NYU Tandon students team up for the Global Impact Sprint 2025

In late June, three students from NYU Tandon’s Department of Technology Management and Innovation (TMI) — Justin Seymour-Welch, Kolbrún Bragadóttir, and Nina Cialone — had the honor of representing the School at the Global Impact Sprint 2025, an intense, high-speed innovation challenge in which they teamed up with an inspiring group of peers from MIT, University of Pennsylvania, Tecnológico de Monterrey, Babson College, and Potsdam’s Hasso Plattner Institute (HPI).

Tasked with designing a bold digital solution for reducing geopolitical risk in global semiconductor supply chains in just 100 hours, they tackled the complex questions surrounding supply chain disruption, leveraging their diverse backgrounds, cultures, and perspectives for a shared mission. Together, they developed high-impact pitches, showing how digital tools can support early detection, strategic response, and smarter collaboration in global supply chains.

A keynote by Santina Franchi and Sonja Visser, executives at the global enterprise application and business AI company SAP, and a visit to the United Nations, where they explored the role of digital technologies in advancing the Sustainable Development Goals, were among the highlights of the multi-day event in New York City.

For the Challenge, which was sponsored by HPI Engine, the Institute’s entrepreneurial arm, students were divided into interdisciplinary teams of six — one student from each university. HPI Director Frank Pawlitschek accurately predicted that when “inspired to lead and united by purpose,” students would ultimately “grow far beyond the classroom.”

“Collaborating with such a diverse and talented group of people was incredibly inspiring,” Cialone says. “The experience reinforced how much we can achieve when we bring together different perspectives and expertise. I left with new skills in rapid prototyping, a broader view of international teamwork, and connections from around the world.”

Bragadóttir concurs. “I came in expecting to build a prototype,” she said, “but I left with new skills, new friendships, and a completely new perspective on collaboration.” Seymour-Welch added, “My biggest takeaway? The extraordinary power of diverse minds — culturally, professionally, and academically. This experience underscored that innovation thrives on humanity and diverse perspectives.”

“Artificial Intelligence is fundamentally transforming how companies operate, and the Challenge aligns well with our TMI courses; managers now need to understand just how essential technology and innovation can be for delivering value to organizations and the marketplace,” Industry Associate Professor Michael Driscoll explains. He coordinates the Department’s student-selection process each year. “This is our third summer participating in the Global Sprint Challenge,” he says, “and Justin, Kolbrún, and Nina represented NYU Tandon as outstanding ambassadors.”