After months of fierce competition, Lilypad Health has been crowned this year’s InVenture Prize winners. The team's invention, an at-home, non-invasive menstrual blood screening tool, proposes an alternative to traditional practices in women’s health while making testing more accessible to the uninsured.

Teammates Rhea Prem, Netra Gandhi, and Ethan Damiani have known each other since their first year and embarked on this transformative journey as a capstone project. Recognizing the significant gap in access to care and preventive health measures, especially in women's health, the team set out to develop a solution that would empower individuals with greater control over their health.

Lilypad Health offers less invasive testing for a range of crucial health indicators, including HPV, cervical cancer, HbA1C, hormones and fertility health, PCOS, and endometriosis. By enabling women to conduct these tests in the comfort and privacy of their own homes, Lilypad Health is poised to revolutionize the way women approach their health and wellness.

Their efforts are not just about developing a product — the team is actively working to break down stigmas surrounding menstruation and period-related health issues, fostering a more open and inclusive dialogue around women's health. Their work has been recognized with an AIDS Research Award and was featured in Women’s Health earlier this year. 

With two prototypes already in development and testing underway for preserved biomarkers for sample presentation, Lilypad Health is making significant strides toward bringing their innovative solution to the masses. And they aren’t the only ones who feel their invention is urgently needed — the United States Patent and Trademark Office granted the team a patent acceleration certificate and they are currently in talks with menstrual pad manufacturers about partnering to make their product even more widely available.

When asked what they would use the $20,000 InVenture Prize money for, Rhea replied, “Getting Lilypad to market as fast as we can.” 

Lilypad Health’s vision of becoming a leading women's health company is well within reach. In addition to the award money, the team has gained a coveted spot in Georgia Tech’s CREATE-X Startup Launch, a 12-week summer program where they will receive coaching and mentorship from experienced entrepreneurs and have the opportunity to pitch their model to investors.  

You can learn more about Lilypad Health and their transformative invention on their website.

Second place and $10,000 went to Makr Papr, a team of computer science, computer engineering, and mechanical engineering students who have developed an innovative, patent-pending technology that promises to replace name tags and event apps at conferences with an easy-to-use, tap-and-go printable paper. 

“We want to show others that it doesn't matter where you come from or your background,” says the team. “If we can do it, you can do it.”

The People’s Choice Award, selected through audience voting during the live show, went to team Candor. Comprising four computer science majors, this team invented what they call a “Constituent Relationship Management (CRM)” platform that aims to make “democratic participation more accessible and effective for everyone.” The platform offers a streamlined reporting and tracking process to expedite infrastructure maintenance for city governments and municipalities. 

Learn more about all of the 2024 finalists on the InVenture Prize website. Missed the live show? You can watch the recording here.