NYLA × New Jersey Institute of Technology
Entrepreneurathon
Build. Pitch. Launch. A startup in one day, on a university campus.
Entrepreneurathon is NYLA’s flagship annual, student-led entrepreneurship competition, hosted in partnership with the New Jersey Institute of Technology.
Students from schools across New Jersey come together at NJIT to meet industry professionals, collaborate with new peers, develop business concepts, and pitch to experienced judges. NYLA coordinates with university partners, entrepreneurs, executives, guest speakers, judges, and participating schools to bring the full-day competition to life.
Successfully held in 2025 and 2026, Entrepreneurathon gives young innovators a place to turn ambitious ideas into action.
80
attendees at the first edition, May 10, 2025
4
schools represented in 2025: Link Community Charter, Chatham High, John P. Stevens High, The Pingry School
3
minutes per pitch in the 2026 event agenda
$750
2026 prize for the winning team
From idea to pitch.
- 01
Learn
Hear from entrepreneurs, executives, and university leaders.
- 02
Collaborate
Work with students from different schools to identify real-world challenges.
- 03
Build
Develop a business concept, explore potential solutions, and prepare a compelling pitch.
- 04
Pitch
Present your startup idea to a panel of experienced judges.
- 05
Celebrate
Receive feedback, recognize outstanding teams, and leave with new skills and connections.
Past event · May 30, 2026 agenda
NJIT · 150 Bleeker St, Newark
- 9:45Students arrive and network
- 10:00Welcome from the NJIT President and NYLA founder Samaya Shah
- 10:15Keynote and Q&A with Jeff Braverman
- 10:45Live Shark Tank–style pitch demo
- 11:00Workshop 1 — teams brainstorm real-world problems and business solutions
- 11:30Workshop 2 — business models and pitch decks
- 12:00Lunch, Dean's welcome, optional campus tour
- 12:50Teams deliver 3-minute pitches to a panel of judges
- 2:00Closing remarks and winning team announced
Two years running.
and counting2025
First edition · May 10 · NJIT
2026
Second edition · May 30 · NJIT
In their own words
The ideas stayed with them.
“I would’ve never thought 3 random people could pull together something so great.”
— Yash Jain
Wardlaw-Hartridge School
“It allowed me to see that it’s okay to not have everything together as long as you have a team and an end goal that you want to meet.”
— Olatunde Akinyele
Arts High School
“I learned that anyone can become an entrepreneur and that it’s actually fun.”
— Nandini Iyer
The Pingry School
The winning ideas.
2025 winner
Team Travella
An all-in-one travel companion app concept bringing together features from Expedia, Yelp, and Google Maps to make planning and navigating trips easier.
2026 winner
Team Palate
A personalized food-discovery app concept helping people navigate dietary restrictions, allergies, and individual preferences while making dining more accessible and enjoyable.
Both teams developed and pitched their concepts during Entrepreneurathon.
Real founders. Real experience.
Entrepreneurathon connects students with entrepreneurs, executives, and university leaders who share firsthand insights into building businesses, navigating challenges, and turning ideas into reality.
- Jeff BravermanCEO of Nuts.com — 2026 keynote
- Dean Oya TukelNJIT Martin Tuchman School of Management
- Amit LalwaniVP, Financial Services at Intapp
- Nick DeNichiloFormer President & CEO, Mott MacDonald North America
- Aliza MujahidCEO of DermaMech, NJIT Innovation Fellow
Want in on the next one?
Members get first access to Entrepreneurathon. Entrepreneurs and schools can get involved as judges, speakers and partners.
