George Mason University student Jagan Yetukuri won $13,000 at the 2026 Patriot Pitch Competition for his startup EduVerse, according to an April 20 announcement. The competition took place on April 9 and featured student-led ventures from across the university.
The event encourages students and recent alumni from all majors to develop their business ideas and compete for prizes. EduVerse is a web application that analyzes users’ skill development over time, aiming to help hiring managers in technology fields better assess candidates’ abilities.
EduVerse has attracted more than 5,000 users so far. Yetukuri said the platform has even assisted him in evaluating and hiring software engineering interns for his own company. He presented EduVerse before a panel of judges representing sectors such as consulting and health care nonprofits during the competition.
Yetukuri earned $8,000 for first place in the Early-Stage Ventures Track and an additional $5,000 through a Patriots’ Choice Award. “A chunky portion will go for legal fees and incorporation, and the other thing is marketing,” Yetukuri said about his plans for the prize money. He added: “Marketing is the key for anything.”
Other winners included ExcelATC with second place in Innovative Ideas; ARCAid with first place in Social Impact; CareAble with second place on Social Impact; while both EduVerse and ARCAid received Patriots’ Choice Awards.
Information about how to enroll or learn more about future competitions can be found on the Patriot Pitch Competition website.
