Grand Canyon University's renowned entrepreneurship program will take the global stage this month as a team of students and alumni travel to the prestigious Hult Prize 2025 USA National Competition in Boston on March 21-22.
Students Kevin Vega and Caleb McCandliss, along with recent graduate Suman Dangol, will represent GCU with a special pitch. The team is mentored by Robert Vera, founding director of GCU’s Canyon Ventures and Hult Prize campus director.
GCU’s team was selected as one of 750 startups chosen from a pool of more than 10,000 teams representing over 100 countries. The winner of the Hult Prize will receive up to $1 million in startup funding to scale their business and drive social impact.
Vega and Dangol have made an impact since enrolling at GCU in the fall of 2019. They teamed to win the 2020 spring Canyon Challenge with their innovative LopesEat app, which allowed students to order food for delivery directly to their residences.
And last month, Vega and Dangol won the 2025 AZ Venture of the Year award at GCU’s Demo Day.
The Hult Prize is recognized as the world’s largest and most prestigious social entrepreneurship competition. It challenges university teams to develop scalable and sustainable business ideas that address the most pressing global issues, such as poverty, clean energy, and access to healthcare. Over several years, the competition has grown into a global movement, with over 1 million participants and more than $100 million in startup funding provided to winning teams since its inception.
Past judges have included high-profile global leaders such as former U.S. President Bill Clinton, former Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard, and Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus. The competition’s impact extends far beyond the prize money, it has launched groundbreaking companies and empowered young entrepreneurs to transform industries and improve communities worldwide.
McCandliss, president of the IDEA Club and owner of Car Chap lip balm holder, will lend his support and with Vera providing guidance as the team has the opportunity to make a global impact on an international stage.
“The Hult Prize isn’t just about winning,” Vera said. “It’s about empowering young entrepreneurs to create meaningful change in the world. Our GCU team has what it takes to compete and succeed at the highest level.
“The team’s participation in the Hult Prize reflects the strength of GCU’s entrepreneurship program and its commitment to preparing students to lead, innovate, and solve complex global challenges.”
GCU News Senior Writer Mark Gonzales can be reached at Mark.Gonzales@gcu.edu
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