Mott Million Dollar Challenge Finalists
After the semifinal round of pitches before panels of volunteer judges, 18 ideas have advanced to the final round of the Mott Million Dollar Challenge. These finalists emerged from a field of 60 semifinalist submissions whose creators traveled to Flint, Michigan, June 15-16 to compete in the Challenge’s live national finals.
Congratulations to these young entrepreneurs on making it to the final stage. Explore the finalist pitches below.
Meet the 18 Finalists
Grades K–4Business
Finalist
Sticky Pals w/ Magic Medicine
Kailyn Brown — Columbia, SC, Grade 3
Fun animal-shaped patches with a special numbing medicine so injections can be given with less pain and stress for kids.
Finalist
Math Excite
Sawyer Breen — Mokena, IL, Grade 4
A five-level gamified system to teach kids and make them excited about learning and exploring the world of math.
Finalist
Carmunication
Lailah Moore — Herndon, VA, Grade 4
A short-range communication app designed to connect drivers in the same immediate area, installed into a vehicle's smart dashboard so alerts appear safely and visibly on screen.
Grades K–4Social
Finalist
KindLeaf Card Company
Siya Krishna — Parlin, NJ, Grade 2
A greeting card containing a paper leaf or heart with embedded seeds, so the recipient can replant the shape and grow a beautiful plant.
Finalist
Penny's Squish and Soap Shop
Penny Ramsey — Groveport, OH, Grade 3
Handmade slimes and foam soaps that serve as calming tools for kids with autism and other conditions soothed by soft, squishy textures.
Finalist
Tech Buddies for Seniors
Elijah Arias — Suisun City, CA, Grade 4
Isaiah Arias — Suisun City, CA, Grade 3
Isaiah Arias — Suisun City, CA, Grade 3
A program where kids serve as technology helpers for elderly people, teaching them how to use apps, computers and phones to enrich their daily lives.
Grades 5–8Business
Finalist
ReHappy
Siddharth Vikram — Carlisle, MA, Grade 7
An app designed especially to guide kids through rehabilitation and physical therapy in an engaging, supportive way.
Finalist
Rip Drone
Grace Kennedy — Grapevine, TX, Grade 5
Henry Kennedy — Grapevine, TX, Grade 8
Henry Kennedy — Grapevine, TX, Grade 8
Wristbands that track swimmers caught in riptides, paired with a drone that deploys retrieval gear to bring them safely to shore.
Finalist
PlayMetrics
Azfar Ali — Irving, TX, Grade 8
Jeremiah Hurd — Irving, TX, Grade 8
Jeremiah Hurd — Irving, TX, Grade 8
Smart tracking technology and analytics that help student athletes unlock their full potential, similar to what professional teams use.
Grades 5–8Social
Finalist
Save Drop
Nithya Tammana — Monroe Township, NJ, Grade 6
A nonprofit that educates students on saving water, paired with an app where students track their water savings and earn prizes.
Finalist
Help Me
Molly Russell — Rootstown, OH, Grade 6
An app that helps kids being bullied, using prerecorded videos and a chat connection to adults who can intervene or provide counsel.
Finalist
Traffic Powered Windmill
Nysa Chhajed — Fremont, CA, Grade 5
A windmill positioned on highway medians, powered by the airflow created by passing traffic to generate clean energy.
Grades 9–12Business
Finalist
Aucura
Kayley Xu — San Diego, CA, Grade 11
An innovative wearable device that enables medical professionals to capture more cardiac and pulmonary detail during auscultation than a traditional stethoscope.
Finalist
KALM ReCover
Kelly Hu — Lisle, IL, Grade 11
Abigail May — Naperville, IL, Grade 11
Lakhi Thotakura — Naperville, IL, Grade 11
Abigail May — Naperville, IL, Grade 11
Lakhi Thotakura — Naperville, IL, Grade 11
A lightweight contact therapy band offering both heating and cooling options for convenient, discreet pain relief and injury recovery.
Finalist
SlotSnap
Zakaria Messelman — Tampa, FL, Grade 11
An app that alerts users when a reserved appointment slot is released, helping them snag coveted bookings while helping businesses fill empty time slots.
Grades 9–12Social
Finalist
Naturista
Aditya Herekar — Edison, NJ, Grade 11
Karan Verma — Frisco, TX, Grade 11
Karan Verma — Frisco, TX, Grade 11
A biodegradable, natural coffee pod for pod coffee makers that eliminates the plastic waste produced by traditional pods.
Finalist
Verity
Elena Pappas — Wynnewood, PA, Grade 10
A scheduling tool that helps students manage stress and promote mental health through smart calendar management and self-care reminders.
Finalist
Reading Reimagined
Sophia Bluck — West Lafayette, OH, Grade 12
Autumn Joyce — Kimbolton, OH, Grade 12
Bridget Kobel — Coshocton, OH, Grade 12
Autumn Joyce — Kimbolton, OH, Grade 12
Bridget Kobel — Coshocton, OH, Grade 12
An AI literacy program that helps kids write their own original stories, building creativity, language skills and a love of reading.
