Create your own path. Be the driver of your future career. Combine your passion for creativity or desire to create change with your work in the classroom. Inspire others with your creative work or solutions to real world problems.

What are entrepreneurial and creative endeavors?

Students learn to set their own course by having experiences in early stage start-ups, advancing ideas to solve real world problems, or create artistic, written or performance-based projects. 

DifferenceMakers By the Numbers

  • $5M
    raised by teams
  • 40
    companies formed by teams
  • 11
    Number of teams patents filed or issued

Meet the DifferenceMakers

Grace Truong and Yeaharne Hout
YPG
DifferenceMakers

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

YPG will aid the COVID-19 pandemic, while also helping the environment.
Read More About YPG 
Sammy Santana poses in front a board describing his project to create an educational nonprofit called “Shared Vision/Vision House” at the UMass Lowell Difference Maker Idea Challenge.
Sammy Santana '24
Liberal Arts

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

The best thing I've experienced at UMass Lowell is finding myself through ... every class I've taken.
Read More About Sammy Santana 
UMass Lowell Image
ZHUUM '14
DifferenceMakers

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

Do you dislike waiting for things, especially food at your favorite restaurant? ZHUUM technology is for you.
Read More About ZHUUM 
Team EV Guardian pitching their idea to the audience and judges at the 2024 $50,000 Idea Challenge.
EV Guardian
DifferenceMakers

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

EV Guardian is working to create a product that enhances safety in EV vehicles and prevents EV fires from starting.
Read More About EV Guardian 
Team RAVI pitching their idea to the audience and judges at the 2024 $50,000 Idea Challenge.
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.

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