The Pulse of Innovation

The latest news and updates at the Academy and in the field.

Startup Life

Infinity Box Rethinks Ecommerce with Sustainable Packaging Alternative

The online retail industry is booming, and so is cardboard packaging waste. Enter Infinity Box: a reusable shipping container empowered with real-time tracking and lasts 100x long than its cardboard counterparts. Infinity Box is rethinking shipping practices, offering sustainable solutions to both online retailers and consumers alike. Read on...

Senior Stories

Senior Spotlight: Mac Baker

Senior Mac Baker's love of tinkering has led her to follow in the footsteps of great inventors from the past. An admirer of Leonardo Da Vinci, Baker has spent her time at the Academy honing her creative chops in the hopes of one day patenting products that will change the world. Read on...

Freshman Spotlight

Fresh Encounters: Kia McCormick

"In high school, I created a club called Trash to Treasure where we took bed frames and created a recycled sculpture to commemorate our city of San Ramon’s 150th year anniversary." From rhythmic gymnastics to steel welding and Krav Maga, freshman Kia McCormick is a versatile doer pursuing an assortment of creative projects...and she wouldn't have it any other way. Read on...

Freshman Spotlight

Fresh Encounters: Anupam Batra

Anupam Batra is an Academy freshman with a passion for human-centered design. An admirer of Apple pioneers Jony Ive and Steve Jobs, Batra sees an opportunity at the Academy to forge his own entrepreneurial path by creating products and technology that positively impact society. Read on...

Graduate Student Stories

Graduate Student Uses VR to Erase Kids' Fear of MRIS

Max Orozco has dedicated himself to the study of the brain, working in laboratories throughout California and penning different academic papers on brain development for much of his professional career. But now, Orozco is using his neuroscience background to help reverse people's fear of one of the most daunting procedures in the medical field.

News

Iovine and Young Academy Entrepreneurs Take Top Prizes at USC Stevens Innovator Showcase

On November 1, 24 USC student teams competed in the 13th Annual USC Stevens Student Innovator Showcase for $27,500 in cash prizes and $30,000 in in-kind awards, pitching innovative business ideas to a panel of expert judges. The Academy showed a strong presence with five student teams competing...

Senior Stories

Senior Spotlight: Anthony Yin

Having branched out across disciplines over his four years at the Academy, senior Anthony Yin now has a plan to fuse American music with Chinese consumers, all while devouring Trader Joe's dark chocolate peanut butter cups. Read on...

Freshman Spotlight

Fresh Encounters: Kyla Wyllie

If you're searching for a knowledgeable and effervescent human alternative to the music-analyzing app Shazam, Kyla Wyllie is the girl to call. As an Academy freshman with a boundless love for music, Wyllie has made it her goal in life to empower future artists. Read on...

Senior Stories

Senior Spotlight: Vanessa Qin

Through community, Vanessa Qin found the spark to launch urspace, an all-in-one portfolio builder for the next generation. By helping students manage their professional digital lives, Qin has found a solution to a problem she faced as a freshman. Read on...

Freshman Spotlight

Fresh Encounters: Richa Krishna

Richa Krishna is a creator, dancer, and business founder. As she searches for the perfect balance between her passions (which include dance choreography and product development) Richa finds joy in the opportunity to share her ideas with fellow classmates at the Academy. Read on...

'Tis The Season

IYA Holiday Gift Guide

Launch into the holiday season with innovative gifts from emerging IYA student brands.

The Startup Life

Personalizing the Post-Workout Shake

Two years ago Harry Valner was a gym enthusiast and an undergrad with an idea to make workout shakes better. Now, the 22-year-old senior has his own wellness company that is on target to become a fast-growing startup in Los Angeles.