UC Santa Cruz Student Innovators Earn National Recognition at e-Fest and National Academy of Inventors

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 31, 2026

Santa Cruz, CA — March 30, 2026 — Student innovators from the University of California, Santa Cruz are gaining national recognition across both entrepreneurship and invention, highlighting the strength of the university’s growing innovation ecosystem.

Rayna Borah has been selected to represent UC Santa Cruz at e-Fest, one of the nation’s premier undergraduate entrepreneurship competitions, taking place later this April. Competing alongside top institutions such as Duke University, Dartmouth College, and Johns Hopkins University, her participation marks a significant milestone for UCSC’s expanding presence on the national entrepreneurship stage.

Building on this momentum, Borah has also been named a Genspiration Prize Finalist by the National Academy of Inventors, selected from a highly competitive pool of emerging inventors nationwide.

Borah is the creator of SEOS (Smart Early Observation System), an app designed to detect three life-threatening pediatric conditions in infants. Her work represents a powerful intersection of healthcare, technology, and social impact, with the potential to significantly improve early diagnosis and outcomes.

As a result of this recognition, Borah has been invited to attend the National Academy of Inventors Annual Conference in Los Angeles, California, from June 1–4, 2026, where she will join a national network of inventors, researchers, and changemakers.

In parallel, Aditya Kanteti, co-founder of the startup Wattnest, has also demonstrated strong momentum within UCSC’s innovation ecosystem. Wattnest is a cellular-connected smart controller that leverages machine learning and a standardized communication protocol to optimize water heating for builders, property owners, and utilities—effectively reducing electricity costs and grid pressure. The team was a finalist in last year’s UCSC Launchpad competition and recently completed the SkyDeck accelerator at UC Berkeley SkyDeck.

Kanteti has also been invited to attend the National Academy of Inventors Annual Conference, further underscoring the national recognition of UCSC’s student innovators across disciplines.

“These accomplishments reflect the power of experiential, interdisciplinary education,” said Nada Miljković, Project Manager of the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurial Development (CIED) at UC Santa Cruz. “Our students are not just learning about innovation, they are building solutions that address real-world challenges with both technical rigor and human-centered insight.”

Behind these student successes is a growing support system that bridges education, mentorship, and real-world application. Both students have been supported through UC Santa Cruz’s Innovation & Business Engagement  Hub , including Ryan Sharp, who has played a key role in catalyzing early momentum, and Ben Legum, who has provided ongoing strategic and venture development guidance.  The Hub also initiated the campus NAI Chapter and organizes its initiatives in collaboration with academic inventor leaders. 

The Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurial Development (CIED) continues to play a central role in fostering student innovation through hands-on coursework, mentorship, and real-world engagement, preparing students to become the next generation of entrepreneurs, inventors, and leaders.

About CIEDThe Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurial Development at UC Santa Cruz prepares students to apply entrepreneurial thinking through experiential, interdisciplinary, and community-engaged learning that advances innovation and social impact.

For media inquiries or additional information, please contact:

Marina Glagolev, 

Operations Manager, CIED

mglagole@ucsc.edu                                             

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