Regis Innovation Challenge Awards Over $20,000 to Student, Alumni and Community Ventures
Top startup RenewRx aims to transform wellness care for pregnant women through personalized tech.
The 2025 Regis Innovation Challenge marked its eighth year of empowering entrepreneurs and innovators from across Colorado and beyond. Hosted by Regis University’s Anderson College of Business and Computing, the annual pitch competition awarded more than $20,000 in cash investments and prizes to student-, alumni- and community-led ventures.
The event culminated in the Finals on April 25, where five teams competed live on stage and online before a panel of accomplished entrepreneurs and investors. Each team delivered a high-stakes pitch outlining their business model, customer traction, and anticipated growth.
RenewRx, a community-based health-tech startup, claimed the competition’s top prize. The company’s mission is to use technology to personalize wellness care for pregnant women, improving health outcomes through tailored data and support. Second place was awarded to Agera, a startup founded by three Regis University freshmen. Their AI-powered platform aims to connect fragmented components of Africa’s agricultural system to combat crop loss and increase food security. Third place went to Patterbar, an all-natural energy bar company recently ranked No. 1 for taste and nutrition by Consumer Reports. With clean ingredients and bold flavors, the startup is redefining on-the-go nutrition.
As part of their prize packages, all three winning teams will receive access to office space and continued mentorship in the Regis Innovation Center, a collaborative space designed to foster early-stage business growth and social impact.
“This year’s Innovation Challenge showcased the incredible creativity and resilience of our students, alumni and partners,” said Ken Sagendorf, director of the Innovation Center. “Our mission is to help launch ventures that not only succeed in the marketplace, but also uplift communities.”
The Innovation Challenge is more than a one-night competition. Leading up to the finals, teams participated in a multi-month incubator program designed to help founders refine their business models and prepare to pitch. Participants received hands-on mentoring from Regis faculty, alumni and local entrepreneurs, along with access to targeted workshops on legal structure, financing, branding and customer development.
Incubator highlights included live customer interview days, deep dives into Colorado’s entrepreneurial resources, and a “mentor swap,” a fast-paced networking session that allowed founders to test their ideas with a rotating group of expert advisors.
Since its launch in 2017, the Regis Innovation Challenge has awarded more than $220,000 to emerging ventures and continues to serve as a launchpad for socially driven entrepreneurship.
For more information on the Regis Innovation Challenge or to get involved in next year’s program, visit
www.regis.edu/innovation.