While on the Duke University campus, New Ideas grand prize winners made stops at iconic locations, including the Sarah P. Duke Gardens and Duke University Chapel.
Nicole Alvarez
Rice University
Activities/Clubs/Honors: 180 Degrees Consulting (the world’s largest consultancy for nonprofits and social enterprises), Generation She (women in entrepreneurship organization), Rice Business Society, Hispanic Student Association, Raíces Unidas (community service organization targeting Hispanic communities)
Bio: My interest in social enterprise took shape during a high school summer program with the Fred Hutch Cancer Research Center, in which my eyes were quickly opened to the unethical business practices that too frequently prevail within the pharmaceutical sector. From misleading advertising to burdening pricing, I was surprised to find that an industry that holds such an immense degree of civic responsibility seems to commonly prioritize profits over people.
It became apparent that purpose-driven ventures are a powerful tool to revise and revisualize such industries. Due to the slow nature of policy implementation, I find that the private sector has become a key facilitator of societal well-being.
I am currently a sophomore at Rice University studying business management and social policy analysis. I selected this blend of disciplines in order to develop a strong business foundation while receiving context on relevant social issues. On campus, I’m involved in several business and entrepreneurship-oriented clubs, such as 180 Degrees Consulting, as well as organizations that uplift Hispanic communities through community service. In my free time, I enjoy hiking, traveling, and re-watching NBC’s The Office.
New Ideas Summary: My proposal aims to address the surging prices of prescription medications in the United States. It’s no secret that the cost of American healthcare is one of the highest in the world, and the pharmaceutical industry is no exception. The resulting price barrier to accessing medications has contributed to the diminished quality of American healthcare on the world stage.
A root cause of this issue is the rising cost of pharmaceutical research and development (R&D). Today, R&D for a new medication can range from $314 million to $4.46 billion! The rise in R&D spending is primarily due to complex trial requirements, regulatory changes, and operational inefficiencies– the last of which presents a key opportunity for improvement.
Like many issues of our age, a solution may be found in artificial intelligence (AI). AI applied in manufacturing has the potential to rectify process inefficiencies by lowering labor costs through automation, and fix fragmented information flow by streamlining the clinical process, effectively shortening the frequently prolonged development timeline.
Such an approach presents a solution that avoids demotivating pharmaceutical companies from continuing innovation. On the contrary, the McKinsey Global Institute estimates that AI solutions applied in big pharma could bring almost $100 billion annually across the healthcare system in the United States– savings that could trickle down to the American patient. This dual value proposition would allow pharmaceutical companies to reduce the soaring costs of research and development while aiding millions of Americans in affording their necessary prescriptions.
Eniola Badejo
University of Georgia
Activities/Clubs/Honors: Woodruff Scholarship, Keystone Fellowship, Management Leadership for Tomorrow
Bio: I’m Eniola Badejo, and I’m a second-year at the University of Georgia. In and out of the classroom, I study the intersection of media, business, and technology. I love exploring humanhood, a pastime that most call writing. Poetry, short stories, comedy specials, excited text messages — I admire greatly the ability to construct something out of language. For that reason, I spend grand expanses of time eagerly reading New York Magazine, Zadie Smith, and niche Substacks. Community is vital to me, which is why I love exercising it as a verb — attending Spanish-speaking nights at the library, co-hosting Nigerian-themed gatherings on campus, and celebrating made-up holidays with friends. This love for community is what compels me to The Dialogue Project, as I resonate deeply with its mission to bridge people closer together. We’re all that we have.
New Ideas Summary: My submission for the New Ideas Competition revolves around preventing the behavior that polarizes communities before it is exercised. At its center is quCAPTCHA, a reimagining of Google’s reCAPTCHA, the widely adopted tool invented for websites to distinguish humans from bots. Billions of reCAPTCHA tasks are completed every day as users select an object from Google’s street library or click an “I’m not a robot” checkbox on their path to proving their humanity. The ubiquity of this mechanism inspired me to recognize it as a phenomenal framework for a program aimed at reaching as many people as possible.
quCAPTCHA wields reCAPTCHA’s potential to create good by integrating subtle exercises to help users develop and strengthen the skills required to engage in constructive civic discourse in the 21st century. In place of the usual requests to identify fire hydrants or transcribe distorted text, quCAPTCHA approaches the task of verification with an educational mission. For instance, Artificial Intelligence Detection quCAPTCHAs challenge users to spot signs of AI manipulation in images while Civility quCAPTCHAs prompt users to identify patterns of unproductive dialogue, asking questions like, “Which of these sentences represents a strawman fallacy?”
These micro-interventions serve as an early defense against polarization by equipping millions with the tools to engage in healthy dialogue and avoid misinformation. In an age where echo chambers and deliberately misleading information become more entrenched in society, fostering these skills has never been more vital. quCAPTCHA offers an incredible opportunity to rebuild communities — one click at a time.
Ananya Bhatia
Columbia University
Activities/Clubs/Honors: Coca-Cola Scholar and US Presidential Scholar (both in 2023)
Bio: I am a sophomore at Columbia University studying Urban Studies and Political Science on the pre-law track. On campus, I serve on the board of the Undergraduate Law Review and Columbia Democrats and work as a research assistant at the Columbia Center for Poverty and Social Policy. Since I was 16, I have worked in juvenile courts, detention centers, and public defense offices in my home state of Louisiana—an experience that shaped my passion for criminal justice reform, welfare protection, and developing pragmatic solutions within our modern justice system. Much of my work has involved advocating for incarcerated clients my own age, deepening my commitment to studying how legal precedents, prosecutorial discretion, and systemic inequities shape case outcomes. In my free time, I enjoy exploring new restaurants across New York City, running and hiking, and listening to Bollywood music.
New Ideas Summary: After studying private prisons and the prison-industrial complex, I have observed how profit incentives often prioritize incarceration over rehabilitation, fueling high recidivism rates. I propose a systemic change from within: an AI-powered education and job training platform designed to support incarcerated individuals before their release. This platform would assess their education level, release date, and the job market in their reentry community to create personalized training programs. Delivered through standardized tablets already available in private prisons, the curriculum would equip individuals with skills aligned to real employment opportunities. Simultaneously, the platform would work with employers to build confidence in hiring formerly incarcerated individuals. While inmates may have made mistakes, the current system only deepens harm—to victims, to those incarcerated, and to taxpayers. By integrating AI-driven education and job placement, this initiative offers a solution that benefits all: reducing recidivism, lowering public costs, bolstering the workforce, and providing private prisons—long criticized for their exploitative nature—with a scalable model for true rehabilitation.
Shalin Bhatia
Georgia Institute of Technology
Activities/Clubs/Honors: Consult Your Community, GT Undergraduate Consulting Club, Product @GT, Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers (IISE), MentIE
Bio: Growing up in Atlanta, Georgia, I saw firsthand how socioeconomic inequality and gentrification shaped the city around me, from local businesses facing challenges to communities struggling with access to essential resources. That perspective sparked my interest in finding practical, data-driven solutions that improve systems and create more opportunities. More importantly, it taught me the value of empathy – understanding different perspectives, listening to people’s experiences, and having a respectful attitude in every conversation.
Now, as an Industrial Engineering student at Georgia Tech, I’m exploring how business strategy, technology, and finance can come together to drive meaningful impact. Whether researching smart cities, supporting small businesses, or working on projects that address economic disparities, I love looking for ways to make a tangible difference in communities. I believe real change happens when solutions are built with people in mind, and I strive to approach every challenge with analytical thinking and human-centered problem-solving.
On campus, I stay involved by organizing events, collaborating on ideas, and learning from others who share a passion for making an impact. I hope to build a career in consulting, finance, or product development, applying data-driven insights to create more equitable solutions. More than anything, I believe that small, thoughtful changes in the way systems work – grounded in respect, inclusion, and understanding – can lead to a more accessible future for everyone.
New Ideas Summary: Civisight is a hybrid civic engagement platform designed to bridge the digital divide and improve local government responsiveness. By combining physical mailboxes in underserved communities with an intuitive digital platform, Civisight ensures that all citizens – regardless of internet access – can voice concerns, report local issues, and stay informed. The platform tackles government inefficiencies, fosters trust between residents and officials, and promotes a more inclusive approach to decision-making.
With features like data visualization dashboards, AI-powered resource prioritization, and real-time status updates, Civisight streamlines communication between communities and local governments. The platform follows a three-phase implementation plan, starting with a pilot in Georgia House District 98, expanding with added analytics and outreach, and eventually integrating public-private partnerships for long-term sustainability. Its business model is centered on government subscriptions, grants, sponsorships, and advertising revenue, ensuring scalability and financial viability.
Beyond improving civic participation, Civisight combats misinformation by providing reliable, community-driven updates, fostering a more transparent and engaged society. Looking ahead, the platform aims to expand nationally and globally, integrating AI-driven investment recommendations and infrastructure development tools to further enhance community impact.
Greg Durgin
Boston University
Activities/Clubs/Honors: Questbridge Scholar, Senior Director of the Bayar Fellowship, Questrom Student Government, Junior Class Slate; Boston University Real Estate Fund, Founder and Director; Boston University Financial Modeling Club, VP of Corporate Outreach
Bio: Growing up in a low-income household, I often tell the story of how I did not plan on attending college until three days prior to the application deadline.
Growing up in this environment, my focus was on helping my mother pay a given month’s mortgage. College, by proxy, was a pipe dream. However, as lofty a dream as it may have been, those final three days before submitting my application transformed it into a tangible reality. It was in these days that I learned I had been selected as a Questrbidge College Match Scholar and was awarded a full scholarship to college.
Since arriving at Boston University, I have learned the stories of countless others from similar backgrounds and have been embraced by the community of one of the nation’s most diverse campuses. Through a mixture of coursework, hands-on experiences, and discussions with faculty and peers alike, I have felt empowered to make the most out of every experience. Whether it be running for student government or founding BU’s first real estate fund, it is this support network that has made it possible.
Now, when I am not in Excel or studying for class, I am deeply passionate about “sending the elevator back down” to educate fellow low-income students. In this respect, I am proud to be a senior director of the Bayar Fellowship (a nationwide cohort of individuals committed to teaching 200+ students annually the foundations of networking and career development) and a peer mentor within BU’s financial modeling and real estate clubs.
New Ideas Summary: My proposal, Seed Home Investments (SHI), reimagines real estate investments in a way that tackles one of our nation’s most pressing challenges: inequitable access to homeownership. By combining innovative down payment assistance with community-focused development and creative equity structuring, SHI creates a sustainable business model that aligns profit incentives with expanding affordable homeownership opportunities.
