From handmade crafts to technology-based services, an array of business concepts appeared on colorful posters inside Oklahoma State University’s Business Building.

Student entrepreneurs created every idea.

The Riata Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship hosted the annual Student Innovation Expo on Oct. 30, awarding $10,500 in scholarships to winners across multiple categories. Cristian Mendoza and Dominic Vona won the overall competition with their concept of Strato Scout, a drone service for emergency managers.

Open to OSU students of any major, the Student Innovation Expo is a pitch and poster competition where participants present their business ideas and gain constructive feedback from judges. Dearingers Promotional Products & Apparel, a local Stillwater business, sponsored the competition.

“Every year, it’s a joy to see OSU students show their creativity and entrepreneurial mindsets at the Student Innovation Expo,” said Riata Center director Chad Mills. “We look forward to continuing to support these student entrepreneurs as their ventures grow, and we’re grateful for our panel of judges who shared valuable feedback rooted in years of industry experience.”

Scholarship prizes go to the overall competition winner and the top finalists in each competition track: Big City | High Tech, Main Street Lifestyles and Rising Entrepreneur. All returning participants compete on the Rising Entrepreneur track.

Here is the full list of 2026 Student Innovation Expo winners and their concepts.

Overall Competition Winner

Cristian Mendoza and Dominic Vona – Strato Scout

Provides commercially sourced, lightweight, affordable drones as a service to gather up-to-date geospatial intelligence at scale for emergency managers.

Big City | High Tech

First Place

Myles Lozano and Reese Huhnke – Hunter Radar

An outdoor safety and communication system designed for hunters, hikers and other users operating beyond reliable cell service.

Second Place

Cristian Mendoza and Dominic Vona – Strato Scout

Third Place

Peyton Broyles – Email Assistant

An email-based tool designed to reduce administrative work for college professors managing large volumes of student emails.

Main Street Lifestyles

First Place

Aaron Hosack – Smart Feeder Kit

Aftermarket kits for truck-mounted cattle cube feeders that accurately weigh dispensed feed.

Second Place

Trey O’Toole – Threefold Vintage

Sources and sells vintage clothing, specializing in OSU apparel from the 1970s-2010s.

Third Place

Orin Reuter – O’s Lawn Services

A locally owned Stillwater lawn care business offering residential mowing, weed-eating, flower bed cleanouts, mulch replacement and property cleanup.

Rising Entrepreneur

First Place Tie

Brooklyn Hawkins – In the Middle of a Miracle

An Oklahoma-based nonprofit dedicated to loving and serving children battling pediatric cancer through hospital partnerships, scholarships, literacy initiatives and family support.

Kevin Kuteesa – Prograte Capital Ventures

A financial technology company expanding access to capital for women entrepreneurs in Uganda and developing Prograte Finance, a digital loan management platform for microfinance institutions.

People’s Choice

Emma Claire Noll – EC’s Studio

Creates handmade Bible charm chains, bookmarks and hand-painted journals.

2026 Student Innovation Expo photos by Cole Weiberg

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