Top Teen Entrepreneurs Win $50,000 in Seton Hall Pirates Pitch 2025
Wednesday, June 3, 2026
Ten talented student entrepreneur finalists with start-up concepts or nascent businesses,
out of an international field of 225 contestants, faced off at Seton Hall University’s
tenth annual Pirates Pitch for High School Students competition, hosted by the Center of Innovation and Entrepreneurship on November 22, 2025, in Jubilee Hall Auditorium. The finalists were awarded $50,000
in cash and scholarships.
Samantha Farrugia, a senior from Colts Neck, NJ, attending Saint John Vianney High School, received the first-place award for Shield Her. Justin Deng, a sophomore from Morganville, NJ, attending High Technology High School, came in second place for Thermo Track. Anna Lau, a sophomore from Staten Island, NY, attending Staten Island Technical High School, received the Audience Choice Award for Snugshi. Monica Raina, a sophomore from Syosset, NY, attending Jericho High School, won Honorable Mention for her business concept, RateRight.
This tournament also celebrated Global Entrepreneurship Week activities that took place in 180 countries around world from November 18-24. The ten future business leaders who had successfully submitted original business proposals describing an innovative product or service in 350 words or less, or in a three minute video, had competed against 225 young entrepreneurs from 20 U.S. states as well as Canada, Mexico, Taiwan, Vietnam, South Korea and Singapore, to qualify for more than $50,000 in prizes and tuition scholarships.
"This year’s competition displayed the work of a terrific group of teen entrepreneurs. The finalists demonstrated creativity and innovation in their well-developed pitches," said Susan Scherreik, M.B.A., founding director of the Center of Innovation and Entrepreneurship in the Stillman School of Business. "Their ideas were wide-ranging, and I was impressed that many of them focused on improving physical and mental health and supporting sustainability."
Scherreik shared that adding to the vibrancy of the event were student volunteers from the Entrepreneurship Club executive board serving as emcees and volunteers. These students either have their own businesses or are working toward launching businesses. In addition, Seton Hall M.B.A. student and entrepreneur RoseMary Stanchak, a 2018 winner and also a contest judge, delivered remarks.
The 10 qualifying finalists received at least $4,000 in tuition scholarships to attend Seton Hall. Samantha received a $2,500 cash award and a $10,000 tuition scholarship. Justin received a $1,000 cash award and a $6,000 scholarship to attend Seton Hall. Anna, the Audience Choice Award winner, received $300 as well as a $4,000 tuition scholarship. Monica, the Honorable Mention awardee, received $100 and a $4,000 tuition scholarship.
The finalists conveyed their startup ideas in five-minute presentation followed by five minutes of questions from a prominent judging panel including Stillman business faculty and alumni entrepreneurs: Elizabeth McCrea, Ph.D., associate professor of management and entrepreneurship; Victor Gomez, '17, manager of Seton Hall Esports who has been instrumental in the founding, creation and growth of the University’s Gaming Sector club and the current esports program at Seton Hall, RoseMary Stanchak ’23 (M.B.A. ’25), senior marketing and strategy associate at Fusion Health, Nicolas Dahan, Ph.D., assistant professor of management at Seton Hall University, Juliet Payseur, ‘13, owner of Curated Realty, and Paul Sannitti ’13, owner and operator of BGR Burgers Grilled Right.
“I enjoyed seeing the teenagers’ energy, creativity, and courage. It is not easy to get up on stage to present your work to a group of judges, parents, and strangers! The quality of all the finalists’ presentations made it very difficult to pick the winners, but I was glad that all the finalists were awarded scholarships to Seton Hall. They earned that with their hard work and resilience,” said Dr. McCrea, one of the competition’s judges.
Scherreik noted that more than 60 alumni entrepreneurs visit the Seton Hall campus annually to guest lecture in courses and network with students at extracurricular events.
"At Seton Hall University, we are similarly seeing a growing number of students enrolling in our entrepreneurship concentration, starting businesses in their dorms and taking advantage of the Center of Innovation and Entrepreneurship’s many resources, including mentoring by alumni entrepreneurs," Scherreik explained.
Event Finalists included:
- Hans Patel, junior from River Edge, NJ (Bergen County Technical High School). Startup Idea: TickerSphere
- Logan Roskow, senior from Waverly, NY (Waverly High School). Startup Idea: MoveMate
- Morgan McNabb, senior from Beachwood, NJ (Toms River South High School). Business Idea: Safeguard Band
- Anna Lau, junior from Staten Island, NY (Staten Island Technical High School). Business Idea: Snugshi
- Aarush Bolla, junior from Edison, NJ (John P. Stevens High School). Business Idea: Upryt
- Jacob Organ, junior from Park Ridge, NJ (Park Ridge High School). Business Idea: Dry Socks
- Monica Raina, sophomore from Syosset, NY (Jericho High School). Business Idea: RateRight
- Lucia Montoya-Leyva, junior from Berkeley Heights, NJ (Union County Academy of Information Technology). Business Idea: NeuroNav
- Justin Deng, sophomore from Morganville, NJ (High Technology High School). Business Idea: ThermoTrack
- Samantha Farrugia, senior from Colts Neck, NJ (Saint John Vianney). Business Idea: Shield Her
The High School Pirates Pitch competition livestream can be watched here.
The High School Pirates Pitch is based on the Center's highly successful collegiate-level Pirates Pitch Competition, which awards $16,000 to Seton Hall University student entrepreneurs annually. To learn more about the Center of Innovation and Entrepreneurship and its activities, please visit here.
Click here to view images of the High School Pirates Pitch on Flickr.
