Malleous Wins $25k Grand Prize at Big Idea Competition
Pitt Engineering student-led teams were the top winners of this year’s Big Idea Competition
Teams of University of Pittsburgh engineering students were the major prize winners at this year’s Big Idea Competition.
Ben Leslie, a student in Pitt’s Department of Bioengineering, and Rohit Mantena, a student in Pitt’s Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences, are walking away with $25,000 after receiving the grand prize for Malleous. Their idea proposes a novel surgical instrument that combines suction and retraction tools into one device while maintaining the retractor's malleable and bendable properties. This innovation both increases surgeon efficiency and effectiveness by reducing surgical duration and reduces surgical risks to patients, all while saving hospitals millions of dollars annually.
“Malleous is a prime example of the incredible work being done by our students in Pitt’s Department of Bioengineering,” said Mark Redfern, Interim Department Chair of Bioengineering. “This work is not only revolutionary, but can improve countless patient outcomes. Receiving this recognition from the Big Idea Center is not only deserved, but a testament to the capabilities of young, innovative engineers.”
Other Pitt Engineering winners:
noVRel
2nd Place Team ($15,000) & Spirit of Entrepreneurship Award
Their idea: A neurosurgery-targeted device that aims to improve patient outcomes, and reduce surgical time, by condensing bulky, essential surgical tools into a single Augmented Reality headset.
Team members:
- Sejeal Katiyar, Pitt Swanson School of Engineering
- Tanvi Mittal, Carnegie Mellon University
- Andrew Daoud, Pitt Swanson School of Engineering
- Sam Lord, Pitt Swanson School of Engineering alumnus
- Amogh Vellore, Pitt Dietrich School of Arts & Sciences
- Garrett Martin, Pitt Swanson School of Engineering alumnus
DetectION
4th Place Team ($2,000)
Their idea: A cost-effective, portable solution that provides timely detection of sodium and potassium levels through a simple capillary blood prick, eliminating the need for specialized expertise. With its innovative technology and smart features, DetectION is poised to revolutionize electrolyte detection in critical care, ambulances, and resource-limited settings, making it an indispensable tool for swift intervention and improved patient outcomes.
Team members:
- Sara Trbojevic, Pitt Swanson School of Engineering
- Bayva Mavila Chathoth, Pitt School of Dental Medicine
- CJ Belleci
Greetings
4th Place Team ($2,000)
Their idea: A friend-making platform for young professionals to solve the problem of feeling isolated in their city through weekly Greetings community events and interest-based groups.
Team members:
- Tyler Fritz, Pitt Swanson School of Engineering
- Avi Moses, Pitt College of Business Administration
- Vy Nguyen, Pitt School of Computing and Information
- Matthew Fraijo, non-Pitt team member
- Siliang Lihuang, Pitt School of Computing and Information
About the Big Idea Competition
The Big Idea Competition is an experience-based learning opportunity for Pitt students and postdocs with big ideas who enjoy working in diverse teams to bring those ideas to life. It is open to all Pitt undergraduate students, graduate students, and postdocs across all schools and departments. This competition spans February through April of each year and awards monetary prizes to students with the most startup potential. Since its inception in 2009 (formerly known as the Randall Family Big Idea Competition), the competition has attracted hundreds of interdisciplinary teams seeking to bring their Big Ideas to market.