May 7, 2025

Torero Entrepreneurship Challenge: A Winner for Student Innovators

The fifth Torero Entrepreneurship Challenge brought together five University of San Diego student teams to present technology-driven business concepts and compete for $20,000 in seed funding. The competition emphasized more than invention: teams had to explain the value of their ideas, demonstrate market potential, and persuade judges that their concepts could become viable ventures.

SafeBallot earned fourth place and a $1,000 award for its blockchain-based approach to secure voting. The student team included Elijah Johnson, Donatella Falcomer, Cordano Russell, and Thomas Salazar.

The recognition placed SafeBallot alongside other student ventures addressing challenges in fisheries, investing, education, and prescription coverage. For the SafeBallot team, the award offered both funding and institutional validation as the company moved from a classroom concept toward a working platform.