UNH Today

Modern dating just might be safer now that the inventors of VELV have taken home the top prize in the 31^st annual Paul J. Holloway Prize Innovation to Market Competition.

VELV, the team consisting of Christin Badylak-Reals ’19, Jessica Lavallee ’19 and Matthew Ross ’19, won the competition with their safe dating platform, which integrates with smart jewelry to allow a person on a date to discreetly push a button and receive help if a situation becomes uncomfortable. The platform was inspired by the horrific experience Badylak-Reals had as a survivor of sexual assault on a first date. Badylak-Reals, Lavallee and Ross hope their platform, in combination with the smart jewelry, will contribute to a safer modern dating scene.

Liquid Hops, an indoor hydroponic hop-growing facility that Jonathan Carrigan ’19 pitched as a more cost-effective way to supply small breweries, took second place in the competition. Carrigan says his company wants to both expand the versatility of eco-friendly farming using hydroponics and also help New England brewing thrive.

Coming in third place this year was Steven Schnobrich ’21 and his golf anger-management novelty product The Bogey Bag, a punching bag that can be securely attached to a golf cart to cut down on golfers taking their anger out on their equipment or the course. Schnobrich and The Bogey Bag also took home the People’s Choice award, a fan-voted award for the audience’s favorite team.

See the full results of the competition at paulcollege.unh.edu/holloway.