Business & Economy

2025 Raymond von Dran iPrize and Hunter Brooks Watson Spirit of Entrepreneurship Award Winners Announced

Monday, April 21, 2025, By Cristina Hatem
person speaking in a microphone in front of screen and banner with text that states ϲ Libraries and block S

Gisela von Dran, widow of Raymond von Dran, served as a judge and handed out RvD iPrize awards.

Winners of the 2025 School of Information Studies’ (iSchool) Raymond von Dran (RvD) Fund for Student Entrepreneurship iPrize competition and the Hunter Brooks Watson (HBW) Spirit of Entrepreneurship Award were announced on April 10 at the Blackstone LaunchPad in Bird Library. The award competition highlights the University’s entrepreneurial focus. Each team received a $2,000 award.

Raymond von Dran, who served as dean of the School of Information Studies from 1995 until his passing in 2007, was a longtime academic, entrepreneur and staunch supporter of student innovation.

The 2025 RvD iPrize winners are the following:

  • SipSafe, founded by Lindy Elizabeth Truitt ’25 (College of Visual and Performing Arts) and Anjaneya Sanjay Padwal G’25 (School of Information Studies)
  • Diabetech, founded by Tosin Alabi G’25 (Martin J. Whitman School of Management)
  • InstaHelp, founded by Mirco Sascha Kunz G’26 (Whitman School)
  • Game, founded by Carena Gianna Colo G’25 (Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs)
  • SOLACE, founded by Carolyn Fernandes G’25 (College of Visual and Performing Arts)
  • Pari Beauty, founded by Aarna Taparia ’27 (School of Architecture)
  • WW Productions, founded by James Oliver Welch G’28 (College of Visual and Performing Arts) and Reid Willar G’27 (College of Visual and Performing Arts)
  • Palmarati, founded by Tommy Brown G’28 (S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications and School of Information Studies) and Oscar Rune Goranson G’28 (Whitman School)
  • RYZYN, founded by Celes Buffard ’27 (School of Information Studies)
  • BetaKola, founded by Alie Savane ’25 (College of Arts and Sciences)

The Hunter Brooks Watson Spirit of Entrepreneurship Award began in 2018 through the Hunter Brooks Watson Memorial Fund and is awarded to students who best exemplify “The Spirit of Entrepreneurship.” Prizes honor the memory of Hunter Brooks Watson, a ϲ student who died tragically in a distracted driving accident. The 2025 HBW Spirit of Entrepreneurship Award Winners are the following:

  • Carolina Aguayo-Pla ’27 (Whitman School and School of Information Studies)
  • Waqar Hussain ’25 (Whitman School)
  • Isabella Carter G’26 (Newhouse School) and Ava Lubkemann G’26 (College of Engineering and Computer Science)
  • Ziekariba Nonr Diallo G’28 (School of Information Studies)
  • Jase M Malloy ’25 (School of Information Studies)