A female college student sits in a wheelchair with a special lever on each of the two bigger wheels. While she demonstrates how it works, a male college student uses a microphone to tell a large crowd how they came up with the idea to give people bound to a wheelchair more independence.
Two AU students present their idea during the 2025 INNOVATE Pitch Competition. [Michael Holahan/Augusta University]

‘Pitches for a Purpose’: Annual INNOVATE Pitch Competition features new twist

man with glasses standing in front of blue backgroundMilledge Austin4 min readJanuary 5, 2026

Augusta University’s annual INNOVATE Pitch Competition is gearing up, but the 2026 edition will feature a new twist. The University System of Georgia has introduced its own student pitch competition for all 26 USG institutions, meaning a team from AU will be selected to represent the institution in April.

At the same time, INNOVATE will continue mostly as normal, offering AU students and members of the Augusta community the opportunity to submit their entrepreneurship ideas. Vinea Capital returns for a second year as the pitch competition’s headline sponsor, and will once again provide an award for a community entrepreneur. Vinea Capital will also provide dinner for the winners.

“INNOVATE is about shaping the future for a purpose. It challenges students and community innovators to look beyond what exists today and imagine solutions to the problems that matter most,” said Lynsey Steinberg, director of innovation for AU’s Entrepreneurship and Community Innovation team within the Strategic Partnerships and Economic Development unit. “With expanded mentorship and a longer program in 2026, we’re equipping students to think bigger, build smarter and create impact that lasts.”

A group of college students sit in a large auditorium and listen to teams of students presenting ideas during a pitch competition.
Teams during the 2025 competition sit and listen to their peers’ ideas. [Michael Holahan/Augusta University]

The University System of Georgia invites student innovators to compete in the USG Innovation & Entrepreneurship Competition – a dynamic, two-day event where creativity, strategy and entrepreneurial spirit take center stage. Each USG institution will select one team of up to five student creators to represent them in this system-wide challenge. Teams will pitch their original ideas to a panel of judges for a chance to win the USG Innovation & Entrepreneurship Trophy, $25,000 in cash prizes, mentorship from industry experts and access to top institutional accelerators. The event will be hosted April 6-7 by Kennesaw State University.

“Augusta University is deeply committed to cultivating a culture of innovation, creativity and entrepreneurial thinking across our campuses, communities and throughout the state of Georgia. The INNOVATE Pitch Competition is an opportunity for our student entrepreneurs to bring bold ideas to life, gain real-world experience and connect with leaders who can help accelerate their vision,” said Tina Baggott, interim executive vice president for Strategic Partnerships and Economic Development at AU.

“We encourage every student with a concept, curiosity or passion for problem-solving to step forward and participate,” she continued. “This competition reflects our belief that great ideas can come from anyone, and that Augusta University will continue to champion the talent, ingenuity and entrepreneurial spirit of our students and community.”

As in years past, AU’s INNOVATE competition – which will feature the theme “INNOVATE 2026: Pitches for a Purpose” – will kick off with a series of seminars. With the goal of having a winner chosen for the USG competition, the 2026 schedule has been altered to allow for more time. Five virtual seminars held on Microsoft Teams are currently scheduled.

Following the seminars, AU student competitors will need to turn in their ideas and five introductory slides by Friday, Feb. 6. Student can submit their ideas via the INNOVATE 2026 submission form.

Once AU’s representing team is selected, INNOVATE will continue as normal with another new feature. In February and March, there will be a series of mentorship and guidance sessions for each team or solo entrepreneur.

Established in 2019, the Augusta University pitch competition was formed around finding solutions for the inspiring story of a 15-year-old girl with a colostomy bag named Emma. This annual pitch competition is a five-minute platform for teams to pitch their ideas to address challenges and improve our community. 

Man in business dress holds small wooden trophy.
Shaun Andrews, the developer of Mind HAC, won first place in the new entrepreneur category, sponsored by Vinea Capital. [Photo courtesy of Aurubis]

“When students and entrepreneurs are challenged to think differently, it doesn’t just generate ideas, it builds a pipeline of leaders who remain engaged and invested in Augusta’s innovation ecosystem. We’ve seen that impact in powerful ways,” Steinberg said. “Our first winner from the community entrepreneur pathway, Shaun Andrews, is now the executive director of Accelerate Augusta, inspired by the opportunities he discovered here in Augusta. One of our student winners, Gigi Addai-Domfe, secured an internship with our Innovation team following the competition. Student entrepreneurs have had mentorship sessions with venture capitalists post competition. This blend of real-world experience, community connection and lasting impact is exactly the kind of momentum INNOVATE is designed to create.”

The 2025 INNOVATE Pitch Competition was bigger than ever last year, expanded to include the community beyond Augusta University. Thanks to a new title sponsor, Vinea Capital, organizers invited entrepreneurs and members of the public, not just AU students, to submit their ideas.

A record number of 40 teams or individuals submitted pitches. Those ideas went through preliminary rounds of judging, and the top 25 were chosen to present at the pitch competition on March 27 at the Georgia Cyber Innovation and Training Center.

Andrews pitched “Mind HAC,” an AI app designed to help children with autism, and won the new entrepreneur award.

Chandler Covert, a physician assistant student in the College of Allied Health Sciences who graduated last year, won in the graduate student category for “Easy Dose It” – his prototype for an adaptable medicine dispensary designed to help people like his father who suffered a debilitating stroke.

Undergraduate winner Patrick Rimbey, a cybersecurity engineering major with a focus in physics, won for his pitch for “AeroSniff,” an air quality chemical sensor designed to be easy to use and cost-efficient. It could be used by utility companies to help detect gas leaks or perhaps one day to “sniff out” truffles in place of pigs and dogs that currently do that work.

Two young men face each other in conversation.
2025 undergraduate winner Patrick Rimbey (from left) and graduate winner Chandler Covert discuss their ideas after the pitch competition. [Paige Tucker/Augusta University]
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Written by
Milledge Austin

Milledge Austin is the manager of external communications for Communications and Marketing at Augusta University. Contact him to schedule an interview on this topic or with one of our experts at miaustin@augusta.edu.

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