Stillman Students Shine at Hult Prize Global Summit

Stillman School of Business students attended the Hult Prize Global Summit in Boston on June 14-15. Known as the world’s largest student social entrepreneurship event, the competition aims to solve global problems by supporting innovative social enterprises that align with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The Seton Hall team, led by Maria Saitta, Bryce Miller, Jackson Vaughn, Morgan Frye, and Nalani Rios, entered the competition with an idea focused on sustainable packaging solutions. Unveiled at the Social Impact Entrepreneurship Hackathon, hosted in February by Seton Hall’s Entrepreneurship Club and the Center of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Naturefill Replenish aims to reduce plastic waste through a consumer product dispenser, demonstrating the intersection of innovation and environmental awareness. As the winner of this local event, the team was invited to participate in the local summit in Boston.

At the Boston Summit, one of seven such international events hosted by world-class educational institutions, the team competed against some of the brightest minds from around the world. Of the more than 94,000 teams that participated in the initial stages worldwide, fewer than 400 teams advanced to the Summit, underscoring the highly competitive nature of the events.

This year’s Hult Prize theme, “UNLIMITED,” encouraged entrants to propose solutions to any global problem they chose, as long as they aligned with at least one of the Sustainable Development Goals, offering a unique opportunity to demonstrate creativity and make an impact.

Debra Lee Surface, assistant professor of marketing at Seton Hall University, highlighted the exceptional attitude of Morgan Frye, Nalani Rios, and Bryce Miller — team members — and the invaluable experience they gained from networking with other innovators and receiving constructive feedback.

“It was an amazing few days spent here competing, collaborating, and most importantly, making new connections with other innovators from Boston College, Tufts, George Washington, Carnegie Mellon, UC Berkeley, Southern Methodist University, and other universities across the country,” Surface said of the event. “We also had the opportunity to connect and generate ideas with global entrepreneurs from Taiwan, Mexico, Kyrgyzstan, and many other places around the world!”

Although Naturefill Replenish did not qualify for the finals in London, they were among the top teams at the Boston event and received $5,000 scholarships for their achievements. These scholarships can be used at Hult International Business School if students decide to pursue an MBA there in the future.

“I’m incredibly proud of Nalani Rios, Bryce Miller, and Morgan Frye for their energy, enthusiasm, and hard work in promoting their venture,” said Surface. “I can’t wait to see where they and their teammates take Naturefill as it enters the next phase of growth!”

Learn more about the Hult Award.

Categories: Business, Nation and World