Spring Idea Factory Entrepreneurship Competition Winners Announced

SALISBURY, MD---Families could one day have a non-traditional therapy option combining mind, body, and spirit through Stable Minds, the top business pitch in Salisbury University’s spring 2026 student Idea Factory Competition.

Senior business management major Mary Fogle of Berlin, MD, earned the $5,000 first place award for her plan to provide accessible, nature-based mental health support, merging equine therapy instruction and counseling. 

Second-place $2,500 prizes went to Luke Wise of Baltimore for his plan, MeasureGrip; and Trevor Fay of Bethesda, MD, and Blake DeLauter of Hagerstown, MD, for their plan, TrueVoice.

TrueVoice also earned the $1,000 Jenna Drewer Cross-Collaboration Award, $1,000 TEDCO STEM Award, and SU Veterans Affairs $250 Military Award.

Third-place $1,000 prizes went to Alexia Nicholas of Annapolis for TaskBridge; and Lauryn Damron of Glen Burnie, MD, Brando Banda-Perez of Secretary, MD, and Daniel Lugasi of Berlin, MD, for Schnoot. 

The competition featured students’ business posters that allowed competitors to pitch their ideas to a judging panel of business and community leaders.  

In addition to the top finalists, six other business idea posters each received a $500 Merit Award:

•    HueHealth – Shaela Queen, Mardela Springs, MD (also won a $250 Mosaic Award)

•    SafeSight – Geren Palmer, Berlin, MD; and Chris VonDiezelski, of Millersville, MD (also won a $500 TEDCO STEM Award)

•    OysterVision—Hamid El Karim, Fruitland, MD (also won a $500 TEDCO STEM Award)

•    Camp Buddy—Jannatul Ferdouse, Cumilla, Bangladesh

•    Care on Wheels – Evan Peterson, Bridgeville, DE

•    Stick ’n See – Kicky Crowell, Highland, MD

Additional winners included:

•    ShoreStone Outdoor Living – Kathie Maldonado, Pittsville, MD ($250 Mosaic Award)

For more information about SU’s Entrepreneurship Competitions, visit the program’s webpage.

Learn more about opportunities to Make Tomorrow Yours at the SU website.