McMillon Innovation Studio's Largest Cohort Presents at Demo Day

The largest cohort in the history of the McMillon Innovation Studio presented their projects last week at Demo Day, the bi-annual capstone that showcases a semester's worth of learning in the studio.

The spring 2026 cohort included 16 design teams, which allow students to harness human-centered design principles to solve problems in an array of industries, and two product teams, which focus on teams producing a product that has a viable go-to-market strategy, according to Chris Tisdel, the studio's executive director.

Teams tackling emerging problems across multiple industries, ranging from improving the drive-thru experience at Slim Chickens to simplifying the return process at Sam's Club.

"Humbly, I think that the Spring 2026 Demo Day was one of the very best," Tisdel said. "The pitches were strong and smooth, and the teams were well prepared, and their presentations were both creative and mature."

Launched in 2016, the studio is U of A's campus innovation hub and open to students of all majors. The studio is overseen by the U of A's Office of Entrepreneurship and Innovation, a division of the Sam M. Walton College of Business. The studio works to develop future leaders, entrepreneurs and innovators by cultivating their creative mindset and connecting them to opportunities to make real-world impact.

Students in the studio are given access to valuable mentorship and resources — providing further support to cultivate their creative skills and empower them to deliver impact innovation through organizational, social and entrepreneurial change.

Tisdel said the studio will add a new healthcare track in the fall that will double the current number of teams. Called Vitality, the healthcare track will include up to eight design teams dedicated to a healthcare and wellbeing focus.

"The Vitality track is the first vertical industry track that we are launching in the studio, with more to come," Tisdel said. "The Vitality track will be designed to start with design teams that move to product teams, that eventually move to commercialization teams partnering with OEI and the U of A."

Applications for the fall semester are open and will be accepted through August 2026. The studio is open to undergraduate students from all majors.

Joining the studio will allow students to tackle real-world problems, gain hands-on experience with innovation methodologies and connect with local corporations and community leaders. The time commitment is generally two to five hours per week.

Spring 2026 Demo Day Winners

Audience Choice

Slim Chickens

• Scope: Redesigning the Slim Chickens drive-thru experience to showcase the same Southern hospitality customers feel when they dine in, bridging that warmth to every drive-thru visit.

• Project lead: Ada Monteys, senior, organizational management and leadership

• Team: Ryan Decker, sophomore, supply chain management; Diego Jimenez, junior, marketing; Avery MacDonald, sophomore, marketing; Nadine Moustafa, sophomore, information systems

Commercial Innovation Teams

PepsiCo Gatorade

• Scope: Gatorade ad campaign and product match quiz aimed at bringing everyday consumers back to the sports drink category by helping them find the right Gatorade for their lifestyle.

• Project lead: Anna Kincade, senior, marketing

• Team: Madelyn Gray, sophomore, industrial engineering; Marco Ducharme, sophomore, supply chain; Isabella McCleary, sophomore, international business; Elijah Roark, junior, supply chain management

Product Teams

Sam's Club Return & Go

• Scope: Simplifying Sam's Club's return process through a mobile feature that improves the member experience and reduces service desk congestion, freeing up staff to better serve customers in-store.

• Project lead: Andres Aponte Nunez, senior, industrial engineering

• Team: Anna Kincade, senior, marketing; Isabella Chavez, junior, business administration; Luke Ehrisman, junior, data science; Claudia Orlowski, junior, supply chain management/finance

Social Impact Design Teams

Entrepreneurial Law Project

• Scope: Reimagining the ELP experience with an interactive roadmap that walks entrepreneurs through informational videos and critical legal steps, so they arrive at their checkup fully prepared and engaged.

• Project lead: Maahi Tyagi, junior, supply chain management

• Team: Jordan-Michael Brooks, junior, information systems; Ellis Anne Card, sophomore, finance; Alexa Hartnett, freshman, international and global studies; Morgan Patton, senior, business finance

About the U of A Office of Entrepreneurship and Innovation: The Office of Entrepreneurship and Innovation, a division of the Sam M. Walton College of Business, creates and curates innovation and entrepreneurship experiences for students across all disciplines. Through the Brewer Family Entrepreneurship Hub, McMillon Innovation Studio, and Startup Village, the Office of Entrepreneurship and Innovation provides free workshops and programs — including social and corporate innovation design teams, venture internships, competitions and startup coaching. OEI also offers on-demand support for students who will be innovators within existing organizations and entrepreneurs who start something new.