Congratulations to the 2025 Colorado Sustainability Challenge Winners!

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The winning teams for the 2025 Colorado Sustainability Challenge (CSC) were announced at the CSC Finals on Sunday, Oct. 12. Teams from Colorado Front Range colleges and universities participated in the two-week, hackathon-style competition, vying to make a positive impact on global sustainability issues and win $21,000 in prizes for their innovative ideas.

2025 Colorado Sustainability Challenge Winning Teams

First Place��($5,000)

BioOX

Solution: A proprietary processing system that transforms raw biochar into a dense, pelletized form for use by farmers.
Team members: Jack Mulvaney (College of Engineering and Applied Science), Josh Shrewbridge (College of Engineering and Applied Science), Ted Elliott (), Michael Harris, Jonathan Dixon ()

Runners-up��($2,000 each)

Amply

Solution: A system that merges residential power storage with real-time AI workloads, creating a smarter, more profitable grid and turning houses into profitable micro–data centers.
Team members: CU Boulder students Neil Vaidya , Liam Zirkle (), Sam Siegal (), Walter Richard ()

MyPack

Solution: Packing materials made from mycelium (fungus roots and compost waste)
Team members: Shodan D'Souza (), Gabrielle Kellogg () and Jordan Rule ()

Owen Parker

Solution: A centralized web app that automates the process of finding viable, unused church land that can be converted into affordable housing
Team Member: Owen Parker ()

Uplink Energy

Solution: Using thermal cooling battery packs to reduce lost energy in modern buildings.
Team Members: CU Boulder College of Engineering and Applied Science students Hayden Dondlinger (College of Engineering and Applied Science), Kai Groudan (College of Engineering and Applied Science), Duncan Laird (College of Engineering and Applied Science) and Gregory Reilly (College of Engineering and Applied Science)

Additional Awards

Abundant Ground Bounty Project* ($4,000)

Winning Team: Owen Parker

Solution: A centralized web app that automates the process of finding viable, unused church land that can be converted into affordable housing.

Team Member: Owen Parker ()

�Թ�� the project sponsor: Abundant Ground is a congregational land initiative program through Mile High Ministries, that supports the vitality of local congregations by helping them imagine and implement mission-aligned new development of underutilized land and buildings.

* A Bounty Project is a clearly defined initiative with��funding allocated by a particular sponsor.

1000 Gretas Prize ($500)

Winning Team 1: CleanRoute

Solution:��An app that integrates real-time air, heat, traffic and shade data for cleaner commutes and a reduction in the carbon footprint.

Team Member: Rishab Pally (College of Engineering and Applied Science)

�Թ�� the award sponsor: 1000 Gretas is a nonprofit supporting innovation focused on climate solutions, sustainability and green technology.

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1000 Gretas Prize ($500)

Winning Team 2: Uplink Energy

Solution: ��Using thermal cooling battery packs to reduce lost energy in modern buildings.

Team Members: CU Boulder College of Engineering and Applied Science students Hayden Dondlinger (College of Engineering and Applied Science), Kai Groudan (College of Engineering and Applied Science), Duncan Laird (College of Engineering and Applied Science) and Gregory Reilly (College of Engineering and Applied Science)

�Թ�� the award sponsor: 1000 Gretas is a nonprofit supporting innovation focused on climate solutions, sustainability and green technology.

Audience Choice Award* ($1,000)

Winning Team: Uplink Energy

Solution: Using thermal cooling battery packs to reduce lost energy in modern buildings.

Team Members: Hayden Dondlinger (College of Engineering and Applied Science), Kai Groudan (College of Engineering and Applied Science), Duncan Laird (College of Engineering and Applied Science) and Gregory Reilly (College of Engineering and Applied Science)

* The audience chooses its favorite pitch from the CSC Finals

Best Technology Award* ($2,000)

Winning Team: Circular Materials Marketplace

Solution: Turning��campus waste into opportunity — post, claim, and reuse surplus materials across CU Boulder.

Team Member: Diyora Daminova (College of Engineering and Applied Science)��

*Selected for the best use of technology in the solution

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