Two student-led UMBC start-ups have been selected to receive 2026 Pava LePere Innovation Awards, granting them $50,000 each from the state of Maryland to support their business, as well as access to mentorship, training, and strategic support from the Maryland Student Venture Core Advisory Board and representatives from a network of entrepreneur support organizations across the local tech ecosystem.

The first start-up, called iBraid, was founded by Velma Funebe, a junior studying public health. She is building an augmented reality braiding app to help users part faster, see more clearly, and confidently braid their own hair.

The second start-up, called Strike Sense, is led by Charles Nerad, a sophomore studying media and communications and financial economics, and Aidan Fleischer,and Abhinav Patel, both sophomores studying mechanical engineering. The team is developing cost-effective attachments to transform any existing martial arts chest protector into an electronic, gamified system with sound effects and a “health bar.”

The teams were recognized at the Maryland Student Venture Showcase, held February 18 in Baltimore. 

Aspiring entrepreneurs can tap a wealth of resources at UMBC. The Alex. Brown Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, led by director Kevin Fulmer, supports the entrepreneurial mindset with courses, speaker series featuring business leaders, start-up accelerator programs, and assistance with business ideas and networking with experts.

Last spring, Strike Sense competed and won second place in the technology and innovation track at the Cangialosi Business Innovation Competition, established by Greg Cangialosi ’96, English, an entrepreneurial leader in Baltimore. The competition provides UMBC student entrepreneurs with real-world experience, pairing them with mentors and connecting them to the local entrepreneurial ecosystem. Winners receive valuable support, including free legal and accounting services, a six-month affiliate membership at the bwtech@UMBC incubator, and guidance for fundraising and pitch development.

This year marks the second in a row that UMBC teams have won Pava LePere Innovation Awards, following the success of Elastic Energy, co-founded by mechanical engineering junior Samuel Bendek, at the inaugural awards in 2025.

“We are excited about the continued exposure and opportunities our student ventures are receiving in the broader Baltimore entrepreneurship community. It is validation that the programs we’ve put in place over the past few years are starting to pay dividends,” says Fulmer. “The ideas students are coming up with continue to be very impactful in creating economic and social impact in addition to being a great learning experience.”