Sync Labs Wins $50,000 Grand Prize in UPenn’s 2025 Startup Challenge

Innovative Healthtech Startup Triumphs at Penn’s Venture Lab Challenge

Philadelphia’s entrepreneurial scene witnessed a significant milestone as the University of Pennsylvania’s Venture Lab unveiled the winner of its 2025 Startup Challenge. Sync Labs, led by Melanie Herbert, a senior in electrical engineering, clinched the top prize for its groundbreaking work in health technology.

The innovative company, Sync Labs, has developed Alice, an AI-driven platform aimed at alleviating the caregiver shortage in senior living facilities. Utilizing advanced computer vision, Alice monitors key daily activities such as eating, bathroom visits, and medication adherence without recording video. This technology not only enhances caregiver efficiency but also enables personalized care by offering real-time behavioral insights combined with health data. With three revenue-generating pilots among seven launched, Sync Labs is strategically positioned to expand in a market valued at $35.6 billion.

Herbert’s journey with Sync Labs was supported by Venture Lab’s VIP-X program, a selective accelerator providing mentorship and resources to student entrepreneurs. The Startup Challenge, held on May 2, 2025, at the university’s Tangen Hall, showcased eight final teams from an initial pool of 30 semifinalists. These teams competed for a share of over $150,000 in prizes, pitching their ideas to a panel of alumni judges and an audience of nearly 150 attendees.

Lori Rosenkopf, Vice Dean of Entrepreneurship at the Wharton School, remarked, “This year’s Venture Lab Startup Challenge put a spotlight on the creativity and problem-solving mindset of our student ventures. It’s inspiring to see these teams innovate with purpose and determination, and we are deeply grateful to our judges and the Venture Lab team for championing their work.”

2025 Startup Challenge Winners

Perlman Grand Prize: $50,000 to Sync Labs; Melanie Herbert, EE’25, GEN’26

William G. Simpson and R. Drew Kistler Runner Up Prize: $25,000 to Quok.it; Ahmed Abdellah, ENG’25, GEE’26, Alexander Cho, ENG’25, Tarunyaa Sivakumar, EE’25, GEE’25, Yiting Shen, ENG’25, GEN’26

Linn Family Innovation Prize: $10,000 to Guide Genetics; Matt Liebers, WG’26

The Robert S. Blank New Venture Collaboration Award: $10,000 to Serpent Robotics; Margaret Zhu, W’26, Steyn Knollema, GEN’26, Jason Li, GEN’26, Yiran Xuan, GEN’26

Frederick H. Gloeckner Undergraduate Award: $10,000 to Sync Labs; Melanie Herbert, EE’25, GEN’26

The Jacobson Social Impact Prize: $10,000 to Sync Labs; Melanie Herbert, EE’25, GEN’26

Khan Family AI for Business Award: $10,000 each to:
- KAL Robotics; Tejendra Patel, C25, W25, Kevin Paulose, GEN’25
- Sync Labs; Melanie Herbert, EE’25

Weiss Audience’s Choice Award: $10,000 to Serpent Robotics; Margaret Zhu, W’26, Steyn Knollema, GEN’26, Jason Li, GEN’26, Yiran Xuan, GEN’26

Summer Venture Awards: $10,000 each to Certitude, Guide Genetics, and Vado

The judging panel for the finals included prominent alumni such as Bikram Bakshi, Mona Bijoor, Allison Goldberg, Vivek Sagi, and Alexander Schuth. Their expertise and insights were invaluable in selecting the winners from the talented pool of finalists.

Venture Lab, an initiative powered by the Wharton School, remains a pivotal platform for nurturing entrepreneurship within the Penn community. It offers students the opportunity to develop and scale their ventures using the vast resources available both at the university and within the broader Philadelphia entrepreneurial ecosystem. For more details about Venture Lab, visit their website.