Students gain far more than prize money through their innovation competition.
A variety of majors collaborated on projects that taught them teamwork and real-world skills and then competed to open doors for the future growth of their inventions.
The 2025 Student Innovator of the Year (SIOY) was chosen from seven finalist teams as the annual competition came to a close on Feb. 27. A recording of the whole competition is available here for those who couldn't make it.
From impromptu birthday songs to raffle giveaways, pizza to emotional acknowledgments of supporters, the final SIOY event brought the BYU engineering community together to celebrate innovation.
Camila Lunt attended with some friends to support her husband, Jared Wieland, who competed on team Indel Industries with new technology for fighting cancer. She saw the impact that innovation had on him.
“It’s been really great,” Lunt said. “He’s been really enjoying preparing for this competition, so it’s been really fun to be able to hear all of the things that this competition brings and opportunities.”
Students and guests packed into the Engineering Building on Feb. 27 in the afternoon while SIOY dished out $50,000 in cash prizes.
Varroa Tech won first place, crowd favorite, and $14,000 after presenting their biotechnical solution to remotely detect and monitor parasite levels within beehives. Their device addresses the agricultural issue of invasive varroa mites attacking and feeding on honey bees that keep crops pollinated and available in grocery stores.
Logan Cropper, electrical engineer and member of the Varroa Tech team, said their team started as a part of the Crocker Innovation Fellowship program through the Marriott School of Business.
SIOY was kind of our first step to saying, you know, can we turn this into something bigger?
Before the final competition, Cropper said that centering the innovation process on a need of real people with an interdisciplinary team is “one of the most valuable things [he has] done during [his] degree.”
Michael Middleton, College Director of BYU’s J. Reuben Clark Law School, attended with the BYU Alumni Executive Board and believes students can benefit from working with students in other specialties.
“I think we can cross-pollinate,” Middleton said. “No funny bee reference intended, but just learning from each other.”
Dry Rise placed second with their bladder monitor that uses bio impedance to prevent the emotional strife that comes from adult bed-wetting. LUNIR Watchbands earned third place after demonstrating a watch band buckle and strap design that gives a comfortable and stylish fit to every wear.
Hannah Cordon, an entrepreneurship major and member of the Dry Rise team, did not see herself doing SIOY or helping create this kind of product. She said she learned skills that will be relevant throughout her life.
We believe in our thing so much, but the fact that we made it to finals and other people are starting to say they believe in us,” Cordon said. “It feels like we're not alone working on this anymore.
Each team had four minutes to pitch their product and why it is important, then five minutes to answer questions from the judges.
“I could talk about the electrical engineering that's gone into the device for an hour if you let me,” Cropper said. “And so, getting to pick like, OK, here are the three points that we need to get across in four minutes is tough for all of us.”
The judges attended through Zoom and consisted of BYU alumni, engineers, and CEOs: Mike Eskridge, Craig Paullin, Ryan Woodley, and Brady Woolford.
Judges asked questions about the team's motivation for creating the product, its composition and functionality, potential issues or strengths with user experience, and how the product is predicted to fare in the market.
They were also heavily interested in future applications of each team’s product.
MC James Perry, Studio C original cast member and BYU mechanical engineering alumni, pulled raffle tickets throughout the competition to hand out giveaways, including products from previous SIOY competitors.
After each team presented, Jono DiPeri, founder of MyoStorm, shared his experience competing in SIOY when he was at BYU and how the mentorship and experience he received got him and his business where they are today.
Julie Beck, Vice President of Engagement on the BYU Alumni Association Board, was impressed by the gumption of students to find a group and work together to have this experience.
“Life takes you down a lot of roads, so this experience informs the next experience and that informs the next experience,” Beck said. “Most people tend to wear a lot of hats by the time you get to be my age.”
Multiple teams recognized the potential of their product.
“We're going to continue to make progress no matter what,” Cordon said. “I think opportunities that you're meant for, they become apparent.”
They’re going to need patents before they’re through.
Varroa Tech wants to turn their product into a company to get the device to the people who need it.
“It's a technology that, if it's widespread, it could make a huge dent in a lot of the problems that are facing agriculture, that are facing beekeeping,” Cropper said.
Mark Almond, founder of SudStream and SIOY finalist, learned business skills and how to successfully prototype repeatedly. He recommends that students who are interested in innovating their own product should start now when they have resources and support.
“It's literally a win-win,” Almond said. “You have so much going for you when you're here at BYU.”
