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Startup founded by desi students wins UMass Amherst Innovation Challenge
Held on April 24, the competition featured high-stakes pitches and rigorous Q&A sessions before a panel of judges.
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Bhavana P - Fri, 02, May 2025
- 15:44 EDT
- 244
(L-R) Samyak Choudhary and Arman Agarwal / LinkedIn
The University of Massachusetts Amherst has announced ‘OffCampusSpaces.com’, a platform created by Indian-origin students, as one of the top winners of its annual Innovation Challenge: The Final.
Founded by Samyak Choudhary of the Isenberg School of Management and Arman Agarwal of the Manning College of Information and Computer Sciences, OffCampusSpaces.com is a fast-growing platform simplifying the search for off-campus student housing across the nation.
Also read: Washington University’s Tejoram Vivekanandan wins $15,000 health tech award
As part of their prize, the founders were awarded $11,000 in funding from a competitive $65,000 prize pool. The event, hosted by the Berthiaume Center for Entrepreneurship at the Isenberg School of Management, showcases groundbreaking student ventures, celebrating entrepreneurial excellence across campus.
Commenting on the team’s journey, Samyak Choudhary said, “Each milestone wasn’t just about the funding. It was a reflection of the late-night brainstorming sessions, the endless feedback loops, the resilience after every setback, and the quiet moments when we chose not to give up.”
Reflecting on the beginnings of the startup, he added, “When we started, we didn’t have a big team, huge funding, or fancy offices. What we had was hunger, purpose, and a relentless belief that students deserve better tools to find their homes.”
2025 Innovation Challenge Winners / University of Massachusetts AmherstChoudhary emphasized that while the platform now supports over 22,000 students across 5,800 schools, the real impact goes beyond numbers. “but what matters most isn’t the numbers. It’s the students who avoided scams. The students who found roommates who became lifelong friends. The students who felt seen,” he said.
Looking ahead, he expressed optimism and dedication to their mission, “What once felt like a distant dream is now a promise to every student who dares to dream too. This is just the beginning. The mission continues. We’re building for students, and we’re just getting started.”
The Innovation Challenge is part of UMass Amherst’s broader commitment to nurturing student innovation through mentorship, boot camps, and startup incubator access.
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