Articles

HCC Student ‘Pitchfest’ showcases innovation alongside expert IP protection strategies

May 28, 2025


Attendees of the HCC Student Pitchfest Expo and Competition smile as they pose for a group photo at the HCC Southwest College's West Loop Campus.


The Houston Community College (HCC) Southwest College West Loop Campus buzzed with entrepreneurial energy earlier this month as it hosted a dynamic double event:  "Protect Your Intellectual Property: Mastering IP Strategies” followed by the HCC Student Pitchfest Expo and Competition.

The day-long program, held in the college auditorium on May 9, drew a strong turnout of students, aspiring entrepreneurs, and community members eager to learn and celebrate innovation and patent protection.

The morning session focused on the critical aspects of intellectual property protection. Attendees gained insights from expert attorneys, including:

  • Sara Schleutker from Qualcomm, who presented on "The Inventor's Patent Academy."
  • Carlyn Burton, Partner at Osha Bergman Watanabe & Burton, delivered a keynote address on "How to Protect Your Intellectual Property: Key Strategies."
  • Kirby Drake of Kirby Drake Law highlighted the resources available through the Texas Accountants and Lawyers for the Arts (TALA), specifically focusing on USPTO Patent Pro Bono Assistance.
  • Justen Barks, Owner of BARKS PLLC, provided crucial information on Copyrights.
  • Shirazi Jaleel-Khan, Principal Attorney at SJZ Legal PLLC, offered expertise on Trademarks.

The afternoon culminated in the highly anticipated Student Expo and Pitchfest Competition, a vibrant showcase of innovation from 18 student startups across the Houston region. Budding entrepreneurs articulated their unique selling propositions to the community, faculty judges and the “Eagle Investors” Student Group. Winners included:

  • First Place ($1,500): Step In – A team of four (Maria Antunes, Mark Tripulskyi, Muzi Li and Shambavi Sairam) with a peer-driven conversational practice platform for English language learners, featuring personalized curriculum and volunteer mentors.
  • Second Place ($1,000): Fiber Flow – A team of three (Yaswanth Raghu, Sameeha Vaswani, Han Tran Ngoc Nguyen) offering a low-tech, cost-effective and biodegradable banana-fiber water filtration system designed for easy home installation and disaster relief.
  • Third Place ($500): Vero – A team of four (Ruhi Garg, Adeline Price, Natalia Macedo, Mayh'ki Tanzkaya Nobre Gama) who have created a functional powder blend of organic sea moss, fruit and honey powder for daily consumption.

During a special announcement by Amir Eskafyan, executive director of TiE Houston, both first-place winner Step-IN and second-place winner Fiber Flow were invited to participate in the national rounds of the TiE Young Entrepreneurs (TYE) competition, representing Houston next month.

All three top winning teams this semester hailed from The Village School’s Entrepreneurship Program.

“We are incredibly proud of our students' dedication and hard work,” said Patricia Elliston, head of the Entrepreneurship Diploma at The Village School. “To have the top two spots and now have both Step-IN and Fiber Flow invited to represent Houston at the TYE National competition in (Washington) D.C. this June is absolutely thrilling.

Taniel Daniels, senior director at Junior Achievement of Southeast Texas, also expressed her pride, stating, "It's inspiring to see these young entrepreneurs develop their ideas and present them with such passion and professionalism. We deeply appreciate HCC for providing this platform for our students to display their talents and gain invaluable experience.”

"This united event embodies HCC's commitment to fostering entrepreneurial spirit and providing essential knowledge for success,” said Dr. Maya Durnovo, HCC’s Chief Entrepreneurial Officer. “We were thrilled to see such engagement in both the IP protection seminar and the student pitch competition. The energy and innovation on display were truly remarkable.”

The program was sponsored by Qualcomm and organized by HCC’s Entrepreneurial Initiatives spearheaded by Dr. Durnovo and Dr. Ravi Brahmbhatt, director of Student Innovation and Entrepreneurship.