Net Impact Announces Finalists in Global Corporate Social Impact Competition
EL CERRITO, Calif., December 1, 2025 /3BL/ - Net Impact, in collaboration with Cisco, announced the Top 5 finalist teams in the global Community Innovation Challenge, a global student case competition to generate tailored social impact programs based on Cisco’s technology and services.
With over 84 applications from 12 countries, the top five teams were selected based on their submission’s rationale for their community selection, their approach to stakeholder management, their use of Cisco’s portfolio of technology and services, their expected business outcomes for the program, and their submission’s overall quality. The top 5 teams will travel to Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, to pitch their ideas to Cisco senior executives for a chance to win cash from a prize pool of $17,500.
The Final Judging Panel, which will be evaluating the top 5 teams’ pitch presentations in the Community Innovation Challenge, includes the following executive leaders at Cisco:
- Christian Bigsby, Senior Vice President, Workplace Resources
- Scott McGregor, Director, Community Enablement
- Gretchen Sleeper, Director, AI Capabilities Team, Global Sales AI Center of Excellence
- Shaina Tamburr, Vice President, Market Access Revenue Acceleration
The top five teams’ proposed social impact program ideas range from climate resilience for disaster-prone regions to workforce development that addresses the digital divide to health initiatives for underserved communities abroad.
The top five finalist teams’ proposals include, in alphabetical order:
- Cisco Community Connect Detroit (CCCD), led by Tyler Ambrico, Dominick Petrosino, Kunal Dave, and Marco Andrade of the University of Michigan Ross School of Business, addresses the digital divide affecting 60% of low-income families and 70% of students despite existing citywide broadband in Detroit, Michigan.
- DinéLink, led by Mahima Subramaniyan and Devagna Jadeja from Arizona State University's Thunderbird School of Global Management, proposes a $7M sustainable connectivity program for the Navajo Nation, where only 33% have reliable internet versus 97% nationally.
- FloodSense Ghana, led by Ayomikun Mesogboriwon, Oluwadarasimi Ariyo, and Augustine Sarfo of Talladega College, is a climate-resilience initiative leveraging Cisco's IoT, cloud analytics, and collaboration technologies to address severe flooding in Ghana's urban centers.
- HealthHorizons, led by Priya Rao of the University of Connecticut, Julia Kuang of Wellesley College, and Grace Chen of Swarthmore College, addresses healthcare access in Greene County, Alabama—a "dead zone" where only 50-55% have internet, 27% live in poverty, and chronic disease rates are among the nation's highest.
- OncoALERT, led by Dr. Jayanti Kumari and Sweta Pandey from The Translational Health Science and Technology Institute in India, combines AI-powered oral cancer screening devices with Cisco's networking infrastructure to deliver remote diagnostics in rural India.
“We’re delighted to partner with Cisco on such an important initiative -- teaching emerging business leaders how to drive social impact with the tools of business,” said Net Impact CEO Karen Johns. “Cisco is a global leader in corporate citizenship, so this experience is giving our Net Impact community a first-hand experience in how to build high-performing social impact programs that are good for both communities in need and the bottom line.”
The winning teams will be shared in mid-December.
More information about the Community Innovation Challenge can be found at netimpact.org/programs/community-innovation-challenge.
About Net Impact
Net Impact, one of the largest and oldest global member organizations focused on impact, engages over 50,000 students and professionals annually. With almost 300 chapters in over 40 countries, our members are pursuing impactful careers and impactful lives across diverse industries, including business, sustainability, and social impact fields. Net Impact engages its global chapter community in experiential education-focused programming, convenings, and civic and community engagement projects. Net Impact is committed to using business as a force for good and building the capacity of the next generation of workforce members. Visit www.netimpact.org.
CONTACT:
Net Impact
Hilary Manzo, Associate Director of Programs
Phone: 415-495-4230 x369
Email: hmanzo@netimpact.org
