Students from BASIS Independent Schools recently earned top honors in Startups@Spring, a national entrepreneurship competition that challenges middle and high school students across the Spring Education Group network to develop innovative startup ideas.

Working in teams, students researched real-world problems, designed solutions using emerging technologies, and pitched their ideas to a panel of industry leaders.

Two teams from the BASIS Independent network advanced to the final round, earning first place in the High School division and third place in the Middle School division.

Startups@Spring by the Numbers

• 31 schools participating across Spring Education Group
  
• 10 high schools and 21 middle schools represented
  
• Dozens of student startup teams developing innovative ideas
  
• Industry leaders and venture investors serving as judges

The competition provides students with the opportunity to experience the full startup journey—from ideation and market research to product design and investor-style pitching.

BASIS Independent Schools Recognized in the Finals

Students from several BASIS Independent Schools participated in this year’s competition, including:

• BASIS Independent Brooklyn
  
• BASIS Independent Fremont
  
• BASIS Independent Manhattan
  
• BASIS Independent McLean
  
• BASIS Independent Silicon Valley

Among the many teams participating across the network, two BASIS Independent teams advanced to the final round, earning top placements in both the middle and high school divisions.

BASIS Independent Student Winners

High School Division — 1st Place

BASIS Independent McLean

Team Name: Kymo
Presenter Name: Aaryasinh Vaghela & Rishik Puli

Students from BASIS Independent McLean earned first place in the High School division, presenting an innovative startup concept that demonstrated strong technical insight, creativity, and real-world impact.

Kymo’s physics-informed AI turns CT scans and blood data into personalized 4-D blood-flow simulations—offering surgeons a powerful new way to plan procedures with greater precision.

Their project impressed judges with its thoughtful approach to solving a meaningful problem using emerging technology.

Middle School Division — 3rd Place

BASIS Independent Manhattan

Team Name: Medical Consulting Technologies
Presenters: Kai Giraldo & Kaes Zernike

A team of middle school students from BASIS Independent Manhattan earned third place in the Middle School division, demonstrating remarkable creativity and entrepreneurial thinking.

Medical Consulting Technologies bridges innovation and healthcare operations—connecting biotech startups with investors and strategic partners while using workflow data to help hospitals improve patient flow, solve staffing challenges, and reduce costs.

Their startup idea showcased how younger students can apply advanced problem-solving skills and innovative thinking to real-world challenges.

 “We are incredibly proud of the BASIS Independent students who were recognized in this year’s Startups@Spring competition. Their work demonstrates not only creativity and innovation, but also the confidence to turn ideas into meaningful solutions.” — Toby Walker, Vice President of Schools, BASIS Independent Schools

Learning from Industry Leaders

BASIS Independent students presented their ideas to a distinguished panel of judges representing technology, venture capital, and academia.

This year’s judges included:

• Craig Martell, Vice President and Chief Technology Officer, Lockheed Martin
  
• Rebecca Lin, CEO, ToroBio
  
• Amrit Saxena, Founder and CEO, SaxeCap and Silicon Valley angel investor
  
• Ken Snyder, Executive Director, Shingo Institute, Utah State University
  
• J Provine, CEO and Co-Founder, Aligned Carbon

Judges evaluated each team based on creativity, feasibility, market potential, and the clarity of their presentations.

For students, presenting to industry leaders provided valuable real-world experience and insight into how entrepreneurial ideas are evaluated in professional environments.

Developing the Next Generation of Innovators

Programs like Startups@Spring reflect the BASIS Independent Schools commitment to preparing students not only for academic success, but also for leadership and innovation in a rapidly changing world.

By exploring entrepreneurship early, students develop essential skills in creativity, collaboration, and critical thinking—while gaining the confidence to transform ideas into solutions.

For many participants, the competition is just the beginning—sparking new ideas, future ventures, and a deeper interest in technology and innovation.

Explore BASIS Independent Schools

At BASIS Independent Schools, students are empowered to pursue ambitious ideas, explore emerging technologies, and apply their learning in meaningful ways.

Programs like Startups@Spring demonstrate how curiosity, academic excellence, and innovation come together to help students build ideas that can shape the future.

BASIS Independent Schools is a premier network of PreK-12 private schools with locations in some of the most bustling and dynamic metropolitan areas in the country, including California, New York, Virginia, and Washington State.