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Finding an Elementary School in NYC: The Checklist for Parents

Finding an Elementary School in NYC: The Checklist for Parents

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Finding the right NYC private school is challenging, especially on the Upper West Side. With a myriad of options, it is no wonder parents seek guidance. To help you find the perfect Manhattan elementary school for your child, we have created a comprehensive checklist.

  • As a top independent school in Manhattan, we offer a challenging and enriching curriculum led by expert educators.
  • Our approach to lower school education equally emphasizes social-emotional learning, including critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
  • Our convenient UWS location provides a unique and supportive learning environment for families.

Review this checklist to see how BASIS Independent Manhattan checks all the boxes!

Teachers: Passion and Expertise

We believe in the power of expert-led instruction. Our students in grades 1-4 benefit from 50-minute classes in core subjects like math, science, English, and Social Studies/History, taught by passionate Subject Expert Teachers (SETs). These experts bring their deep knowledge to the classroom, igniting a love of learning. Complementing the SETs is our Learning Expert Teacher (LET), a dedicated educator who is the guiding force for students, providing personalized support and ensuring each child thrives. This unique model allows for both expert instruction and individualized attention, a hallmark of our world-acclaimed primary program.

An Advanced Curriculum with Essential Enrichment

Beyond the core subjects, our curriculum includes essential classes: engineering, Mandarin, visual arts, drama, and music, fostering well-rounded development. Our commitment to comprehensive liberal arts-focused education with STEM offerings ensures that students are challenged and engaged.

Social-Emotional Learning: Nurturing the Whole Child

We believe academic excellence goes hand-in-hand with social-emotional growth. Our PurposeFull People curriculum, powered by Character Strong, develops essential soft skills, executive functioning, and emotional regulation for students in PreK-Grade 5. Our dedicated Student Affairs team delivers these lessons, supports students, and guides parents throughout their child’s academic journey.

Active Learning and Play

We cater to the age and stage of children while providing them with what they need — physical activity and outdoor play. They have periods of study and focus, which are broken up by three 20-minute recesses during the school day. Our daily schedule also includes P.E., ensuring students have ample opportunities for play and movement. After-school clubs, ranging from soccer and tennis to arts and STEM, further promote active engagement.

Transparency and Community: A Different Approach

At BASIS Independent Manhattan, transparency and community are at our core. Unlike many NYC private schools, we do not engage in traditional fundraising. We believe in providing an exceptional education without the added pressure of constant requests. This empowers families to invest in our vibrant community in ways that are meaningful and aligned with their commitments, fostering a collaborative and supportive environment.

Get Parent Reviews

Nowadays, more and more families scour the internet for school recommendations to find the perfect fit. Sites like Niche.com use anonymous reviews and rankings to provide “the good, the bad, and the honest.”

Here are a few excerpts from recent BASIS Independent Manhattan reviews written by our current families:

  • “A great school which balances out an academic focus with play and creative time for the kids.”
  • “A hidden gem in NYC, that’s for sure.”
  • “A great choice for families seeking a rigorous academic program with amazing support.”
  • “Academics are second-to-none, teachers are caring and helpful, kids are challenged and happy.”
  • “I would recommend attending an info session. If it doesn’t seem right for your kid, you will know it. If it does, apply, you won’t regret it!”

Visit Our School

Experience BASIS Independent Manhattan firsthand. Meet our passionate teachers, interact with current students and parents, and learn more about our unique approach. Discover why we are among the best schools in Manhattan for grades PreK-5 and a leading choice for UWS families seeking exceptional education.

Open House (PreK – Grade 5)

Join us: Sunday, March 9, 10:00 AM Lower School – 795 Columbus Ave.

Register Now
BASIS Independent Manhattan, a private school offering PreK through Grade 12, is based in Manhattan, New York. Students thrive alongside Subject Expert Teachers as they engage in a liberal arts program with STEM offerings. 

Redefining College Counseling at BASIS Independent Brooklyn

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The college application process has grown more complicated each year, layering in a great deal of uncertainty and anxiety into an already complex process. That is why BASIS Independent Brooklyn offers individualized support and preparation for both students and their families. Matt Brauch established the College Counseling Program at BASIS Independent Brooklyn almost a decade ago, and he lives and breathes the very complicated world of college admissions with our Student Affairs Team at the High School Program. After working with seven graduating classes as well as serving as the College Counselor Advisor for our entire network of BASIS Independent Schools, we wanted to share how Mr. Brauch’s focused approach, informed by years of experience across our network, makes a difference.

Colleges and universities now offer many different application options to students—Early Decision I, Early Decision II, Early Action, Restrictive Early Action, Rolling Admissions, and Regular Decision. Many of our students also consider universities abroad, and that is why we have found offering families more guidance and support leads directly to exceptional outcomes. An equally important factor is help navigating the whole world of financial aid, scholarships, and ancillary programs.

Currently, our seniors are balancing natural anxiety with the confidence gained from BASIS Independent Brooklyn’s college prep programs and supportive environment as we await Regular Decision outcomes later this month. With personalized guidance from our dedicated faculty, expert resources, and custom events, the Class of 2025 is not only applying to the finest educational institutions but also cultivating resilience and independence—qualities that will serve them well in their future academic journeys and beyond.  

Here’s a glimpse into the college counseling approach that distinguishes BASIS Independent Brooklyn. 

Personalized Preparation

Standing apart from almost every other high school in the U.S., our students begin their college preparation in grade 9. This early start allows our College Counselor, Mr. Brauch, to take the time to get to know students and uncover their interests and strengths. He meets with families and has an open-door policy for students to stop by and ask questions.

He says, “I ask students about their passions and interests and work with them on ways they can demonstrate them in meaningful ways. We talk about possible college and career options, but the conversations need to be deeply rooted in their personal interests and goals.” 

For Mr. Brauch, the goal is finding the right college fit. Students must understand the connection between their strengths and the varying opportunities that each university has to offer. 

To help students uncover this connection, in the senior year Mr. Brauch works with students in a daily 50-minute College Counseling class to provide group and individualized guidance, helping them learn practical skills, such as navigating the application process, resume building, and essay writing, while encouraging them to explore degree pathways that might be a good fit.

Photo: Mr. Brauch and Director Forde alongside our seniors who received the 2024 College Board National Recognition Awards.

A Focused Approach

At many other schools in New York City, college counseling is part of a general guidance counseling program where the onus is on the student to ask for support and meet application deadlines. At BASIS Independent Brooklyn there is a balance of independence and accountability. The College Counselor works one-on-one with juniors and seniors, challenging them to complete goals and following up on their progress.  

Another factor that has empowered the older students at BASIS Independent Brooklyn is our commitment to small class sizes and expert educators. This model has made it possible for our teachers to impart a deep understanding and mastery of content in the sciences, mathematics, literature, history, world languages, AP, and Capstone courses. Personalized teaching translates to proficient learning and is one of the contributors to our legacy of content mastery, including outstanding test scores. 

Bringing Experts to Families

At BASIS Independent Brooklyn, students are positioned to drive the college admissions process with parents as informed partners.

Grades 9 & 10Grade 11Grade 12
College Counseling NewsletterCollege Counseling NewsletterCollege Counseling Newsletter
Encouraged to Attend College Rep Visits  Required to Attend College Rep Visits  Encouraged to Attend College Rep Visits  
Open access to College Counselor  Open Access to College Counselor  Regularly Scheduled Meetings with College Counselor  
Getting Ready College Counseling NightCollege Planning Workshop for Parents/Guardians Financial Aid Night – How to Interpret Financial Aid Award Letters
Financial Aid WorkshopOne-on-one Scheduled Meetings with College Counselor (Fall and Spring)Regularly Scheduled Meetings with College Counselor  
Financial Aid WorkshopDaily College Counseling Class (for Two Trimesters)
SMART TRACK College Funding ResourcesSMART TRACK College Funding Resources
Life Skills Mentoring
Presentation Training for Senior Projects
Transition Tips: Getting off to the Right Foot in College
Managing Stress and Emotions of the Transition to College (with School Counselor)

Photo: One of our college representative visits held in the senior lounge.

Outstanding Results

The Class of 2025 has made us proud every year. Senior year has been no exception. Many of our seniors received Early Action or Early Decision acceptances, and we are thrilled to announce our students received acceptances from schools including:

  • Princeton University
  • Stanford University
  • Cornell University
  • Georgetown University
  • Washington University at St. Louis
  • University of Virginia
  • University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
  • University of Southern California
  • New York University
  • Georgia Institute of Technology
  • Purdue University
  • Virginia Institute of Technology
  • Northeastern University 
  • American University
  • Oberlin College
  • Pepperdine College
  • McGill University
  • Imperial College London
  • King’s College London

Year after year, the effectiveness of the College Counseling approach at BASIS Independent Brooklyn truly stands out, showcasing the remarkable results we achieve together now with seven graduating classes this year.

Our students are well-equipped to overcome any setbacks with the right mindset. Our robust College Counseling Program plays a crucial role in this process. With personalized support, dedicated resources, and daily classes, our students confidently navigate obstacles and are empowered to make informed decisions about their future. 

BASIS Independent Brooklyn is a PreK– Grade 12 private school, providing students with an internationally benchmarked liberal arts and sciences curriculum, with advanced STEM offerings. Considering joining the Bears community? To join our interest list for the next school year and receive admissions updates and more, please click here. 

2024 – 2025 Startups at Spring Competition: Wellness in the Workplace

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Thinking of a creative and unique business idea is a challenge for even the globe’s most talented and proven business professionals. Give that same challenge to a group of high school students all attending exceptional schools, and the results are sure to impress. How could students in grades 9 – 12 create a start-up idea, product, or service from inception to implementation? One that would also impress a panel of judges made up of industry professionals? That’s what a group of educators seek to discover at the yearly Startups at Spring Competition.  

The competition is open to high school students attending a Spring Education Group school and focuses on a specific type of business start-up. This year’s theme was “Wellness in the Workplace” and it allowed the students to think outside of the box and present their ideas, first to their local school, and then one team from each school was selected and invited to attend a network-wide competition. Students then made the same presentation but, instead of it being in front of their peers and school administration, it was in front of industry professionals.  

The professionals judge the competition on the feasibility and profitability of each idea presented. Judges listened to see if the teams explained their business idea clearly, was it unique, and implemented the year’s theme. Beyond those basic judging expectations, they also sought to see if the team understood and addressed the financial challenges of starting a business, did they effectively present their market strategy, and could they answer confidently improvisational questions regarding their “pitch”.  

Ms. Jaymie Silva, BASIS Independent Schools Subject Expert Teacher and organizer of the competition said, “I was so impressed with the level of maturity in this year’s presentations. Our theme was wellness, and we had students speaking on subjects related to health, safety, and well-being at levels far beyond their teenage years. It really makes me hopeful that they will be able to bring some of these ideas to fruition in the future.” 

The top three teams are awarded prize money to be donated to a charity of their choice.  

Third Place: Team Wanderphyll
(awarded $2,000)

Team Members: Akhil G. (Grade 9) and Jacob L. (Grade 9) 

School: BASIS Independent Silicon Valley 

Startup: Wanderphyll: Explore the Wanderphyll World of Nature 

Selected Charity: World Wildlife Fund  

Pitch: Stress and laziness from schools and offices have caused people to stop going outside. People would rather spend their free time on their phones or watching TV.  Mental health issues like depression increase alongside with pressure and stress from work and constant screen time and lack of exercise. Going outside to nature restores people’s mental well-being and reduces depression and anxiety in most people. 

Wanderphyll is a mobile app that incentivizes going outdoors by turning it into a passive game. 

Team Take Away 
“The entire Startups at Spring experience has been a wonderful learning opportunity; allowing us to experience the full process of fleshing out an idea into a detailed framework for a startup. It was a fun experience and we enjoyed watching the other presentations and we’re glad that it was also able to make a positive impact in the form of a donation to a charity. Additionally, we’d like to thank the organizers, especially Ms. Silva, and the judges for making the whole competition possible.”

To view their entire presentation, click here.  

Second Place: Team SipSense
(awarded $3,000)

Team Members: Rishik P. (Grade 10) and Aarya V. (Grade 11) 

School: BASIS Independent McLean 

Startup: SipSense: Have a Sense of What You’re Sipping 

Selected Charity: US-India Solidarity Mission 

Pitch: 11 million women in the U.S. have been assaulted or worse as a result of involuntary consumption of drugs through drinks. More than 80% of women have reported an imminent need for safer pubs, bars, and restaurants.

The solution? A drug sensor system that is accurate, reuseable, discrete, and is connected to a multi-functional app.

Team Take Away 
“Developing our startup idea and building a prototype was a truly unique and inspiring journey. It expanded our vision of what’s possible—from further product development and manufacturing to real-world application. Throughout this competition, we discovered our ability to create innovative solutions that address genuine needs in modern society. We extend our heartfelt thanks to Mr. Wright and Mr. Biemesderfer for helping refine our pitch deck to its best possible version. Above all, this experience taught us that many of today’s societal challenges remain inadequately addressed, and there is a critical demand for creative, effective solutions.”

To view their entire presentation, click here. 

First Place: Team OurIBD
(awarded $5,000)

Team Members: Zoe A. (Grade 9) 

School: Laurel Springs 

Startup: Our IBD: AI Powered Gut Health Tracking – From Toilet to Data, Instantly 

Selected Charity: Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation 

Pitch: 10 million plus are diagnosed with inflammatory (IBD) globally. 80% struggle with tracking symptoms accurately and current solutions are invasive, expensive, and unreliable. Patients are forced to guess, leading to frequent ER visits and worsening health.  

The solution is an AI-powered, non-invasive stool monitoring device.   

Team Take Away 
“Winning 1st place at the Startups at Spring Competition isn’t just an award—it’s validation that an idea born from my own struggles has the power to help others. I started OurIBD because I knew firsthand how frustrating and exhausting it is to manage IBD with delayed test results, invasive procedures, and unreliable tracking methods. What began as a personal project—a way to automate symptom tracking and detect inflammation through AI—has grown into something real, impactful, and now, recognized.

Pitching my startup, seeing industry leaders believe in what I’m building was a moment I’ll never forget. It reinforced that this isn’t just a personal solution—it’s something that can truly change lives. I’m incredibly honored, not just for the recognition, but for the chance to take this further, refine my prototype, and push toward making this available to real patients. And to give back, I’m honored to be donating my $5,000 prize to the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation—an organization that has supported my family and I since diagnosis, and helps millions of others just like myself.”

To view their entire presentation, click here. 

iuluilui

Expert Judging Panel

Mr. John Forte is the CEO and President of VT-ARC, responsible for guiding strategic growth in applied research and development with the intent of strengthening national security, driving societal impact, and improving the human condition. In this capacity he also oversees 5 Innovation Centers for the Air and Space Force, drawing together government, industry and academia to advance research and accelerate innovation. 

Prior to VT-ARC, Mr. Forte served as one of the US Air and Space Force’s 5 science and technology executives (EPAs), responsible for advising the command, control, communications and networking needs of the warfighter and the Department of Defense. He was charged with creating forward leaning and innovative ecosystems focusing upon the toughest challenges across multiple operating domains. During this time Mr. Forte also served as an advisor on the Defense Science Board for critical infrastructure resilience. 

Mr. Forte served nearly 10 years as a senior leader within the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (JHU/APL). His culminating assignment was as the Executive for the Homeland Protection Mission Area, directing the development and implementation of technologies and solutions to protect the United States against a variety of asymmetric threats. While at JHU, he founded and served as the Interim Director of JHU’s Institute for Assured Autonomy, a center of excellence charged with driving safety, security, and reliability into the future autonomous world. 

Mr. Forte served in numerous senior leadership positions within the public and private sectors, including the Morgan Franklin Corporation, MITRE, and as the Chief Scientist for the White House Communications Agency. He also served as a communications officer in the US Army, assigned to multiple airborne and special operations units and deploying in support of operations in Bosnia, Kosovo and Iraq. 

Mr. Forte earned a BSEE from the University of Tulsa and an MSEE from George Washington University with a focus in Communications and Networks. He also completed Executive Programs at the Harvard Kennedy School on Cybersecurity: The Intersection of Policy and Technology; as well as on National and International Security. 

Mr. Amrit Saxena is the Founder & CEO of SaxeCap, an AI transformation and private equity investment firm, that conducts AI-levered buyouts and transforms enterprises with AI & automation technology.  Additionally, he has successfully founded & sold two AI companies (Stella.ai, Fancy That) and is an active angel investor in data, AI, and enterprise software companies in the Silicon Valley, investing in 300+ early stage technology companies (including being an early investor in companies like OpenAI, Anthropic, Figure, Perplexity, SpaceX, Palantir, etc.).  

Prior to SaxeCap, Amrit founded and scaled Stella, a talent sourcing AI company, to over 150 large enterprise clients (including 10% of the Fortune 500), leading technology (data science, product, engineering, etc.) and operations (pre-sales, client integrations, etc.). Stella was sold to Cornell Capital and Trilantic Capital Partners in a $1B+ private equity transaction in 2021. Additionally, Amrit founded, scaled, and sold Fancy That, a retail AI company, to Palantir (NYSE: PLTR) in 2015.  Between his two AI startups, Amrit has experience buying a company, selling two companies, and scaling teams from 0 to 50+ people. Amrit previously worked at Bain & Company, Groupon, AmEx, and e2e Analytics and taught and researched AI at Stanford & MIT.

He received his B.S. in Computer Science with a concentration in Artificial Intelligence and M.S. in Management Science & Engineering with a concentration in Operations Research, both from Stanford University with Distinction. Additionally, he has garnered numerous accolades, including being awarded 7 U.S. patents (relating to AI and optimization), a three time finalist in the United States of America Mathematical Olympiad (USAMO), winner of the American Mathematics Competition (AMC), finalist in the United States Physics Olympiad (USAPhO), Congressional Award Gold Medalist, Research Science Institute (RSI) Scholar, American Regions Math League (ARML) winner, and was selected for the President’s Award for Academic Excellence and the Tau Beta Pi Engineering Honors Society while at Stanford. 

Mr. Ken Snyder serves as the Executive Director of the Shingo Institute and as a Senior Lecturer in the department of Marketing, Strategy, Leadership, and Entrepreneurship (MSLE) of the Jon M. Huntsman School of Business at Utah State University. He has regularly taught the business planning course in the Entrepreneurship program. 

Mr. Snyder earned an MBA from the Harvard Graduate School of Business in 1980 with an emphasis in international business. Immediately after graduation, Mr. Snyder joined a Japanese electronics manufacturing company and led the startup of its U.S. affiliate company as plant manager, CFO, and later president of that company. 

Mr. Snyder then raised money to launch a venture startup company which ultimately was unsuccessful. Mr. Snyder then led a corporate-backed startup company, Progressive Impressions International (PII) in Bloomington, Illinois. Following this successful startup, Mr. Snyder then led a corporate venture capital fund within Taylor Corporation. 

Before joining the Huntsman School, Mr. Snyder was president of Marketing Communication Inc., an operating division of Taylor Corporation, where he directed a group of six companies while growing revenues from $25 million to over $80 million. He joined the Jon M. Huntsman School of Business in 2008. 

2024 – 2025 Startups at Spring Competition: Wellness in the Workplace

by Leave a Comment

Thinking of a creative and unique business idea is a challenge for even the globe’s most talented and proven business professionals. Give that same challenge to a group of high school students all attending exceptional schools, and the results are sure to impress. How could students in grades 9 – 12 create a start-up idea, product, or service from inception to implementation? One that would also impress a panel of judges made up of industry professionals? That’s what a group of educators seek to discover at the yearly Startups at Spring Competition.  

The competition is open to high school students attending a Spring Education Group school and focuses on a specific type of business start-up. This year’s theme was “Wellness in the Workplace” and it allowed the students to think outside of the box and present their ideas, first to their local school, and then one team from each school was selected and invited to attend a network-wide competition. Students then made the same presentation but, instead of it being in front of their peers and school administration, it was in front of industry professionals.  

The professionals judge the competition on the feasibility and profitability of each idea presented. Judges listened to see if the teams explained their business idea clearly, was it unique, and implemented the year’s theme. Beyond those basic judging expectations, they also sought to see if the team understood and addressed the financial challenges of starting a business, did they effectively present their market strategy, and could they answer confidently improvisational questions regarding their “pitch”.  

Ms. Jaymie Silva, BASIS Independent Schools Subject Expert Teacher and organizer of the competition said, “I was so impressed with the level of maturity in this year’s presentations. Our theme was wellness, and we had students speaking on subjects related to health, safety, and well-being at levels far beyond their teenage years. It really makes me hopeful that they will be able to bring some of these ideas to fruition in the future.” 

The top three teams are awarded prize money to be donated to a charity of their choice.  

Third Place: Team Wanderphyll
(awarded $2,000)

Team Members: Akhil G. (Grade 9) and Jacob L. (Grade 9) 

School: BASIS Independent Silicon Valley 

Startup: Wanderphyll: Explore the Wanderphyll World of Nature 

Selected Charity: World Wildlife Fund  

Pitch: Stress and laziness from schools and offices have caused people to stop going outside. People would rather spend their free time on their phones or watching TV.  Mental health issues like depression increase alongside with pressure and stress from work and constant screen time and lack of exercise. Going outside to nature restores people’s mental well-being and reduces depression and anxiety in most people. 

Wanderphyll is a mobile app that incentivizes going outdoors by turning it into a passive game. 

Team Take Away 
“The entire Startups at Spring experience has been a wonderful learning opportunity; allowing us to experience the full process of fleshing out an idea into a detailed framework for a startup. It was a fun experience and we enjoyed watching the other presentations and we’re glad that it was also able to make a positive impact in the form of a donation to a charity. Additionally, we’d like to thank the organizers, especially Ms. Silva, and the judges for making the whole competition possible.”

To view their entire presentation, click here.  

Second Place: Team SipSense
(awarded $3,000)

Team Members: Rishik P. (Grade 10) and Aarya V. (Grade 11) 

School: BASIS Independent McLean 

Startup: SipSense: Have a Sense of What You’re Sipping 

Selected Charity: US-India Solidarity Mission 

Pitch: 11 million women in the U.S. have been assaulted or worse as a result of involuntary consumption of drugs through drinks. More than 80% of women have reported an imminent need for safer pubs, bars, and restaurants.

The solution? A drug sensor system that is accurate, reuseable, discrete, and is connected to a multi-functional app.

Team Take Away 
“Developing our startup idea and building a prototype was a truly unique and inspiring journey. It expanded our vision of what’s possible—from further product development and manufacturing to real-world application. Throughout this competition, we discovered our ability to create innovative solutions that address genuine needs in modern society. We extend our heartfelt thanks to Mr. Wright and Mr. Biemesderfer for helping refine our pitch deck to its best possible version. Above all, this experience taught us that many of today’s societal challenges remain inadequately addressed, and there is a critical demand for creative, effective solutions.”

To view their entire presentation, click here. 

First Place: Team OurIBD
(awarded $5,000)

Team Members: Zoe A. (Grade 9) 

School: Laurel Springs 

Startup: Our IBD: AI Powered Gut Health Tracking – From Toilet to Data, Instantly 

Selected Charity: Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation 

Pitch: 10 million plus are diagnosed with inflammatory (IBD) globally. 80% struggle with tracking symptoms accurately and current solutions are invasive, expensive, and unreliable. Patients are forced to guess, leading to frequent ER visits and worsening health.  

The solution is an AI-powered, non-invasive stool monitoring device.   

Team Take Away 
“Winning 1st place at the Startups at Spring Competition isn’t just an award—it’s validation that an idea born from my own struggles has the power to help others. I started OurIBD because I knew firsthand how frustrating and exhausting it is to manage IBD with delayed test results, invasive procedures, and unreliable tracking methods. What began as a personal project—a way to automate symptom tracking and detect inflammation through AI—has grown into something real, impactful, and now, recognized.

Pitching my startup, seeing industry leaders believe in what I’m building was a moment I’ll never forget. It reinforced that this isn’t just a personal solution—it’s something that can truly change lives. I’m incredibly honored, not just for the recognition, but for the chance to take this further, refine my prototype, and push toward making this available to real patients. And to give back, I’m honored to be donating my $5,000 prize to the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation—an organization that has supported my family and I since diagnosis, and helps millions of others just like myself.”

To view their entire presentation, click here. 

iuluilui

Expert Judging Panel

Mr. John Forte is the CEO and President of VT-ARC, responsible for guiding strategic growth in applied research and development with the intent of strengthening national security, driving societal impact, and improving the human condition. In this capacity he also oversees 5 Innovation Centers for the Air and Space Force, drawing together government, industry and academia to advance research and accelerate innovation. 

Prior to VT-ARC, Mr. Forte served as one of the US Air and Space Force’s 5 science and technology executives (EPAs), responsible for advising the command, control, communications and networking needs of the warfighter and the Department of Defense. He was charged with creating forward leaning and innovative ecosystems focusing upon the toughest challenges across multiple operating domains. During this time Mr. Forte also served as an advisor on the Defense Science Board for critical infrastructure resilience. 

Mr. Forte served nearly 10 years as a senior leader within the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (JHU/APL). His culminating assignment was as the Executive for the Homeland Protection Mission Area, directing the development and implementation of technologies and solutions to protect the United States against a variety of asymmetric threats. While at JHU, he founded and served as the Interim Director of JHU’s Institute for Assured Autonomy, a center of excellence charged with driving safety, security, and reliability into the future autonomous world. 

Mr. Forte served in numerous senior leadership positions within the public and private sectors, including the Morgan Franklin Corporation, MITRE, and as the Chief Scientist for the White House Communications Agency. He also served as a communications officer in the US Army, assigned to multiple airborne and special operations units and deploying in support of operations in Bosnia, Kosovo and Iraq. 

Mr. Forte earned a BSEE from the University of Tulsa and an MSEE from George Washington University with a focus in Communications and Networks. He also completed Executive Programs at the Harvard Kennedy School on Cybersecurity: The Intersection of Policy and Technology; as well as on National and International Security. 

Mr. Amrit Saxena is the Founder & CEO of SaxeCap, an AI transformation and private equity investment firm, that conducts AI-levered buyouts and transforms enterprises with AI & automation technology.  Additionally, he has successfully founded & sold two AI companies (Stella.ai, Fancy That) and is an active angel investor in data, AI, and enterprise software companies in the Silicon Valley, investing in 300+ early stage technology companies (including being an early investor in companies like OpenAI, Anthropic, Figure, Perplexity, SpaceX, Palantir, etc.).  

Prior to SaxeCap, Amrit founded and scaled Stella, a talent sourcing AI company, to over 150 large enterprise clients (including 10% of the Fortune 500), leading technology (data science, product, engineering, etc.) and operations (pre-sales, client integrations, etc.). Stella was sold to Cornell Capital and Trilantic Capital Partners in a $1B+ private equity transaction in 2021. Additionally, Amrit founded, scaled, and sold Fancy That, a retail AI company, to Palantir (NYSE: PLTR) in 2015.  Between his two AI startups, Amrit has experience buying a company, selling two companies, and scaling teams from 0 to 50+ people. Amrit previously worked at Bain & Company, Groupon, AmEx, and e2e Analytics and taught and researched AI at Stanford & MIT.

He received his B.S. in Computer Science with a concentration in Artificial Intelligence and M.S. in Management Science & Engineering with a concentration in Operations Research, both from Stanford University with Distinction. Additionally, he has garnered numerous accolades, including being awarded 7 U.S. patents (relating to AI and optimization), a three time finalist in the United States of America Mathematical Olympiad (USAMO), winner of the American Mathematics Competition (AMC), finalist in the United States Physics Olympiad (USAPhO), Congressional Award Gold Medalist, Research Science Institute (RSI) Scholar, American Regions Math League (ARML) winner, and was selected for the President’s Award for Academic Excellence and the Tau Beta Pi Engineering Honors Society while at Stanford. 

Mr. Ken Snyder serves as the Executive Director of the Shingo Institute and as a Senior Lecturer in the department of Marketing, Strategy, Leadership, and Entrepreneurship (MSLE) of the Jon M. Huntsman School of Business at Utah State University. He has regularly taught the business planning course in the Entrepreneurship program. 

Mr. Snyder earned an MBA from the Harvard Graduate School of Business in 1980 with an emphasis in international business. Immediately after graduation, Mr. Snyder joined a Japanese electronics manufacturing company and led the startup of its U.S. affiliate company as plant manager, CFO, and later president of that company. 

Mr. Snyder then raised money to launch a venture startup company which ultimately was unsuccessful. Mr. Snyder then led a corporate-backed startup company, Progressive Impressions International (PII) in Bloomington, Illinois. Following this successful startup, Mr. Snyder then led a corporate venture capital fund within Taylor Corporation. 

Before joining the Huntsman School, Mr. Snyder was president of Marketing Communication Inc., an operating division of Taylor Corporation, where he directed a group of six companies while growing revenues from $25 million to over $80 million. He joined the Jon M. Huntsman School of Business in 2008. 

2024 – 2025 Startups at Spring Competition: Wellness in the Workplace

by Leave a Comment

Thinking of a creative and unique business idea is a challenge for even the globe’s most talented and proven business professionals. Give that same challenge to a group of high school students all attending exceptional schools, and the results are sure to impress. How could students in grades 9 – 12 create a start-up idea, product, or service from inception to implementation? One that would also impress a panel of judges made up of industry professionals? That’s what a group of educators seek to discover at the yearly Startups at Spring Competition.  

The competition is open to high school students attending a Spring Education Group school and focuses on a specific type of business start-up. This year’s theme was “Wellness in the Workplace” and it allowed the students to think outside of the box and present their ideas, first to their local school, and then one team from each school was selected and invited to attend a network-wide competition. Students then made the same presentation but, instead of it being in front of their peers and school administration, it was in front of industry professionals.  

The professionals judge the competition on the feasibility and profitability of each idea presented. Judges listened to see if the teams explained their business idea clearly, was it unique, and implemented the year’s theme. Beyond those basic judging expectations, they also sought to see if the team understood and addressed the financial challenges of starting a business, did they effectively present their market strategy, and could they answer confidently improvisational questions regarding their “pitch”.  

Ms. Jaymie Silva, BASIS Independent Schools Subject Expert Teacher and organizer of the competition said, “I was so impressed with the level of maturity in this year’s presentations. Our theme was wellness, and we had students speaking on subjects related to health, safety, and well-being at levels far beyond their teenage years. It really makes me hopeful that they will be able to bring some of these ideas to fruition in the future.” 

The top three teams are awarded prize money to be donated to a charity of their choice.  

Third Place: Team Wanderphyll
(awarded $2,000)

Team Members: Akhil G. (Grade 9) and Jacob L. (Grade 9) 

School: BASIS Independent Silicon Valley 

Startup: Wanderphyll: Explore the Wanderphyll World of Nature 

Selected Charity: World Wildlife Fund  

Pitch: Stress and laziness from schools and offices have caused people to stop going outside. People would rather spend their free time on their phones or watching TV.  Mental health issues like depression increase alongside with pressure and stress from work and constant screen time and lack of exercise. Going outside to nature restores people’s mental well-being and reduces depression and anxiety in most people. 

Wanderphyll is a mobile app that incentivizes going outdoors by turning it into a passive game. 

Team Take Away 
“The entire Startups at Spring experience has been a wonderful learning opportunity; allowing us to experience the full process of fleshing out an idea into a detailed framework for a startup. It was a fun experience and we enjoyed watching the other presentations and we’re glad that it was also able to make a positive impact in the form of a donation to a charity. Additionally, we’d like to thank the organizers, especially Ms. Silva, and the judges for making the whole competition possible.”

To view their entire presentation, click here.  

Second Place: Team SipSense
(awarded $3,000)

Team Members: Rishik P. (Grade 10) and Aarya V. (Grade 11) 

School: BASIS Independent McLean 

Startup: SipSense: Have a Sense of What You’re Sipping 

Selected Charity: US-India Solidarity Mission 

Pitch: 11 million women in the U.S. have been assaulted or worse as a result of involuntary consumption of drugs through drinks. More than 80% of women have reported an imminent need for safer pubs, bars, and restaurants.

The solution? A drug sensor system that is accurate, reuseable, discrete, and is connected to a multi-functional app.

Team Take Away 
“Developing our startup idea and building a prototype was a truly unique and inspiring journey. It expanded our vision of what’s possible—from further product development and manufacturing to real-world application. Throughout this competition, we discovered our ability to create innovative solutions that address genuine needs in modern society. We extend our heartfelt thanks to Mr. Wright and Mr. Biemesderfer for helping refine our pitch deck to its best possible version. Above all, this experience taught us that many of today’s societal challenges remain inadequately addressed, and there is a critical demand for creative, effective solutions.”

To view their entire presentation, click here. 

First Place: Team OurIBD
(awarded $5,000)

Team Members: Zoe A. (Grade 9) 

School: Laurel Springs 

Startup: Our IBD: AI Powered Gut Health Tracking – From Toilet to Data, Instantly 

Selected Charity: Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation 

Pitch: 10 million plus are diagnosed with inflammatory (IBD) globally. 80% struggle with tracking symptoms accurately and current solutions are invasive, expensive, and unreliable. Patients are forced to guess, leading to frequent ER visits and worsening health.  

The solution is an AI-powered, non-invasive stool monitoring device.   

Team Take Away 
“Winning 1st place at the Startups at Spring Competition isn’t just an award—it’s validation that an idea born from my own struggles has the power to help others. I started OurIBD because I knew firsthand how frustrating and exhausting it is to manage IBD with delayed test results, invasive procedures, and unreliable tracking methods. What began as a personal project—a way to automate symptom tracking and detect inflammation through AI—has grown into something real, impactful, and now, recognized.

Pitching my startup, seeing industry leaders believe in what I’m building was a moment I’ll never forget. It reinforced that this isn’t just a personal solution—it’s something that can truly change lives. I’m incredibly honored, not just for the recognition, but for the chance to take this further, refine my prototype, and push toward making this available to real patients. And to give back, I’m honored to be donating my $5,000 prize to the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation—an organization that has supported my family and I since diagnosis, and helps millions of others just like myself.”

To view their entire presentation, click here. 

iuluilui

Expert Judging Panel

Mr. John Forte is the CEO and President of VT-ARC, responsible for guiding strategic growth in applied research and development with the intent of strengthening national security, driving societal impact, and improving the human condition. In this capacity he also oversees 5 Innovation Centers for the Air and Space Force, drawing together government, industry and academia to advance research and accelerate innovation. 

Prior to VT-ARC, Mr. Forte served as one of the US Air and Space Force’s 5 science and technology executives (EPAs), responsible for advising the command, control, communications and networking needs of the warfighter and the Department of Defense. He was charged with creating forward leaning and innovative ecosystems focusing upon the toughest challenges across multiple operating domains. During this time Mr. Forte also served as an advisor on the Defense Science Board for critical infrastructure resilience. 

Mr. Forte served nearly 10 years as a senior leader within the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (JHU/APL). His culminating assignment was as the Executive for the Homeland Protection Mission Area, directing the development and implementation of technologies and solutions to protect the United States against a variety of asymmetric threats. While at JHU, he founded and served as the Interim Director of JHU’s Institute for Assured Autonomy, a center of excellence charged with driving safety, security, and reliability into the future autonomous world. 

Mr. Forte served in numerous senior leadership positions within the public and private sectors, including the Morgan Franklin Corporation, MITRE, and as the Chief Scientist for the White House Communications Agency. He also served as a communications officer in the US Army, assigned to multiple airborne and special operations units and deploying in support of operations in Bosnia, Kosovo and Iraq. 

Mr. Forte earned a BSEE from the University of Tulsa and an MSEE from George Washington University with a focus in Communications and Networks. He also completed Executive Programs at the Harvard Kennedy School on Cybersecurity: The Intersection of Policy and Technology; as well as on National and International Security. 

Mr. Amrit Saxena is the Founder & CEO of SaxeCap, an AI transformation and private equity investment firm, that conducts AI-levered buyouts and transforms enterprises with AI & automation technology.  Additionally, he has successfully founded & sold two AI companies (Stella.ai, Fancy That) and is an active angel investor in data, AI, and enterprise software companies in the Silicon Valley, investing in 300+ early stage technology companies (including being an early investor in companies like OpenAI, Anthropic, Figure, Perplexity, SpaceX, Palantir, etc.).  

Prior to SaxeCap, Amrit founded and scaled Stella, a talent sourcing AI company, to over 150 large enterprise clients (including 10% of the Fortune 500), leading technology (data science, product, engineering, etc.) and operations (pre-sales, client integrations, etc.). Stella was sold to Cornell Capital and Trilantic Capital Partners in a $1B+ private equity transaction in 2021. Additionally, Amrit founded, scaled, and sold Fancy That, a retail AI company, to Palantir (NYSE: PLTR) in 2015.  Between his two AI startups, Amrit has experience buying a company, selling two companies, and scaling teams from 0 to 50+ people. Amrit previously worked at Bain & Company, Groupon, AmEx, and e2e Analytics and taught and researched AI at Stanford & MIT.

He received his B.S. in Computer Science with a concentration in Artificial Intelligence and M.S. in Management Science & Engineering with a concentration in Operations Research, both from Stanford University with Distinction. Additionally, he has garnered numerous accolades, including being awarded 7 U.S. patents (relating to AI and optimization), a three time finalist in the United States of America Mathematical Olympiad (USAMO), winner of the American Mathematics Competition (AMC), finalist in the United States Physics Olympiad (USAPhO), Congressional Award Gold Medalist, Research Science Institute (RSI) Scholar, American Regions Math League (ARML) winner, and was selected for the President’s Award for Academic Excellence and the Tau Beta Pi Engineering Honors Society while at Stanford. 

Mr. Ken Snyder serves as the Executive Director of the Shingo Institute and as a Senior Lecturer in the department of Marketing, Strategy, Leadership, and Entrepreneurship (MSLE) of the Jon M. Huntsman School of Business at Utah State University. He has regularly taught the business planning course in the Entrepreneurship program. 

Mr. Snyder earned an MBA from the Harvard Graduate School of Business in 1980 with an emphasis in international business. Immediately after graduation, Mr. Snyder joined a Japanese electronics manufacturing company and led the startup of its U.S. affiliate company as plant manager, CFO, and later president of that company. 

Mr. Snyder then raised money to launch a venture startup company which ultimately was unsuccessful. Mr. Snyder then led a corporate-backed startup company, Progressive Impressions International (PII) in Bloomington, Illinois. Following this successful startup, Mr. Snyder then led a corporate venture capital fund within Taylor Corporation. 

Before joining the Huntsman School, Mr. Snyder was president of Marketing Communication Inc., an operating division of Taylor Corporation, where he directed a group of six companies while growing revenues from $25 million to over $80 million. He joined the Jon M. Huntsman School of Business in 2008. 

2024 – 2025 Startups at Spring Competition: Wellness in the Workplace

by Leave a Comment

Thinking of a creative and unique business idea is a challenge for even the globe’s most talented and proven business professionals. Give that same challenge to a group of high school students all attending exceptional schools, and the results are sure to impress. How could students in grades 9 – 12 create a start-up idea, product, or service from inception to implementation? One that would also impress a panel of judges made up of industry professionals? That’s what a group of educators seek to discover at the yearly Startups at Spring Competition.  

The competition is open to high school students attending a Spring Education Group school and focuses on a specific type of business start-up. This year’s theme was “Wellness in the Workplace” and it allowed the students to think outside of the box and present their ideas, first to their local school, and then one team from each school was selected and invited to attend a network-wide competition. Students then made the same presentation but, instead of it being in front of their peers and school administration, it was in front of industry professionals.  

The professionals judge the competition on the feasibility and profitability of each idea presented. Judges listened to see if the teams explained their business idea clearly, was it unique, and implemented the year’s theme. Beyond those basic judging expectations, they also sought to see if the team understood and addressed the financial challenges of starting a business, did they effectively present their market strategy, and could they answer confidently improvisational questions regarding their “pitch”.  

Ms. Jaymie Silva, BASIS Independent Schools Subject Expert Teacher and organizer of the competition said, “I was so impressed with the level of maturity in this year’s presentations. Our theme was wellness, and we had students speaking on subjects related to health, safety, and well-being at levels far beyond their teenage years. It really makes me hopeful that they will be able to bring some of these ideas to fruition in the future.” 

The top three teams are awarded prize money to be donated to a charity of their choice.  

Third Place: Team Wanderphyll
(awarded $2,000)

Team Members: Akhil G. (Grade 9) and Jacob L. (Grade 9) 

School: BASIS Independent Silicon Valley 

Startup: Wanderphyll: Explore the Wanderphyll World of Nature 

Selected Charity: World Wildlife Fund  

Pitch: Stress and laziness from schools and offices have caused people to stop going outside. People would rather spend their free time on their phones or watching TV.  Mental health issues like depression increase alongside with pressure and stress from work and constant screen time and lack of exercise. Going outside to nature restores people’s mental well-being and reduces depression and anxiety in most people. 

Wanderphyll is a mobile app that incentivizes going outdoors by turning it into a passive game. 

Team Take Away 
“The entire Startups at Spring experience has been a wonderful learning opportunity; allowing us to experience the full process of fleshing out an idea into a detailed framework for a startup. It was a fun experience and we enjoyed watching the other presentations and we’re glad that it was also able to make a positive impact in the form of a donation to a charity. Additionally, we’d like to thank the organizers, especially Ms. Silva, and the judges for making the whole competition possible.”

To view their entire presentation, click here.  

Second Place: Team SipSense
(awarded $3,000)

Team Members: Rishik P. (Grade 10) and Aarya V. (Grade 11) 

School: BASIS Independent McLean 

Startup: SipSense: Have a Sense of What You’re Sipping 

Selected Charity: US-India Solidarity Mission 

Pitch: 11 million women in the U.S. have been assaulted or worse as a result of involuntary consumption of drugs through drinks. More than 80% of women have reported an imminent need for safer pubs, bars, and restaurants.

The solution? A drug sensor system that is accurate, reuseable, discrete, and is connected to a multi-functional app.

Team Take Away 
“Developing our startup idea and building a prototype was a truly unique and inspiring journey. It expanded our vision of what’s possible—from further product development and manufacturing to real-world application. Throughout this competition, we discovered our ability to create innovative solutions that address genuine needs in modern society. We extend our heartfelt thanks to Mr. Wright and Mr. Biemesderfer for helping refine our pitch deck to its best possible version. Above all, this experience taught us that many of today’s societal challenges remain inadequately addressed, and there is a critical demand for creative, effective solutions.”

To view their entire presentation, click here. 

First Place: Team OurIBD
(awarded $5,000)

Team Members: Zoe A. (Grade 9) 

School: Laurel Springs 

Startup: Our IBD: AI Powered Gut Health Tracking – From Toilet to Data, Instantly 

Selected Charity: Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation 

Pitch: 10 million plus are diagnosed with inflammatory (IBD) globally. 80% struggle with tracking symptoms accurately and current solutions are invasive, expensive, and unreliable. Patients are forced to guess, leading to frequent ER visits and worsening health.  

The solution is an AI-powered, non-invasive stool monitoring device.   

Team Take Away 
“Winning 1st place at the Startups at Spring Competition isn’t just an award—it’s validation that an idea born from my own struggles has the power to help others. I started OurIBD because I knew firsthand how frustrating and exhausting it is to manage IBD with delayed test results, invasive procedures, and unreliable tracking methods. What began as a personal project—a way to automate symptom tracking and detect inflammation through AI—has grown into something real, impactful, and now, recognized.

Pitching my startup, seeing industry leaders believe in what I’m building was a moment I’ll never forget. It reinforced that this isn’t just a personal solution—it’s something that can truly change lives. I’m incredibly honored, not just for the recognition, but for the chance to take this further, refine my prototype, and push toward making this available to real patients. And to give back, I’m honored to be donating my $5,000 prize to the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation—an organization that has supported my family and I since diagnosis, and helps millions of others just like myself.”

To view their entire presentation, click here. 

iuluilui

Expert Judging Panel

Mr. John Forte is the CEO and President of VT-ARC, responsible for guiding strategic growth in applied research and development with the intent of strengthening national security, driving societal impact, and improving the human condition. In this capacity he also oversees 5 Innovation Centers for the Air and Space Force, drawing together government, industry and academia to advance research and accelerate innovation. 

Prior to VT-ARC, Mr. Forte served as one of the US Air and Space Force’s 5 science and technology executives (EPAs), responsible for advising the command, control, communications and networking needs of the warfighter and the Department of Defense. He was charged with creating forward leaning and innovative ecosystems focusing upon the toughest challenges across multiple operating domains. During this time Mr. Forte also served as an advisor on the Defense Science Board for critical infrastructure resilience. 

Mr. Forte served nearly 10 years as a senior leader within the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (JHU/APL). His culminating assignment was as the Executive for the Homeland Protection Mission Area, directing the development and implementation of technologies and solutions to protect the United States against a variety of asymmetric threats. While at JHU, he founded and served as the Interim Director of JHU’s Institute for Assured Autonomy, a center of excellence charged with driving safety, security, and reliability into the future autonomous world. 

Mr. Forte served in numerous senior leadership positions within the public and private sectors, including the Morgan Franklin Corporation, MITRE, and as the Chief Scientist for the White House Communications Agency. He also served as a communications officer in the US Army, assigned to multiple airborne and special operations units and deploying in support of operations in Bosnia, Kosovo and Iraq. 

Mr. Forte earned a BSEE from the University of Tulsa and an MSEE from George Washington University with a focus in Communications and Networks. He also completed Executive Programs at the Harvard Kennedy School on Cybersecurity: The Intersection of Policy and Technology; as well as on National and International Security. 

Mr. Amrit Saxena is the Founder & CEO of SaxeCap, an AI transformation and private equity investment firm, that conducts AI-levered buyouts and transforms enterprises with AI & automation technology.  Additionally, he has successfully founded & sold two AI companies (Stella.ai, Fancy That) and is an active angel investor in data, AI, and enterprise software companies in the Silicon Valley, investing in 300+ early stage technology companies (including being an early investor in companies like OpenAI, Anthropic, Figure, Perplexity, SpaceX, Palantir, etc.).  

Prior to SaxeCap, Amrit founded and scaled Stella, a talent sourcing AI company, to over 150 large enterprise clients (including 10% of the Fortune 500), leading technology (data science, product, engineering, etc.) and operations (pre-sales, client integrations, etc.). Stella was sold to Cornell Capital and Trilantic Capital Partners in a $1B+ private equity transaction in 2021. Additionally, Amrit founded, scaled, and sold Fancy That, a retail AI company, to Palantir (NYSE: PLTR) in 2015.  Between his two AI startups, Amrit has experience buying a company, selling two companies, and scaling teams from 0 to 50+ people. Amrit previously worked at Bain & Company, Groupon, AmEx, and e2e Analytics and taught and researched AI at Stanford & MIT.

He received his B.S. in Computer Science with a concentration in Artificial Intelligence and M.S. in Management Science & Engineering with a concentration in Operations Research, both from Stanford University with Distinction. Additionally, he has garnered numerous accolades, including being awarded 7 U.S. patents (relating to AI and optimization), a three time finalist in the United States of America Mathematical Olympiad (USAMO), winner of the American Mathematics Competition (AMC), finalist in the United States Physics Olympiad (USAPhO), Congressional Award Gold Medalist, Research Science Institute (RSI) Scholar, American Regions Math League (ARML) winner, and was selected for the President’s Award for Academic Excellence and the Tau Beta Pi Engineering Honors Society while at Stanford. 

Mr. Ken Snyder serves as the Executive Director of the Shingo Institute and as a Senior Lecturer in the department of Marketing, Strategy, Leadership, and Entrepreneurship (MSLE) of the Jon M. Huntsman School of Business at Utah State University. He has regularly taught the business planning course in the Entrepreneurship program. 

Mr. Snyder earned an MBA from the Harvard Graduate School of Business in 1980 with an emphasis in international business. Immediately after graduation, Mr. Snyder joined a Japanese electronics manufacturing company and led the startup of its U.S. affiliate company as plant manager, CFO, and later president of that company. 

Mr. Snyder then raised money to launch a venture startup company which ultimately was unsuccessful. Mr. Snyder then led a corporate-backed startup company, Progressive Impressions International (PII) in Bloomington, Illinois. Following this successful startup, Mr. Snyder then led a corporate venture capital fund within Taylor Corporation. 

Before joining the Huntsman School, Mr. Snyder was president of Marketing Communication Inc., an operating division of Taylor Corporation, where he directed a group of six companies while growing revenues from $25 million to over $80 million. He joined the Jon M. Huntsman School of Business in 2008. 

2024 – 2025 Startups at Spring Competition: Wellness in the Workplace

by Leave a Comment

Thinking of a creative and unique business idea is a challenge for even the globe’s most talented and proven business professionals. Give that same challenge to a group of high school students all attending exceptional schools, and the results are sure to impress. How could students in grades 9 – 12 create a start-up idea, product, or service from inception to implementation? One that would also impress a panel of judges made up of industry professionals? That’s what a group of educators seek to discover at the yearly Startups at Spring Competition.  

The competition is open to high school students attending a Spring Education Group school and focuses on a specific type of business start-up. This year’s theme was “Wellness in the Workplace” and it allowed the students to think outside of the box and present their ideas, first to their local school, and then one team from each school was selected and invited to attend a network-wide competition. Students then made the same presentation but, instead of it being in front of their peers and school administration, it was in front of industry professionals.  

The professionals judge the competition on the feasibility and profitability of each idea presented. Judges listened to see if the teams explained their business idea clearly, was it unique, and implemented the year’s theme. Beyond those basic judging expectations, they also sought to see if the team understood and addressed the financial challenges of starting a business, did they effectively present their market strategy, and could they answer confidently improvisational questions regarding their “pitch”.  

Ms. Jaymie Silva, BASIS Independent Schools Subject Expert Teacher and organizer of the competition said, “I was so impressed with the level of maturity in this year’s presentations. Our theme was wellness, and we had students speaking on subjects related to health, safety, and well-being at levels far beyond their teenage years. It really makes me hopeful that they will be able to bring some of these ideas to fruition in the future.” 

The top three teams are awarded prize money to be donated to a charity of their choice.  

Third Place: Team Wanderphyll
(awarded $2,000)

Team Members: Akhil G. (Grade 9) and Jacob L. (Grade 9) 

School: BASIS Independent Silicon Valley 

Startup: Wanderphyll: Explore the Wanderphyll World of Nature 

Selected Charity: World Wildlife Fund  

Pitch: Stress and laziness from schools and offices have caused people to stop going outside. People would rather spend their free time on their phones or watching TV.  Mental health issues like depression increase alongside with pressure and stress from work and constant screen time and lack of exercise. Going outside to nature restores people’s mental well-being and reduces depression and anxiety in most people. 

Wanderphyll is a mobile app that incentivizes going outdoors by turning it into a passive game. 

Team Take Away 
“The entire Startups at Spring experience has been a wonderful learning opportunity; allowing us to experience the full process of fleshing out an idea into a detailed framework for a startup. It was a fun experience and we enjoyed watching the other presentations and we’re glad that it was also able to make a positive impact in the form of a donation to a charity. Additionally, we’d like to thank the organizers, especially Ms. Silva, and the judges for making the whole competition possible.”

To view their entire presentation, click here.  

Second Place: Team SipSense
(awarded $3,000)

Team Members: Rishik P. (Grade 10) and Aarya V. (Grade 11) 

School: BASIS Independent McLean 

Startup: SipSense: Have a Sense of What You’re Sipping 

Selected Charity: US-India Solidarity Mission 

Pitch: 11 million women in the U.S. have been assaulted or worse as a result of involuntary consumption of drugs through drinks. More than 80% of women have reported an imminent need for safer pubs, bars, and restaurants.

The solution? A drug sensor system that is accurate, reuseable, discrete, and is connected to a multi-functional app.

Team Take Away 
“Developing our startup idea and building a prototype was a truly unique and inspiring journey. It expanded our vision of what’s possible—from further product development and manufacturing to real-world application. Throughout this competition, we discovered our ability to create innovative solutions that address genuine needs in modern society. We extend our heartfelt thanks to Mr. Wright and Mr. Biemesderfer for helping refine our pitch deck to its best possible version. Above all, this experience taught us that many of today’s societal challenges remain inadequately addressed, and there is a critical demand for creative, effective solutions.”

To view their entire presentation, click here. 

First Place: Team OurIBD
(awarded $5,000)

Team Members: Zoe A. (Grade 9) 

School: Laurel Springs 

Startup: Our IBD: AI Powered Gut Health Tracking – From Toilet to Data, Instantly 

Selected Charity: Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation 

Pitch: 10 million plus are diagnosed with inflammatory (IBD) globally. 80% struggle with tracking symptoms accurately and current solutions are invasive, expensive, and unreliable. Patients are forced to guess, leading to frequent ER visits and worsening health.  

The solution is an AI-powered, non-invasive stool monitoring device.   

Team Take Away 
“Winning 1st place at the Startups at Spring Competition isn’t just an award—it’s validation that an idea born from my own struggles has the power to help others. I started OurIBD because I knew firsthand how frustrating and exhausting it is to manage IBD with delayed test results, invasive procedures, and unreliable tracking methods. What began as a personal project—a way to automate symptom tracking and detect inflammation through AI—has grown into something real, impactful, and now, recognized.

Pitching my startup, seeing industry leaders believe in what I’m building was a moment I’ll never forget. It reinforced that this isn’t just a personal solution—it’s something that can truly change lives. I’m incredibly honored, not just for the recognition, but for the chance to take this further, refine my prototype, and push toward making this available to real patients. And to give back, I’m honored to be donating my $5,000 prize to the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation—an organization that has supported my family and I since diagnosis, and helps millions of others just like myself.”

To view their entire presentation, click here. 

iuluilui

Expert Judging Panel

Mr. John Forte is the CEO and President of VT-ARC, responsible for guiding strategic growth in applied research and development with the intent of strengthening national security, driving societal impact, and improving the human condition. In this capacity he also oversees 5 Innovation Centers for the Air and Space Force, drawing together government, industry and academia to advance research and accelerate innovation. 

Prior to VT-ARC, Mr. Forte served as one of the US Air and Space Force’s 5 science and technology executives (EPAs), responsible for advising the command, control, communications and networking needs of the warfighter and the Department of Defense. He was charged with creating forward leaning and innovative ecosystems focusing upon the toughest challenges across multiple operating domains. During this time Mr. Forte also served as an advisor on the Defense Science Board for critical infrastructure resilience. 

Mr. Forte served nearly 10 years as a senior leader within the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (JHU/APL). His culminating assignment was as the Executive for the Homeland Protection Mission Area, directing the development and implementation of technologies and solutions to protect the United States against a variety of asymmetric threats. While at JHU, he founded and served as the Interim Director of JHU’s Institute for Assured Autonomy, a center of excellence charged with driving safety, security, and reliability into the future autonomous world. 

Mr. Forte served in numerous senior leadership positions within the public and private sectors, including the Morgan Franklin Corporation, MITRE, and as the Chief Scientist for the White House Communications Agency. He also served as a communications officer in the US Army, assigned to multiple airborne and special operations units and deploying in support of operations in Bosnia, Kosovo and Iraq. 

Mr. Forte earned a BSEE from the University of Tulsa and an MSEE from George Washington University with a focus in Communications and Networks. He also completed Executive Programs at the Harvard Kennedy School on Cybersecurity: The Intersection of Policy and Technology; as well as on National and International Security. 

Mr. Amrit Saxena is the Founder & CEO of SaxeCap, an AI transformation and private equity investment firm, that conducts AI-levered buyouts and transforms enterprises with AI & automation technology.  Additionally, he has successfully founded & sold two AI companies (Stella.ai, Fancy That) and is an active angel investor in data, AI, and enterprise software companies in the Silicon Valley, investing in 300+ early stage technology companies (including being an early investor in companies like OpenAI, Anthropic, Figure, Perplexity, SpaceX, Palantir, etc.).  

Prior to SaxeCap, Amrit founded and scaled Stella, a talent sourcing AI company, to over 150 large enterprise clients (including 10% of the Fortune 500), leading technology (data science, product, engineering, etc.) and operations (pre-sales, client integrations, etc.). Stella was sold to Cornell Capital and Trilantic Capital Partners in a $1B+ private equity transaction in 2021. Additionally, Amrit founded, scaled, and sold Fancy That, a retail AI company, to Palantir (NYSE: PLTR) in 2015.  Between his two AI startups, Amrit has experience buying a company, selling two companies, and scaling teams from 0 to 50+ people. Amrit previously worked at Bain & Company, Groupon, AmEx, and e2e Analytics and taught and researched AI at Stanford & MIT.

He received his B.S. in Computer Science with a concentration in Artificial Intelligence and M.S. in Management Science & Engineering with a concentration in Operations Research, both from Stanford University with Distinction. Additionally, he has garnered numerous accolades, including being awarded 7 U.S. patents (relating to AI and optimization), a three time finalist in the United States of America Mathematical Olympiad (USAMO), winner of the American Mathematics Competition (AMC), finalist in the United States Physics Olympiad (USAPhO), Congressional Award Gold Medalist, Research Science Institute (RSI) Scholar, American Regions Math League (ARML) winner, and was selected for the President’s Award for Academic Excellence and the Tau Beta Pi Engineering Honors Society while at Stanford. 

Mr. Ken Snyder serves as the Executive Director of the Shingo Institute and as a Senior Lecturer in the department of Marketing, Strategy, Leadership, and Entrepreneurship (MSLE) of the Jon M. Huntsman School of Business at Utah State University. He has regularly taught the business planning course in the Entrepreneurship program. 

Mr. Snyder earned an MBA from the Harvard Graduate School of Business in 1980 with an emphasis in international business. Immediately after graduation, Mr. Snyder joined a Japanese electronics manufacturing company and led the startup of its U.S. affiliate company as plant manager, CFO, and later president of that company. 

Mr. Snyder then raised money to launch a venture startup company which ultimately was unsuccessful. Mr. Snyder then led a corporate-backed startup company, Progressive Impressions International (PII) in Bloomington, Illinois. Following this successful startup, Mr. Snyder then led a corporate venture capital fund within Taylor Corporation. 

Before joining the Huntsman School, Mr. Snyder was president of Marketing Communication Inc., an operating division of Taylor Corporation, where he directed a group of six companies while growing revenues from $25 million to over $80 million. He joined the Jon M. Huntsman School of Business in 2008. 

2024 – 2025 Startups at Spring Competition: Wellness in the Workplace

by Leave a Comment

Thinking of a creative and unique business idea is a challenge for even the globe’s most talented and proven business professionals. Give that same challenge to a group of high school students all attending exceptional schools, and the results are sure to impress. How could students in grades 9 – 12 create a start-up idea, product, or service from inception to implementation? One that would also impress a panel of judges made up of industry professionals? That’s what a group of educators seek to discover at the yearly Startups at Spring Competition.  

The competition is open to high school students attending a Spring Education Group school and focuses on a specific type of business start-up. This year’s theme was “Wellness in the Workplace” and it allowed the students to think outside of the box and present their ideas, first to their local school, and then one team from each school was selected and invited to attend a network-wide competition. Students then made the same presentation but, instead of it being in front of their peers and school administration, it was in front of industry professionals.  

The professionals judge the competition on the feasibility and profitability of each idea presented. Judges listened to see if the teams explained their business idea clearly, was it unique, and implemented the year’s theme. Beyond those basic judging expectations, they also sought to see if the team understood and addressed the financial challenges of starting a business, did they effectively present their market strategy, and could they answer confidently improvisational questions regarding their “pitch”.  

Ms. Jaymie Silva, BASIS Independent Schools Subject Expert Teacher and organizer of the competition said, “I was so impressed with the level of maturity in this year’s presentations. Our theme was wellness, and we had students speaking on subjects related to health, safety, and well-being at levels far beyond their teenage years. It really makes me hopeful that they will be able to bring some of these ideas to fruition in the future.” 

The top three teams are awarded prize money to be donated to a charity of their choice.  

Third Place: Team Wanderphyll
(awarded $2,000)

Team Members: Akhil G. (Grade 9) and Jacob L. (Grade 9) 

School: BASIS Independent Silicon Valley 

Startup: Wanderphyll: Explore the Wanderphyll World of Nature 

Selected Charity: World Wildlife Fund  

Pitch: Stress and laziness from schools and offices have caused people to stop going outside. People would rather spend their free time on their phones or watching TV.  Mental health issues like depression increase alongside with pressure and stress from work and constant screen time and lack of exercise. Going outside to nature restores people’s mental well-being and reduces depression and anxiety in most people. 

Wanderphyll is a mobile app that incentivizes going outdoors by turning it into a passive game. 

Team Take Away 
“The entire Startups at Spring experience has been a wonderful learning opportunity; allowing us to experience the full process of fleshing out an idea into a detailed framework for a startup. It was a fun experience and we enjoyed watching the other presentations and we’re glad that it was also able to make a positive impact in the form of a donation to a charity. Additionally, we’d like to thank the organizers, especially Ms. Silva, and the judges for making the whole competition possible.”

To view their entire presentation, click here.  

Second Place: Team SipSense
(awarded $3,000)

Team Members: Rishik P. (Grade 10) and Aarya V. (Grade 11) 

School: BASIS Independent McLean 

Startup: SipSense: Have a Sense of What You’re Sipping 

Selected Charity: US-India Solidarity Mission 

Pitch: 11 million women in the U.S. have been assaulted or worse as a result of involuntary consumption of drugs through drinks. More than 80% of women have reported an imminent need for safer pubs, bars, and restaurants.

The solution? A drug sensor system that is accurate, reuseable, discrete, and is connected to a multi-functional app.

Team Take Away 
“Developing our startup idea and building a prototype was a truly unique and inspiring journey. It expanded our vision of what’s possible—from further product development and manufacturing to real-world application. Throughout this competition, we discovered our ability to create innovative solutions that address genuine needs in modern society. We extend our heartfelt thanks to Mr. Wright and Mr. Biemesderfer for helping refine our pitch deck to its best possible version. Above all, this experience taught us that many of today’s societal challenges remain inadequately addressed, and there is a critical demand for creative, effective solutions.”

To view their entire presentation, click here. 

First Place: Team OurIBD
(awarded $5,000)

Team Members: Zoe A. (Grade 9) 

School: Laurel Springs 

Startup: Our IBD: AI Powered Gut Health Tracking – From Toilet to Data, Instantly 

Selected Charity: Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation 

Pitch: 10 million plus are diagnosed with inflammatory (IBD) globally. 80% struggle with tracking symptoms accurately and current solutions are invasive, expensive, and unreliable. Patients are forced to guess, leading to frequent ER visits and worsening health.  

The solution is an AI-powered, non-invasive stool monitoring device.   

Team Take Away 
“Winning 1st place at the Startups at Spring Competition isn’t just an award—it’s validation that an idea born from my own struggles has the power to help others. I started OurIBD because I knew firsthand how frustrating and exhausting it is to manage IBD with delayed test results, invasive procedures, and unreliable tracking methods. What began as a personal project—a way to automate symptom tracking and detect inflammation through AI—has grown into something real, impactful, and now, recognized.

Pitching my startup, seeing industry leaders believe in what I’m building was a moment I’ll never forget. It reinforced that this isn’t just a personal solution—it’s something that can truly change lives. I’m incredibly honored, not just for the recognition, but for the chance to take this further, refine my prototype, and push toward making this available to real patients. And to give back, I’m honored to be donating my $5,000 prize to the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation—an organization that has supported my family and I since diagnosis, and helps millions of others just like myself.”

To view their entire presentation, click here. 

iuluilui

Expert Judging Panel

Mr. John Forte is the CEO and President of VT-ARC, responsible for guiding strategic growth in applied research and development with the intent of strengthening national security, driving societal impact, and improving the human condition. In this capacity he also oversees 5 Innovation Centers for the Air and Space Force, drawing together government, industry and academia to advance research and accelerate innovation. 

Prior to VT-ARC, Mr. Forte served as one of the US Air and Space Force’s 5 science and technology executives (EPAs), responsible for advising the command, control, communications and networking needs of the warfighter and the Department of Defense. He was charged with creating forward leaning and innovative ecosystems focusing upon the toughest challenges across multiple operating domains. During this time Mr. Forte also served as an advisor on the Defense Science Board for critical infrastructure resilience. 

Mr. Forte served nearly 10 years as a senior leader within the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (JHU/APL). His culminating assignment was as the Executive for the Homeland Protection Mission Area, directing the development and implementation of technologies and solutions to protect the United States against a variety of asymmetric threats. While at JHU, he founded and served as the Interim Director of JHU’s Institute for Assured Autonomy, a center of excellence charged with driving safety, security, and reliability into the future autonomous world. 

Mr. Forte served in numerous senior leadership positions within the public and private sectors, including the Morgan Franklin Corporation, MITRE, and as the Chief Scientist for the White House Communications Agency. He also served as a communications officer in the US Army, assigned to multiple airborne and special operations units and deploying in support of operations in Bosnia, Kosovo and Iraq. 

Mr. Forte earned a BSEE from the University of Tulsa and an MSEE from George Washington University with a focus in Communications and Networks. He also completed Executive Programs at the Harvard Kennedy School on Cybersecurity: The Intersection of Policy and Technology; as well as on National and International Security. 

Mr. Amrit Saxena is the Founder & CEO of SaxeCap, an AI transformation and private equity investment firm, that conducts AI-levered buyouts and transforms enterprises with AI & automation technology.  Additionally, he has successfully founded & sold two AI companies (Stella.ai, Fancy That) and is an active angel investor in data, AI, and enterprise software companies in the Silicon Valley, investing in 300+ early stage technology companies (including being an early investor in companies like OpenAI, Anthropic, Figure, Perplexity, SpaceX, Palantir, etc.).  

Prior to SaxeCap, Amrit founded and scaled Stella, a talent sourcing AI company, to over 150 large enterprise clients (including 10% of the Fortune 500), leading technology (data science, product, engineering, etc.) and operations (pre-sales, client integrations, etc.). Stella was sold to Cornell Capital and Trilantic Capital Partners in a $1B+ private equity transaction in 2021. Additionally, Amrit founded, scaled, and sold Fancy That, a retail AI company, to Palantir (NYSE: PLTR) in 2015.  Between his two AI startups, Amrit has experience buying a company, selling two companies, and scaling teams from 0 to 50+ people. Amrit previously worked at Bain & Company, Groupon, AmEx, and e2e Analytics and taught and researched AI at Stanford & MIT.

He received his B.S. in Computer Science with a concentration in Artificial Intelligence and M.S. in Management Science & Engineering with a concentration in Operations Research, both from Stanford University with Distinction. Additionally, he has garnered numerous accolades, including being awarded 7 U.S. patents (relating to AI and optimization), a three time finalist in the United States of America Mathematical Olympiad (USAMO), winner of the American Mathematics Competition (AMC), finalist in the United States Physics Olympiad (USAPhO), Congressional Award Gold Medalist, Research Science Institute (RSI) Scholar, American Regions Math League (ARML) winner, and was selected for the President’s Award for Academic Excellence and the Tau Beta Pi Engineering Honors Society while at Stanford. 

Mr. Ken Snyder serves as the Executive Director of the Shingo Institute and as a Senior Lecturer in the department of Marketing, Strategy, Leadership, and Entrepreneurship (MSLE) of the Jon M. Huntsman School of Business at Utah State University. He has regularly taught the business planning course in the Entrepreneurship program. 

Mr. Snyder earned an MBA from the Harvard Graduate School of Business in 1980 with an emphasis in international business. Immediately after graduation, Mr. Snyder joined a Japanese electronics manufacturing company and led the startup of its U.S. affiliate company as plant manager, CFO, and later president of that company. 

Mr. Snyder then raised money to launch a venture startup company which ultimately was unsuccessful. Mr. Snyder then led a corporate-backed startup company, Progressive Impressions International (PII) in Bloomington, Illinois. Following this successful startup, Mr. Snyder then led a corporate venture capital fund within Taylor Corporation. 

Before joining the Huntsman School, Mr. Snyder was president of Marketing Communication Inc., an operating division of Taylor Corporation, where he directed a group of six companies while growing revenues from $25 million to over $80 million. He joined the Jon M. Huntsman School of Business in 2008. 

2024 – 2025 Startups at Spring Competition: Wellness in the Workplace

by Leave a Comment

Thinking of a creative and unique business idea is a challenge for even the globe’s most talented and proven business professionals. Give that same challenge to a group of high school students all attending exceptional schools, and the results are sure to impress. How could students in grades 9 – 12 create a start-up idea, product, or service from inception to implementation? One that would also impress a panel of judges made up of industry professionals? That’s what a group of educators seek to discover at the yearly Startups at Spring Competition.  

The competition is open to high school students attending a Spring Education Group school and focuses on a specific type of business start-up. This year’s theme was “Wellness in the Workplace” and it allowed the students to think outside of the box and present their ideas, first to their local school, and then one team from each school was selected and invited to attend a network-wide competition. Students then made the same presentation but, instead of it being in front of their peers and school administration, it was in front of industry professionals.  

The professionals judge the competition on the feasibility and profitability of each idea presented. Judges listened to see if the teams explained their business idea clearly, was it unique, and implemented the year’s theme. Beyond those basic judging expectations, they also sought to see if the team understood and addressed the financial challenges of starting a business, did they effectively present their market strategy, and could they answer confidently improvisational questions regarding their “pitch”.  

Ms. Jaymie Silva, BASIS Independent Schools Subject Expert Teacher and organizer of the competition said, “I was so impressed with the level of maturity in this year’s presentations. Our theme was wellness, and we had students speaking on subjects related to health, safety, and well-being at levels far beyond their teenage years. It really makes me hopeful that they will be able to bring some of these ideas to fruition in the future.” 

The top three teams are awarded prize money to be donated to a charity of their choice.  

Third Place: Team Wanderphyll
(awarded $2,000)

Team Members: Akhil G. (Grade 9) and Jacob L. (Grade 9) 

School: BASIS Independent Silicon Valley 

Startup: Wanderphyll: Explore the Wanderphyll World of Nature 

Selected Charity: World Wildlife Fund  

Pitch: Stress and laziness from schools and offices have caused people to stop going outside. People would rather spend their free time on their phones or watching TV.  Mental health issues like depression increase alongside with pressure and stress from work and constant screen time and lack of exercise. Going outside to nature restores people’s mental well-being and reduces depression and anxiety in most people. 

Wanderphyll is a mobile app that incentivizes going outdoors by turning it into a passive game. 

Team Take Away 
“The entire Startups at Spring experience has been a wonderful learning opportunity; allowing us to experience the full process of fleshing out an idea into a detailed framework for a startup. It was a fun experience and we enjoyed watching the other presentations and we’re glad that it was also able to make a positive impact in the form of a donation to a charity. Additionally, we’d like to thank the organizers, especially Ms. Silva, and the judges for making the whole competition possible.”

To view their entire presentation, click here.  

Second Place: Team SipSense
(awarded $3,000)

Team Members: Rishik P. (Grade 10) and Aarya V. (Grade 11) 

School: BASIS Independent McLean 

Startup: SipSense: Have a Sense of What You’re Sipping 

Selected Charity: US-India Solidarity Mission 

Pitch: 11 million women in the U.S. have been assaulted or worse as a result of involuntary consumption of drugs through drinks. More than 80% of women have reported an imminent need for safer pubs, bars, and restaurants.

The solution? A drug sensor system that is accurate, reuseable, discrete, and is connected to a multi-functional app.

Team Take Away 
“Developing our startup idea and building a prototype was a truly unique and inspiring journey. It expanded our vision of what’s possible—from further product development and manufacturing to real-world application. Throughout this competition, we discovered our ability to create innovative solutions that address genuine needs in modern society. We extend our heartfelt thanks to Mr. Wright and Mr. Biemesderfer for helping refine our pitch deck to its best possible version. Above all, this experience taught us that many of today’s societal challenges remain inadequately addressed, and there is a critical demand for creative, effective solutions.”

To view their entire presentation, click here. 

First Place: Team OurIBD
(awarded $5,000)

Team Members: Zoe A. (Grade 9) 

School: Laurel Springs 

Startup: Our IBD: AI Powered Gut Health Tracking – From Toilet to Data, Instantly 

Selected Charity: Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation 

Pitch: 10 million plus are diagnosed with inflammatory (IBD) globally. 80% struggle with tracking symptoms accurately and current solutions are invasive, expensive, and unreliable. Patients are forced to guess, leading to frequent ER visits and worsening health.  

The solution is an AI-powered, non-invasive stool monitoring device.   

Team Take Away 
“Winning 1st place at the Startups at Spring Competition isn’t just an award—it’s validation that an idea born from my own struggles has the power to help others. I started OurIBD because I knew firsthand how frustrating and exhausting it is to manage IBD with delayed test results, invasive procedures, and unreliable tracking methods. What began as a personal project—a way to automate symptom tracking and detect inflammation through AI—has grown into something real, impactful, and now, recognized.

Pitching my startup, seeing industry leaders believe in what I’m building was a moment I’ll never forget. It reinforced that this isn’t just a personal solution—it’s something that can truly change lives. I’m incredibly honored, not just for the recognition, but for the chance to take this further, refine my prototype, and push toward making this available to real patients. And to give back, I’m honored to be donating my $5,000 prize to the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation—an organization that has supported my family and I since diagnosis, and helps millions of others just like myself.”

To view their entire presentation, click here. 

iuluilui

Expert Judging Panel

Mr. John Forte is the CEO and President of VT-ARC, responsible for guiding strategic growth in applied research and development with the intent of strengthening national security, driving societal impact, and improving the human condition. In this capacity he also oversees 5 Innovation Centers for the Air and Space Force, drawing together government, industry and academia to advance research and accelerate innovation. 

Prior to VT-ARC, Mr. Forte served as one of the US Air and Space Force’s 5 science and technology executives (EPAs), responsible for advising the command, control, communications and networking needs of the warfighter and the Department of Defense. He was charged with creating forward leaning and innovative ecosystems focusing upon the toughest challenges across multiple operating domains. During this time Mr. Forte also served as an advisor on the Defense Science Board for critical infrastructure resilience. 

Mr. Forte served nearly 10 years as a senior leader within the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (JHU/APL). His culminating assignment was as the Executive for the Homeland Protection Mission Area, directing the development and implementation of technologies and solutions to protect the United States against a variety of asymmetric threats. While at JHU, he founded and served as the Interim Director of JHU’s Institute for Assured Autonomy, a center of excellence charged with driving safety, security, and reliability into the future autonomous world. 

Mr. Forte served in numerous senior leadership positions within the public and private sectors, including the Morgan Franklin Corporation, MITRE, and as the Chief Scientist for the White House Communications Agency. He also served as a communications officer in the US Army, assigned to multiple airborne and special operations units and deploying in support of operations in Bosnia, Kosovo and Iraq. 

Mr. Forte earned a BSEE from the University of Tulsa and an MSEE from George Washington University with a focus in Communications and Networks. He also completed Executive Programs at the Harvard Kennedy School on Cybersecurity: The Intersection of Policy and Technology; as well as on National and International Security. 

Mr. Amrit Saxena is the Founder & CEO of SaxeCap, an AI transformation and private equity investment firm, that conducts AI-levered buyouts and transforms enterprises with AI & automation technology.  Additionally, he has successfully founded & sold two AI companies (Stella.ai, Fancy That) and is an active angel investor in data, AI, and enterprise software companies in the Silicon Valley, investing in 300+ early stage technology companies (including being an early investor in companies like OpenAI, Anthropic, Figure, Perplexity, SpaceX, Palantir, etc.).  

Prior to SaxeCap, Amrit founded and scaled Stella, a talent sourcing AI company, to over 150 large enterprise clients (including 10% of the Fortune 500), leading technology (data science, product, engineering, etc.) and operations (pre-sales, client integrations, etc.). Stella was sold to Cornell Capital and Trilantic Capital Partners in a $1B+ private equity transaction in 2021. Additionally, Amrit founded, scaled, and sold Fancy That, a retail AI company, to Palantir (NYSE: PLTR) in 2015.  Between his two AI startups, Amrit has experience buying a company, selling two companies, and scaling teams from 0 to 50+ people. Amrit previously worked at Bain & Company, Groupon, AmEx, and e2e Analytics and taught and researched AI at Stanford & MIT.

He received his B.S. in Computer Science with a concentration in Artificial Intelligence and M.S. in Management Science & Engineering with a concentration in Operations Research, both from Stanford University with Distinction. Additionally, he has garnered numerous accolades, including being awarded 7 U.S. patents (relating to AI and optimization), a three time finalist in the United States of America Mathematical Olympiad (USAMO), winner of the American Mathematics Competition (AMC), finalist in the United States Physics Olympiad (USAPhO), Congressional Award Gold Medalist, Research Science Institute (RSI) Scholar, American Regions Math League (ARML) winner, and was selected for the President’s Award for Academic Excellence and the Tau Beta Pi Engineering Honors Society while at Stanford. 

Mr. Ken Snyder serves as the Executive Director of the Shingo Institute and as a Senior Lecturer in the department of Marketing, Strategy, Leadership, and Entrepreneurship (MSLE) of the Jon M. Huntsman School of Business at Utah State University. He has regularly taught the business planning course in the Entrepreneurship program. 

Mr. Snyder earned an MBA from the Harvard Graduate School of Business in 1980 with an emphasis in international business. Immediately after graduation, Mr. Snyder joined a Japanese electronics manufacturing company and led the startup of its U.S. affiliate company as plant manager, CFO, and later president of that company. 

Mr. Snyder then raised money to launch a venture startup company which ultimately was unsuccessful. Mr. Snyder then led a corporate-backed startup company, Progressive Impressions International (PII) in Bloomington, Illinois. Following this successful startup, Mr. Snyder then led a corporate venture capital fund within Taylor Corporation. 

Before joining the Huntsman School, Mr. Snyder was president of Marketing Communication Inc., an operating division of Taylor Corporation, where he directed a group of six companies while growing revenues from $25 million to over $80 million. He joined the Jon M. Huntsman School of Business in 2008. 

2024 – 2025 Startups at Spring Competition: Wellness in the Workplace

by Leave a Comment

Thinking of a creative and unique business idea is a challenge for even the globe’s most talented and proven business professionals. Give that same challenge to a group of high school students all attending exceptional schools, and the results are sure to impress. How could students in grades 9 – 12 create a start-up idea, product, or service from inception to implementation? One that would also impress a panel of judges made up of industry professionals? That’s what a group of educators seek to discover at the yearly Startups at Spring Competition.  

The competition is open to high school students attending a Spring Education Group school and focuses on a specific type of business start-up. This year’s theme was “Wellness in the Workplace” and it allowed the students to think outside of the box and present their ideas, first to their local school, and then one team from each school was selected and invited to attend a network-wide competition. Students then made the same presentation but, instead of it being in front of their peers and school administration, it was in front of industry professionals.  

The professionals judge the competition on the feasibility and profitability of each idea presented. Judges listened to see if the teams explained their business idea clearly, was it unique, and implemented the year’s theme. Beyond those basic judging expectations, they also sought to see if the team understood and addressed the financial challenges of starting a business, did they effectively present their market strategy, and could they answer confidently improvisational questions regarding their “pitch”.  

Ms. Jaymie Silva, BASIS Independent Schools Subject Expert Teacher and organizer of the competition said, “I was so impressed with the level of maturity in this year’s presentations. Our theme was wellness, and we had students speaking on subjects related to health, safety, and well-being at levels far beyond their teenage years. It really makes me hopeful that they will be able to bring some of these ideas to fruition in the future.” 

The top three teams are awarded prize money to be donated to a charity of their choice.  

Third Place: Team Wanderphyll
(awarded $2,000)

Team Members: Akhil G. (Grade 9) and Jacob L. (Grade 9) 

School: BASIS Independent Silicon Valley 

Startup: Wanderphyll: Explore the Wanderphyll World of Nature 

Selected Charity: World Wildlife Fund  

Pitch: Stress and laziness from schools and offices have caused people to stop going outside. People would rather spend their free time on their phones or watching TV.  Mental health issues like depression increase alongside with pressure and stress from work and constant screen time and lack of exercise. Going outside to nature restores people’s mental well-being and reduces depression and anxiety in most people. 

Wanderphyll is a mobile app that incentivizes going outdoors by turning it into a passive game. 

Team Take Away 
“The entire Startups at Spring experience has been a wonderful learning opportunity; allowing us to experience the full process of fleshing out an idea into a detailed framework for a startup. It was a fun experience and we enjoyed watching the other presentations and we’re glad that it was also able to make a positive impact in the form of a donation to a charity. Additionally, we’d like to thank the organizers, especially Ms. Silva, and the judges for making the whole competition possible.”

To view their entire presentation, click here.  

Second Place: Team SipSense
(awarded $3,000)

Team Members: Rishik P. (Grade 10) and Aarya V. (Grade 11) 

School: BASIS Independent McLean 

Startup: SipSense: Have a Sense of What You’re Sipping 

Selected Charity: US-India Solidarity Mission 

Pitch: 11 million women in the U.S. have been assaulted or worse as a result of involuntary consumption of drugs through drinks. More than 80% of women have reported an imminent need for safer pubs, bars, and restaurants.

The solution? A drug sensor system that is accurate, reuseable, discrete, and is connected to a multi-functional app.

Team Take Away 
“Developing our startup idea and building a prototype was a truly unique and inspiring journey. It expanded our vision of what’s possible—from further product development and manufacturing to real-world application. Throughout this competition, we discovered our ability to create innovative solutions that address genuine needs in modern society. We extend our heartfelt thanks to Mr. Wright and Mr. Biemesderfer for helping refine our pitch deck to its best possible version. Above all, this experience taught us that many of today’s societal challenges remain inadequately addressed, and there is a critical demand for creative, effective solutions.”

To view their entire presentation, click here. 

First Place: Team OurIBD
(awarded $5,000)

Team Members: Zoe A. (Grade 9) 

School: Laurel Springs 

Startup: Our IBD: AI Powered Gut Health Tracking – From Toilet to Data, Instantly 

Selected Charity: Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation 

Pitch: 10 million plus are diagnosed with inflammatory (IBD) globally. 80% struggle with tracking symptoms accurately and current solutions are invasive, expensive, and unreliable. Patients are forced to guess, leading to frequent ER visits and worsening health.  

The solution is an AI-powered, non-invasive stool monitoring device.   

Team Take Away 
“Winning 1st place at the Startups at Spring Competition isn’t just an award—it’s validation that an idea born from my own struggles has the power to help others. I started OurIBD because I knew firsthand how frustrating and exhausting it is to manage IBD with delayed test results, invasive procedures, and unreliable tracking methods. What began as a personal project—a way to automate symptom tracking and detect inflammation through AI—has grown into something real, impactful, and now, recognized.

Pitching my startup, seeing industry leaders believe in what I’m building was a moment I’ll never forget. It reinforced that this isn’t just a personal solution—it’s something that can truly change lives. I’m incredibly honored, not just for the recognition, but for the chance to take this further, refine my prototype, and push toward making this available to real patients. And to give back, I’m honored to be donating my $5,000 prize to the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation—an organization that has supported my family and I since diagnosis, and helps millions of others just like myself.”

To view their entire presentation, click here. 

iuluilui

Expert Judging Panel

Mr. John Forte is the CEO and President of VT-ARC, responsible for guiding strategic growth in applied research and development with the intent of strengthening national security, driving societal impact, and improving the human condition. In this capacity he also oversees 5 Innovation Centers for the Air and Space Force, drawing together government, industry and academia to advance research and accelerate innovation. 

Prior to VT-ARC, Mr. Forte served as one of the US Air and Space Force’s 5 science and technology executives (EPAs), responsible for advising the command, control, communications and networking needs of the warfighter and the Department of Defense. He was charged with creating forward leaning and innovative ecosystems focusing upon the toughest challenges across multiple operating domains. During this time Mr. Forte also served as an advisor on the Defense Science Board for critical infrastructure resilience. 

Mr. Forte served nearly 10 years as a senior leader within the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (JHU/APL). His culminating assignment was as the Executive for the Homeland Protection Mission Area, directing the development and implementation of technologies and solutions to protect the United States against a variety of asymmetric threats. While at JHU, he founded and served as the Interim Director of JHU’s Institute for Assured Autonomy, a center of excellence charged with driving safety, security, and reliability into the future autonomous world. 

Mr. Forte served in numerous senior leadership positions within the public and private sectors, including the Morgan Franklin Corporation, MITRE, and as the Chief Scientist for the White House Communications Agency. He also served as a communications officer in the US Army, assigned to multiple airborne and special operations units and deploying in support of operations in Bosnia, Kosovo and Iraq. 

Mr. Forte earned a BSEE from the University of Tulsa and an MSEE from George Washington University with a focus in Communications and Networks. He also completed Executive Programs at the Harvard Kennedy School on Cybersecurity: The Intersection of Policy and Technology; as well as on National and International Security. 

Mr. Amrit Saxena is the Founder & CEO of SaxeCap, an AI transformation and private equity investment firm, that conducts AI-levered buyouts and transforms enterprises with AI & automation technology.  Additionally, he has successfully founded & sold two AI companies (Stella.ai, Fancy That) and is an active angel investor in data, AI, and enterprise software companies in the Silicon Valley, investing in 300+ early stage technology companies (including being an early investor in companies like OpenAI, Anthropic, Figure, Perplexity, SpaceX, Palantir, etc.).  

Prior to SaxeCap, Amrit founded and scaled Stella, a talent sourcing AI company, to over 150 large enterprise clients (including 10% of the Fortune 500), leading technology (data science, product, engineering, etc.) and operations (pre-sales, client integrations, etc.). Stella was sold to Cornell Capital and Trilantic Capital Partners in a $1B+ private equity transaction in 2021. Additionally, Amrit founded, scaled, and sold Fancy That, a retail AI company, to Palantir (NYSE: PLTR) in 2015.  Between his two AI startups, Amrit has experience buying a company, selling two companies, and scaling teams from 0 to 50+ people. Amrit previously worked at Bain & Company, Groupon, AmEx, and e2e Analytics and taught and researched AI at Stanford & MIT.

He received his B.S. in Computer Science with a concentration in Artificial Intelligence and M.S. in Management Science & Engineering with a concentration in Operations Research, both from Stanford University with Distinction. Additionally, he has garnered numerous accolades, including being awarded 7 U.S. patents (relating to AI and optimization), a three time finalist in the United States of America Mathematical Olympiad (USAMO), winner of the American Mathematics Competition (AMC), finalist in the United States Physics Olympiad (USAPhO), Congressional Award Gold Medalist, Research Science Institute (RSI) Scholar, American Regions Math League (ARML) winner, and was selected for the President’s Award for Academic Excellence and the Tau Beta Pi Engineering Honors Society while at Stanford. 

Mr. Ken Snyder serves as the Executive Director of the Shingo Institute and as a Senior Lecturer in the department of Marketing, Strategy, Leadership, and Entrepreneurship (MSLE) of the Jon M. Huntsman School of Business at Utah State University. He has regularly taught the business planning course in the Entrepreneurship program. 

Mr. Snyder earned an MBA from the Harvard Graduate School of Business in 1980 with an emphasis in international business. Immediately after graduation, Mr. Snyder joined a Japanese electronics manufacturing company and led the startup of its U.S. affiliate company as plant manager, CFO, and later president of that company. 

Mr. Snyder then raised money to launch a venture startup company which ultimately was unsuccessful. Mr. Snyder then led a corporate-backed startup company, Progressive Impressions International (PII) in Bloomington, Illinois. Following this successful startup, Mr. Snyder then led a corporate venture capital fund within Taylor Corporation. 

Before joining the Huntsman School, Mr. Snyder was president of Marketing Communication Inc., an operating division of Taylor Corporation, where he directed a group of six companies while growing revenues from $25 million to over $80 million. He joined the Jon M. Huntsman School of Business in 2008.