The Ed Kaplan Family Institute for Innovation and Tech Entrepreneurship will be hosting one of Illinois Tech’s most anticipated events of the year — The Kaplan Pitch Tank — on April 18, 2025. It will be organized in the Tellabs Innovation Alley, running from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. where the university’s best student-led startups will have a high-stakes pitching competition offering more than $50,000 in prizes. The Kaplan Pitch Tank is not just a startup competition but a celebration of entrepreneurship, innovation and execution of an innovative idea that might shape tomorrow’s technology. It provides young visionaries with a platform where they won’t be competing just for the funding but also provide an opportunity for recognition, mentorship, and an opportunity to leap forward towards bringing their solutions to life.
In total there are six teams that will be pitching their ventures showcasing innovation related to areas like AI, healthcare, social impact, energy and security, live to a panel of expert judges. These six companies are:
- AI for Processes, LLC, which plans to redefine how businesses interact with customers by integrating artificial intelligence across the entire lifecycle of a customer.
- Biotics is trying to fulfill the need of prosthetic with the help of next-generation for above-knee amputees that are designed for individuals with K2 or K3 mobility levels.
- Deleg8 focuses on the well-being of the students using a time-management app that automates calendar scheduling aiming to create a balance between academic and extracurricular activities
- RISE SOCIAL is empowering women of Northern Ghana through basket weaving training and market access.
- Silicoat Energy is working on Si-based battery technology that is trying to overcome the limitation and dependency on lithium-ion batteries.
- Vigil AI is turning passive surveillance into an active crime prevention tool by leveraging real-time artificial intelligence video analysis trying to reduce response time for emergencies from hours to seconds.
The Kaplan Pitch Tank is designed in a way that it is an immersive experience for all the attendees not just the participants.
These top teams will have to present their idea in front of the panel where all of them will be judged based on innovation, feasibility, market potential and impact. The stakes are high, as the top three teams will walk away with $30,000, $15,000, and $5,000. Audience will also have a chance to vote in real-time via a QR code and the team that gets the maximum votes will also be crowned Audience Choice Award.
The attendees will have a chance to relax and connect during the networking event after awards are presented. It is a perfect opportunity to meet the founders, judges and other innovation enthusiasts in a more informal setting. Free food, music and drinks are just a bonus, as this is a front row seat to the future of tech and entrepreneurship for the attendees.
Whether you’re an innovator, investor or fan of fresh ideas, the Kaplan Pitch Tank is an unmissable experience, so go to the Eventbrite link below to reserve your spot before it’s too late!
