500 to further implement their idea.

  • Bio-Printing with Multimedia Curriculum
    DifferenceMakers

    Bio-Printing with Multimedia Curriculum is a cost effective 3D bio-printer for comprehensive and effective use in teaching the emerging science of 3D bio-printing.

  • App Track
    DifferenceMakers

    Organizes important documents in one workspace and allows users to simply tailor their resume for each job application.

  • Robotic Feeding Arm
    DifferenceMakers

    After a three minute rocket pitch to a panel of alumni judges Philip Colangelo's Robotic Feeding Arm was awarded first place in the “Innovative Technology” category, $3,500 award.

  • PointStick
    DifferenceMakers

    In the finals of the Idea Challenge the judges awarded PointStick, a product that gives tactile and kinesthetic feedback to patients for both correct spinal alignment and breathing mechanics, second place in the “First to Market” award category.

  • DifferenceMakers

    AFED solves foot pain while also correcting posture.

  • SASS
    DifferenceMakers

    SASS, also known as Solo-Adventurer Safety System, provides reliable GPS tracking and communication with a timed checking system to make sure the adventurer is always safe.

  • Sober Solutions
    DifferenceMakers

    An SMS Lifeline and smartphone application to prevent relapses in substance abuse.

  • PEAK Performance
    DifferenceMakers

    Assessing and correcting rotational misalignments between the pelvis and thoracic spine.

  • ETRALock
    DifferenceMakers

    ETRALock is a team focused on helping individuals with physical limitations, get into their homes using smart locks with simple proximity activation.

  • Ambulatory Innovations
    DifferenceMakers

    Ambulatory Innovations brings the outdoors in, with a mat that will allow physical therapists to treat their patients’ deficits throughout the body, from the musculoskeletal system to sensory systems.

  • Richard Juknavorian
    Health Information Management

    Richard Juknavorian ’98 volunteers online and in person to support students. He raises money for scholarships, mentors students and serves as a judge at symposiums and events.

  • Ariel Shramko
    Environmental Engineering

    Ariel Shramko is growing food for Earth and beyond.

  • BioBubbler
    DifferenceMakers

    The BioBubbler is made from indigenous material and does not require chemicals or electricity to use. It is a slow sand filtration system that eliminates bacteria in water by absorption, predation, natural death and oxygen depletion.

  • Mygrow Fabrix
    DifferenceMakers

    A functional textile fabric company, which is eco-friendly and will assist in agricultural and horticultural means.

  • Support Our Students
    DifferenceMakers

    Support our Students (SOS) is a nonprofit organization that addresses the issue of hunger in the UMass Lowell community.

  • TrueFIT, Rist Campuswide DifferenceMaker
    DifferenceMakers

    The TrueFIT design can be used to help employees in various industries, like construction, healthcare, and more.

  • Nonspec
    DifferenceMakers

    Nonspec participated in the first annual DifferenceMaker Idea Challenge where they received the prestigious title of “The Campus Wide DifferenceMaker” and the top award of $5,000.

  • SparkCell Technologies
    DifferenceMakers

    Developing a way to use uses high-voltage plasma to find contaminants using spectroscopy.

  • Quick Release Window Bars
    DifferenceMakers

    An affordable device that integrates with permanently mounted security window bars, allowing removal in an emergency.

  • Cleidir Mendes
    Finance

    A series of mentors helped Cleidir Mendes thrive at UML — and land a job at Fidelity Investments.

  • Lowell Sprouts
    DifferenceMakers

    Lowell Sprouts is an organization that utilizes school gardens as a way to educate middle school children about the importance of sustainable, organic agriculture. Lowell Sprouts entered the DifferenceMaker Idea Challenge and won first place in the “Sustainable Environment” category, a $3,500 award.

  • Iron Legion
    DifferenceMakers

    Iron Legion, the 2018 Campus-wide DifferenceMaker, is a team aiming to expand the effective use of drone technology in emergency response, particularly with police departments.

  • Cameron Famiglietti
    Marketing

    Drawn to UML by the DifferenceMaker program, business major Cameron Famiglietti is now paid to help market it.

  • BASH
    DifferenceMakers

    BASH plans to create and implement a new waste management system for the city of Les Cayes, Haiti.

  • Vital Sensing Patch
    DifferenceMakers

    The Vital Sensing Patch is a remote, all in one vitals monitoring device, that will be affordable to consumers and usable from anywhere.

  • invisaWear
    DifferenceMakers

    invisaWear is a discrete wearable device that connects to a smart phone that sends an emergency alert to predetermined contacts when the wearer is in need.

  • Next Gen Testing
    DifferenceMakers

    Developing a solution that consists of an impurity concentrator and a reverse osmosis filter to detect and localize the impurities in water.

  • RE-VIVE
    DifferenceMakers

    RE-VIVE aims to lessen the fatalities associated with the opioid epidemic. The product consists of a wearable auto-injection system to administer Naloxone to those suffering from a drug overdose.

  • OmniSense
    DifferenceMakers

    OmniSense is performance tracking for athletes, giving users a low cost option of tracking lifting metrics.

  • Maddie Gear
    Marketing

    Maddie Gear’s favorable first impression of UML steered her to a marketing co-op position at CarGurus.

  • T.A.P.
    DifferenceMakers

    Teach A Pal, otherwise known as T.A.P., is a team dedicated to helping student success through peer involvement.

  • Hoppers
    DifferenceMakers

    Hoppers was designed to help children build social skills and problem solving skills.

  • ZENYAI
    DifferenceMakers

    Developing software to those who struggle with traditional communication methods to express feelings and achieve a higher level of emotional connection with whom they are speaking to.

  • Adam Basma
    Marketing, Entrepreneurship

    Inspired by Assoc. Teaching Prof. Deborah Finch, Adam Basma published his first novel for his senior Honors College project.

  • Terminus
    DifferenceMakers

    Terminus will solve the problem of food insecurity in the USA and beyond by by creating a system of multiple, stackable units that can grow food anywhere.

  • Guardian
    DifferenceMakers

    Guardian is a sensor platform that can attach to any commercially available drone for use in search and rescue operations.

  • OTTOnomous Technology
    DifferenceMakers

    OTTOnomous Technology is a novel solution for replacing camshafts in car engines with electro-mechanical actuators.

  • Expect
    DifferenceMakers

    Expect is an application that facilitates communication between referring facilities/emergency medical services and accepting inpatient/emergency units.

  • Playtlist
    DifferenceMakers

    Playtlist is dedicated to helping those with dietary restrictions work around their food restrictions when eating out.

  • Nicole Resendes
    Marketing and Management

    A social media marketing co-op at financial firm MFS taught Nicole Resendes what goes into running corporate accounts.

  • Operation250
    DifferenceMakers

    Operation250 is an online platform consisting of an educational website, engaging videos and a large social media presence, focused on educating both young adolescents, parents and educators on how to prevent radical extremist recruitment.

  • Socket Tech Solutions
    DifferenceMakers

    Developing an open-source software to protect user data privacy.

  • Robot for the Visually Impaired (RAVI)
    DifferenceMakers

    A “Robot for the Visually Impaired” (RAVI) to help assist in navigating daily life for people with visual impairments.

  • Word Builder
    DifferenceMakers

    Word Builder is a fun toy that helps build a reading foundation for children.

  • USe Cart
    DifferenceMakers

    USe Cart is a smart shopping cart that makes shopping faster and easier for customers, pushing self-checkout to a new level.

  • Innovation
    DifferenceMakers

    An interactive educational experience that introduces people to some of the most famous minority inventions and inventors.

  • Bar Scene
    DifferenceMakers

    Bar Scene is a mobile app that serves as a one stop shop for all things night-life and entertainment.

  • Cyborg
    DifferenceMakers

    Cyborg is a hybrid, cost effective, musical instrument, which has the ability to transform any object into a touch sensitive musical instrument.

  • Smart Escape
    DifferenceMakers

    Smart Escape’s mission is to lead people to safety during a fire evacuation.

  • Happy Pinning
    DifferenceMakers

    Happing Pinning is an effective, effortless device that clips clothing together.

  • Jeurys Santiago
    Business

    Jeurys Santiago credits his entrepreneurship classes and experiences with helping him launch his networking and marketing company, Minds With Purpose.

  • UML Green Roofs
    DifferenceMakers

    UML Green Roofs is attempting to provide secure green outdoor locations for the students at UMass Lowell.

  • Wonder Wheel
    DifferenceMakers

    Wonder Wheel is a novel device that will aid wheel chair users.

  • Personalized Learning
    DifferenceMakers

    Personalized Learning is a team that ensures students have the education that’s best for them in their college career by optimizing every student’s academic path.

  • Tom Stranberg
    Finance

    Tom Stranberg rounded out his business degree with co-ops at the Boston Federal Reserve and Wayfair.

  • Solar Sails
    DifferenceMakers

    Working to develop an efficient solar powered drone.

  • Solar Electric Vehicles
    DifferenceMakers

    Solar Electric Vehicles allow people to travel by the energy of the sun.

  • Smart Azan
    DifferenceMakers

    App that keeps track and notifies Muslims when it is time to pray.

  • Clot Catch
    DifferenceMakers

    Clot Catch is developing a new design to replace the current inferior vena cava (IVC) clot filters that are currently on the market.

  • Amara
    DifferenceMakers

    Seeking to solve the problem around social media and the mental health crisis.

  • Digital Life, Significant Social Impact
    DifferenceMakers

    The goal of Digital Life is to develop an affordable solution for those in need.

  • Benji Ball
    DifferenceMakers

    Benji Ball, the 2019 Capus-wide DifferenceMaker, is a baseball training tool for children that is composed of a bat and ball with the ball having multiple sides, each side showing the different outcome of an at bat.

  • DigiBank
    DifferenceMakers

    DigiBank is a software solution that aims to rid the world of pocket change.

  • Masela Dentures
    DifferenceMakers

    Masela Dentures creates a low cost alternative to expensive dentures.

  • Tommy Vi’s Gelato, Honorable Mention
    DifferenceMakers

    After an increase of violence and hate crimes on the Asian-American community, Tommy Vi created a fusion of Asian flavors with Italian machinery and technique to create a new version of gelato in hopes of brining people together.

  • KEnDERS Body Armor
    DifferenceMakers

    KEnDERS Body Armor is a new design for sports equipment using shear-thickening fluids.

  • EduX
    DifferenceMakers

    Seeking to optimizing college course scheduling in advance using AI.

  • USuccess
    DifferenceMakers

    Create more financial stability and less frustration about finances by educating people on how to best use their money.

  • Playable Therapy
    DifferenceMakers

    Playable Therapy connects video games and physical therapy.

  • Fresh Beets
    DifferenceMakers

    Fresh Beets is a food truck and music venue based out of Lowell, Ma. that unites food, music, education, and revelry into one vehicle of change.

  • Protected Pin
    DifferenceMakers

    Protected Pin is a software that randomly generates a new user PIN each time the banking app is accessed, creating safety and security for each user.

  • CryptoPigeon
    DifferenceMakers

    Developing an independent messaging service and leveraging a corresponding new cryptocurrency.

  • VotED
    DifferenceMakers

    VotED works to put the knowledge back into the user’s hands and create a platform that gives all of the information necessary on upcoming candidates and elections.

  • Sammy Santana
    Liberal Arts

    With an unbridled passion for learning, Sammy Santana is pursuing his numerous interests through the BLA program.

  • Green Fertilizer, Commitment to a Sustainable Environment
    DifferenceMakers

    Green Fertilizer technology aims to solve the problem of food insecurity in developing countries, like Uganda.

  • Shared Vision / Vision House
    DifferenceMakers

    Empowering the filmmakers of tomorrow by educating them through real-world experiences.

  • DifferenceMakers

    ConnectKnee strives to accurately track the recovery of a patient with a knee injury, while saving time and money.

  • YPG
    DifferenceMakers

    YPG will aid the COVID-19 pandemic, while also helping the environment.

  • MissionHydro
    DifferenceMakers

    An innovative way to harness and use hydrogen energy.

  • DifferenceMakers

    Supporting mental health services with an education program to help children affected by the genocide in Rwanda.

  • QBell
    DifferenceMakers

    QBell is a mobile application that improves upon the current nursing call bell system.

  • Breezy
    DifferenceMakers

    Breezy is a real-time air quality-monitoring device, which can be tracked through its cell phone application or online website.

  • JamFuze
    DifferenceMakers

    JamFuze is a tool that helps both artists and producers to find each other and become more connected for potential success.

  • Nick Jarek
    Digital Media

    A summer co-op job with the DifferenceMaker program gave Nick Jarek a wider lens on his future career.

  • DifferenceMakers

    MyGrow Fabrix is an environmentally friendly solution when growing crops.

  • Smart Safety Outlet
    DifferenceMakers

    This smart outlet device will save children’s lives.

  • OTDSEES
    DifferenceMakers

    Over Terrain Tactical Scuba Personnel Delivery Service crafted a solution to New England’s unforgiving terrain by creating a device that would either assist by moving the diver’s gear for them, or even moving the diver into the dive spot that they need to reach.

  • Votecational
    DifferenceMakers

    Votecational is a non-bias informational platform, which allows voters to receive crucial information regarding elections.

  • StockToMe
    DifferenceMakers

    StockToMe is the first stock opinion community, where anybody can post an opinion about a stock.

  • Mayday
    DifferenceMakers

    Mayday upon activation can reach all emergency contacts in just a tap.

  • VieVest
    DifferenceMakers

    VieVest is a creative design that will protect athletes during weight lifting workouts.

  • Yeaharne Hout
    Business Administration

    As she begins her career at Fidelity, Yeaharne Hout sees how transformative her UML experience has been.