NW Valley Times

Grand Canyon University (GCU) will be represented by a team of students and alumni at the Hult Prize 2025 USA National Competition in Boston on March 21-22. The team, consisting of students Kevin Vega and Caleb McCandliss, along with recent graduate Suman Dangol, will present their project under the mentorship of Robert Vera, founding director of GCU’s Canyon Ventures and Hult Prize campus director.

The Hult Prize is recognized as a significant global social entrepreneurship competition that encourages university teams to develop business ideas addressing pressing global issues like poverty, clean energy, and healthcare access. "The Hult Prize isn’t just about winning," said Vera. "It’s about empowering young entrepreneurs to create meaningful change in the world."

GCU's team was selected from over 10,000 teams across more than 100 countries. They are among the 750 startups competing for up to $1 million in startup funding aimed at scaling their business and driving social impact.

Vega and Dangol have been active since joining GCU in 2019. They previously won the spring 2020 Canyon Challenge with their LopesEat app and recently received the 2025 AZ Venture of the Year award at GCU’s Demo Day.

IDEA Club president Caleb McCandliss is also part of this team competing at the Hult Prize event. Past judges have included notable figures such as former U.S. President Bill Clinton and Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus.

"The team’s participation in the Hult Prize reflects the strength of GCU’s entrepreneurship program," added Vera, emphasizing its role in preparing students to tackle complex global challenges.

Mark Gonzales from GCU News can be contacted at [email protected]