EL CERRITO, CA / ACCESS Newswire / January 8, 2026 / Net Impact, in collaboration with Cisco, announced the winning teams of the 2025 Community Innovation Challenge, a global student case competition designed to generate tailored social impact programs based on Cisco's technology and services. This global innovation challenge asked students to propose how to leverage Cisco's portfolio of technologies and services to design a custom corporate social impact program for the global technology firm. The criteria were to drive meaningful community impact in a specific city or region and deliver business value for Cisco.
The challenge received 84 applications from 12 countries. The top five teams were selected to pitch their ideas at the Final Showcase. With the support of United Airlines, they travelled to Cisco's campus in Research Triangle Park, NC, where they presented to an esteemed final judging panel of Cisco executives, competing for prizes totaling $17,500.
2025 Community Innovation Challenge Winners
First Place Team: DinéLink ($10,000 prize)
Led by Mahima Subramaniyan and Devagna Jadeja from the Thunderbird School of Global Management at Arizona State University, DinéLink impressed judges with their $12M sustainable connectivity program for the Navajo Nation, where only 33% have reliable internet, compared with 97% nationally.
Second Place Team: HealthHorizons ($5,000 prize)
Led by Priya Rao of the University of Connecticut, Julia Kuang of Wellesley College, and Grace Chen of Swarthmore College, HealthHorizons proposed addressing critical healthcare access challenges in Greene County, Alabama-a "dead zone" where only 50-55% have internet access, 27% live in poverty, and chronic disease rates are among the nation's highest.
Third Place Team: OncoALERT ($2,500 prize)
Led by Dr. Jayanti Kumari and Sweta Pandey from the Translational Health Science and Technology Institute in India, OncoALERT proposed combining AI-powered oral cancer screening devices with Cisco's networking infrastructure to deliver remote diagnostics in rural India.
"We're thrilled to celebrate these winning teams who have demonstrated exceptional creativity and strategic thinking in leveraging technology for social good," said Net Impact CEO Karen Johns. Cisco's partnership on this initiative has provided emerging business leaders with invaluable experience in driving social impact through innovative business solutions. These winning proposals showcase the power of combining cutting-edge technology with deep community understanding."
Mahima and Devangna reflected on their win: "Designing this Social Impact Program and participating in the Community Innovation Challenge has been incredibly meaningful for both of us. We're deeply grateful to Net Impact and Cisco for creating a platform where ideas like ours can grow. A special thank you to our Cisco Mentor, Sean Cherry, for his guidance, and to Ethan Tacheene, an ASU Student from Many Farms, Navajo Nation, for trusting us with his stories, which shaped our perspective and the direction of the program. The entire experience strengthened our commitment to community-centered innovation, and we hope this program becomes a meaningful step toward bridging the digital divide."
To learn more about the top 5 finalist teams and their social impact programs, read Cisco's blog post penned by Net Impact program partner, Scott McGregor, who serves as Director, Community Enablement at Cisco, here. 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
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SOURCE: Net Impact
View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:
https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/business-and-professional-services/net-impact-announces-winners-of-the-2025-community-innovation-ch-1125599
