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Fort Valley State University Hosts Spark Tank Competition to Select Team for the USG Innovation & Entrepreneurship Challenge

by Jazmin Thomas-Pullen

Posted on Mar 05, 2026 at 17:44 PM

Fort Valley State University (FVSU) recently hosted the Spark Tank Innovation & Entrepreneurship Pitch Competition (Spark Tank), a multi-round event designed to showcase student innovation and select the university’s representative team for the upcoming University System of Georgia (USG) Innovation & Entrepreneurship Competition.

The final round, held March 2 in Pettigrew Auditorium, featured a shark tank–style pitch event where teams delivered polished presentations before judges and members of the campus community. Under the direction of Vice President Keith Howard, Ph.D., the Spark Tank initiative was coordinated by FVSU Marketing and Communications Manager Jazmin Thomas-Pullen who played a key role in developing the competition concept, including creating the Spark Tank name, organizing judges and coordinating both the preliminary and final rounds.

At the conclusion of the competition, Team Roots for Change was named the 2026 Spark Tank Champion and will represent Fort Valley State University at the University System of Georgia Innovation & Entrepreneurship Competition. The team consists of scholars Haneefat Adanijo, Carlos Griffin, Victoria Mensah, Jirah Perrymond and Jaylin Phillips, and earned the first-place prize of $500.

Second place was awarded to Team HBCU Connect, consisting of scholars Jaleel Bryant, Chase Colbert and Lamin Endow, who received a $250 prize. The team also earned the Most Innovative Award for their creative concept and forward-thinking approach.

Third place went to Team Boys to Men, with scholars Rahmiq McCarthy and Lawrence Reeves, who received a $100 prize. Their concept, the Helping Hands App, also earned the Community Impact Award and the Best Pitch Award, recognizing both the project’s potential to positively impact communities and the team’s outstanding presentation.

Fourth place was awarded to Team SPH1, consisting of scholars Janiya Dorsey, Margarita Ramirez and Sanchita Sarkar.

The competition was judged by a distinguished panel that included Eyualem Abebe, Ph.D., dean of the College of Arts and Sciences; Beth Day-Hairston, Ph.D., dean of the College of Education and Professional Studies; Kermelle D. Hensley, Ed.D., executive director for Strategic Academic Partnerships; Keith Howard, Ph.D., dean of the College of Agricultural, Family Sciences and Technology and vice president for Land Grant Affairs; and Britney Smith, executive director of Marketing and Communications. Prizes for the competition were sponsored by the FVSU Foundation.

Prior to the final event, Spark Tank began with a preliminary qualifying round on February 18, where student teams presented their business and community-focused ideas in a closed session before a panel of judges. Teams were evaluated on the strength of their problem identification, proposed solutions, potential impact, sustainability and overall presentation. The top teams advanced to the final campus competition.

Judges for the preliminary round included Celia Dodd, Ph.D., director of Undergraduate Research and professor of Biology; Ramana Gosukonda, Ph.D., professor of Computer Science; Keith Howard, Ph.D.; Corey Miller, FVSU volunteer; and Aftab Siddique, Ph.D., postdoctoral researcher in the College of Agricultural, Family Sciences and Technology. Judges provided valuable feedback to help students refine their ideas and strengthen their entrepreneurial skills.

The University System of Georgia Innovation & Entrepreneurship Competition will take place April 6–7 at Kennesaw State University. The two-day event will bring together student innovators from across the University System of Georgia, with each institution selecting one team to compete.

Team Roots for Change will pitch their original idea before a panel of judges for the opportunity to win the USG Innovation & Entrepreneurship Trophy, $25,000 in cash prizes, mentorship from industry experts and access to top institutional accelerators.

Through initiatives like Spark Tank, Fort Valley State University continues to foster a culture of creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship by empowering students to transform bold ideas into solutions that can create meaningful impact in their communities and beyond.

*Specific details about each team’s pitch are not being shared in order to protect the students’ original ideas and intellectual property.

 

 

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