CBIC 2026

The Alex. Brown Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation (ABCEI) Hosts the
2026 Cangialosi Business Innovation Competition (CBIC) Finale

On Thursday, April 16th, the Alex. Brown Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation hosted the annual Cangialosi Business Innovation Competition (CBIC) in the University Center Ballroom. Established in 2014 through a generous pledge from Greg Cangialosi ’96, the CBIC is designed to support student entrepreneurs at UMBC who are committed to launching a business or social venture in the future.

Three students are discussing a vest that is an entrepreneurial idea.During the reception this year, this year’s finalists and past CBIC winners had table displays.   Finalists and attendees had the opportunity to engage in discussions about their ideas!

This year’s competition featured ten finalist teams, composed of both undergraduate and graduate students from a wide range of disciplines across UMBC.  Special thanks to the mentors who helped the teams refine their business ideas. These teams pitched their innovative ideas to a live audience of students, faculty, community members, and a distinguished panel of entrepreneurial judges.

The 2026 judging panel featured:

  • Ben Broedel, President & CEO, Athena Enzymes Systems
  • Robbin Lee, Director of Ecosystem Engagement, Greater Baltimore Committee
  • Stephen Auvil, Chief Federal Engagement Officer, TEDCO

Participants competed in one of two tracks: Technology & Innovation or Social Impact. After each team presented their idea, they responded to questions from the judges. Once all the presentations concluded, the judges deliberated and selected the top three winners for each track.

The competition was made possible by the generous support of Greg Cangialosi ’96 and bwtech.

The Alex. Brown Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation proudly recognizes the outstanding winners below:

 Technology & Innovation Track

1st Place ($4,000): Reptrack ProManikanta Sirumalla is holding his prize check for $4,000 with Greg Cangialosi.

Manikanta Sirumalla
RepTrack Pro is an all-in-one fitness app that combines AI-generated workout and nutrition plans, exercise logging, and progress analytics into a single platform, eliminating the need for multiple subscriptions.

2nd Place ($2,000): Quick DxLekan Adenboye is holding his prize check for Quick Dx for $2,000 with Greg Cangialosi.

Lekan Ajiboye, Jack Heflin, and Sahil Guliana

QUICKDx is a rapid, point-of-care diagnostic platform that delivers quantitative antibody–antigen test results in under 30 minutes, bridging the gap between slow, centralized lab assays and less reliable rapid tests.

3rd Place ($1,000): C3D WorksCaly Ferguson is holding his prize check with Greg Cangialosi for $1,000.

Caly Ferguson

C3DWorks is a student-led 3D printing business expanding into a dedicated line of innovative, affordable fidget tools designed to improve focus in learning environments from K–college.

Social Impact Track

1st Place ($4,000): ShamsaJulia Barr and Rania Abu-Nijaila are holding their prize check for $4,000 with their mentor, Jamie Gurganus.

Rania Abu-Nijaila and Julia Barr
Shamsa is a backpack-portable, solar-powered device that combines water purification, safe pasteurization, and cooking into a single off-grid solution, addressing critical gaps in disaster response and resource-limited settings.

2nd Place ($2,000): Lay Your BricksStanislav Mitchell is holding his prize check for $2,000 with Greg Cangialosi.

Stanislav Mitchell

Lay Your Bricks is a hyperlocal investment platform that enables residents to invest small amounts into local businesses, unlocking access to opportunities traditionally limited to wealthy investors.

3rd Place ($1,000): Zen-AirSuhaani Thakur and Tejas Tyagi are holding their prize check for $1,000 with their mentor, Mike Adelstein.

Suhaani Thakur and Tejas Tyagi
ZenAir is a smart behavioral substitution system that helps users quit smoking and vaping by replacing the sensory and physical ritual of inhalation with a safer, tech-enabled alternative.

Audience Choice Award ($300): A-Eye Vision Anjali Jha is standing in front of the screen giving her presentation about A-Eye Vision.

Anjali Jha

A-Eye is a software-first accessibility app that helps the roughly 300 million people with Color Vision Deficiency navigate color-based tasks like cooking, shopping, and navigation using AI and smart devices.

The team at the ABCEI would like to thank the incredible judges and mentors who generously donated their time, expertise, and support. The team would also like to congratulate all of the 2026 winners! 

The finalists are standing in a row across the stage holding up their prize checks.

Here’s what some of the finalists had to say about their CBIC experience:

Rania Abu-Nijaila, Shamsa (2026)

The best solutions come from people who’ve actually felt the problem. CBIC gave me the space to bring that perspective, as a refugee, as someone who’s lived without clean water and power, and be taken seriously for it. From day one, the mentorship, the feedback, and the community around this competition made me feel like my idea genuinely mattered. Working alongside my partner Julia and our mentor Dr. Clay sharpened our vision in ways we couldn’t have done on our own. Winning first place showed us that Shamsa has a future beyond the classroom, and I’m excited to keep building and continue my entrepreneurship journey. I hope more engineers, especially those of us who come from places that need these type of solutions the most, realize the power we have to be part of the answer.

Suhaani Thakur, Zen-Air (2026)

The CBIC experience pushed us to think beyond just building a product – it challenged us to communicate a clear and compelling vision. It reinforced that Zen-Air resonates with real people and addresses real needs.

Stanislav Mitchell, Lay Your Bricks (2026)

My favorite part of the CBIC was not the prize or the validation on the concept. It was the fact that every competitor displayed the courage to get on stage and be willing to face embarrassment and angst for a vision we all believed in. Each competitor won something as soon as they stepped onto that stage. And the prize was the confidence we will move forward with in our ventures, all thanks to the amazing people who helped set up and facilitate the CBIC.

Manikanta Sirumalla, Reptrack Pro (2026)

Competing in CBIC was one of the most valuable experiences of my founder journey. The preparation alone made RepTrack Pro a better product and a better business and winning first place is validation that what we’re building matters. Deeply grateful to Vivian, the judges, and the Alex. Brown Center for their support.

Caly Ferguson, C3d Works (2026)

This was my first business pitch competition, and it’s an experience I won’t forget. The mentorship and thoughtful organization created a supportive, comfortable environment to try something new.