Our mission
To tackle global challenges through multidisciplinary collaboration, creativity, and actionable solutions.
At xFoundry@UMD, we believe in empowering students to become agents of change, capable of addressing complex problems and making a tangible impact on the world.
press release

xFoundry@UMD is an innovative solution engine within higher education harnessing the power of competition to solve humanity’s grand challenges.

Our program is designed to integrate AI at every step. It is the first experiential learning program at the University of Maryland that gives students the ability to utilize industry-standard AI solutions to build on them to solve complex problems.

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Media relations

Isabella Laurel
Marketing and Communications Program Director
Jacqueline Seltzer
Marketing and Communications Ventures Program Director
Sarah Hickey
Digital Content Producer Graduate Assistant

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In the news

Apr 29, 2025

Terps Look to the Sky to Solve a Burning Challenge

Maryland Today

In XPRIZE Competition, Students, Faculty Design Autonomous Drone System to Detect, Suppress Wildfire

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Nov 12, 2024

UMD Celebrates 10 Years as Top-10 School for Innovation and Entrepreneurship

Maryland Today

Princeton Review, Entrepreneur Magazine List Ranks UMD at No. 7 Overall, No. 5 Among Public Unive...

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Oct 15, 2024

Meals to ‘Krave’

Maryland Today

From Curry Tots to a Chili Crunch Burger, New Incubator at IDEA Factory Offers Testbed for Fledgl...

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Jul 22, 2024

University of Maryland Team Advances to Semifinals in XPRIZE Wildfire Competition

UMD Department of Fire Protection Engineering

A multidisciplinary research team led by the Department of Fire Protection Engineering (FPE) has...

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Jul 15, 2024

Announcing the XPRiZE Wildfire Autonomous Qualified Teams

XPRIZE Foundation

Team Crossfire is selected as 1 of 29 teams to advance to the next round of the XPIZE Wildfire co...

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Jun 5, 2024

Solutions for School Safety

UMD School of Public Health

Public health junior Om Desai’s entrepreneurial journey in UMD's xFoundry program.

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May 22, 2024

Shark Tank U: Maryland students compete for $2M in private equity to reduce school shootings

The Baltimore Banner

The 22 high-achieving University of Maryland students gathered in a loft-like classroom had to...

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May 9, 2024

xFoundry Marks the Spot

A. James Clark School of Engineering

xFoundry@UMD is a new initiative launching out of the E.A. Fernandez IDEA Factory that promotes t...

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Mar 12, 2024

University of Maryland Team Enters XPRIZE Competition to End Wildfires

UMD Department of Fire Protection Engineering

The University of Maryland’s team “Crossfire,” led by FPE Chair Arnaud Trouvé, aims to improve wi...

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Feb 12, 2024

Summit Launches Student Competition to Earn Up to $2M in Venture Funding

Maryland Today

The inaugural Xplore Summit hosted by the new xFoundry@UMD brought together more than 350 Terps...

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Feb 12, 2024

UMD launches program to boost student entrepreneurship, multidisciplinary research

The Diamondback

Dozens of University of Maryland community members gathered Friday at The Hotel at the University...

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Nov 29, 2023

UMD students find community through ranked undergraduate entrepreneurship opportunities

The Diamondback

The University of Maryland placed fifth in the nation for undergraduate entrepreneurship in...

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Nov 7, 2023

UMD Ranked a Top 5 School for Entrepreneurship

Maryland Today

Maryland Rises to No. 4 Among Public Universities, No. 1 in Mid-Atlantic in Annual List

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Oct 11, 2023

Program helps U. Md. students turn a problem-solving idea into their own company

WTOP News

A new academic program is coming to the University of Maryland, and it purposely requires student...

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Oct 9, 2023

University of Maryland launches incubator with hopes of spurring startups run by graduates

Washington Business Journal

The teams with the most promising business plans could land up to $2 million in funding.

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Oct 9, 2023

UMD just launched a new $2M entrepreneurial initiative for students

Technical.ly

xFoundry is open to undergraduate and graduate students, and gives them the chance to develop a...

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Oct 4, 2023

UMD Initiative to Award Up to $2M for Student Solutions to Grand Challenges

Maryland Today

xFoundry@UMD to Recruit Terps for Courses, Competition, Venture Investment

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Oct 3, 2023

UMD President Darryll Pines hails possibilities of AI in State of the Campus

The Diamondback

University of Maryland President Darryll Pines announced a new presidential commission on...

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