Boston, October 11, 2025
News Summary
Aarya Dhru, a student at Northeastern University, co-founded the I3 Competition during the COVID-19 pandemic. This initiative pairs high school students with small businesses to create strategic marketing and digital solutions, benefiting over 275 students and 100 businesses across 23 states and three continents. With a focus on soft skills development, the competition offers real-world experience in a collaborative environment, encouraging students to apply their skills directly to help businesses thrive amid challenges.
Boston
A Boston student launched a nationwide competition during the COVID-19 pandemic that paired high school students with small businesses to build soft skills and deliver real services, reaching hundreds of participants across multiple states and continents.
Top facts
Aarya Dhru, a senior at Northeastern University studying finance and data science, co-founded the I3 Competition during the COVID-19 pandemic. The initiative pairs high school students with small businesses to develop strategic plans focused on marketing, social media, website development, and app creation. The program has connected with over 275 students and 100 businesses across 23 states and three continents, and participating teams have delivered tangible results such as raising funds for businesses affected by natural disasters, creating app prototypes, and developing websites and social media accounts for small business owners.
How the I3 Competition works
The I3 Competition name stands for “Imagine, Innovate, Inspire.” High school students are matched with small business owners and collaborate for several months to produce strategic plans and digital products. Student teams present their work virtually to industry professionals after months of collaboration with business owners. The project emphasizes practical experience and soft skill development rather than being solely a resume-building exercise.
Support and outcomes
The initiative is organized through a nonprofit, the I3 Foundation, which collaborates with organizations such as the Institute for Entrepreneurial Leadership and Girls Who Code. Winning teams receive cash prizes, industry mentorship, and stipends for internships. Beyond awards, students have produced projects that directly benefited business owners, including fundraising for businesses impacted by natural disasters, prototype apps, and newly built websites and social media accounts that helped businesses engage customers online.
Founders and motivation
The idea began when Dhru and her friend Veda Swaminathan, now studying public policy at the University of Chicago, brainstormed while they had extra time at home due to school closures. The founders emphasize the importance of soft skills such as communication and interaction for students preparing for college and the workforce. Their guiding principle is to empower young changemakers and foster a culture of community support through collaboration.
Supporting details
The competition structure focuses on applied work: students assess a small business’s needs, propose actionable strategies, build or improve digital products, and present their findings to professionals who evaluate impact and feasibility. Presentations are held virtually, enabling mentors and evaluators to participate from different locations. The program explicitly aims to create impactful experiences rather than simply providing another line on a college application.
Participation data shows a broad geographic reach. The program has connected with over 275 students and 100 businesses across 23 states and three continents, which indicates both national and international engagement in a relatively short period. Projects completed by students include app prototypes that address user needs, websites that improve small business visibility, and social media accounts that help owners communicate with customers.
Partnerships and resources
The I3 Foundation partners with established organizations to expand training, mentorship, and technical support. Collaborations with the Institute for Entrepreneurial Leadership and Girls Who Code aim to provide students with access to entrepreneurial frameworks and technical skills. The foundation also offers financial support to top teams in the form of cash prizes, and provides industry mentorship and stipends intended to facilitate internships for winning students.
Background and context
The I3 Competition originated in response to the disruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic, when school closures and reduced in-person opportunities left students seeking meaningful, skill-building experiences. Founders leveraged remote collaboration tools to create a program that addresses two needs at once: helping small businesses adapt to digital demands and giving students a chance to build communication and interaction skills through real-world projects.
The emphasis on soft skills and community impact reflects a broader trend in education and workforce preparation that values practical problem solving and interpersonal skills in addition to technical knowledge. The program’s approach demonstrates how student-led initiatives can connect educational goals with local economic needs, using virtual presentation formats and nonprofit partnerships to scale impact across wide geographic areas.
FAQ
Who co-founded the I3 Competition?
Aarya Dhru, a senior at Northeastern University studying finance and data science, co-founded the I3 Competition during the COVID-19 pandemic.
What does the I3 Competition name mean?
The I3 Competition name stands for “Imagine, Innovate, Inspire.”
What do students do in the competition?
The competition pairs high school students with small businesses to develop strategic plans focused on marketing, social media, website development, and app creation.
How do students present their work?
Students present their work virtually to industry professionals after several months of collaboration with business owners.
How wide is the program’s reach?
The I3 Competition has connected with over 275 students and 100 businesses across 23 states and three continents.
What kinds of projects have students completed?
Students participating in the competition have raised funds for businesses affected by natural disasters, created app prototypes, and developed websites and social media accounts for small business owners.
What other support does the program provide?
They provide winning teams with cash prizes, industry mentorship, and stipends for internships.
Who did the founders collaborate with?
The duo’s nonprofit, the I3 Foundation, collaborates with organizations like the Institute for Entrepreneurial Leadership and Girls Who Code.
Quick reference table
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Founder | Aarya Dhru, a senior at Northeastern University studying finance and data science |
| Co-founder | Veda Swaminathan, now studying public policy at the University of Chicago |
| Program name | The I3 Competition name stands for “Imagine, Innovate, Inspire.” |
| Focus areas | Marketing, social media, website development, and app creation |
| Participants connected | Over 275 students and 100 businesses across 23 states and three continents |
| Examples of student outcomes | Raised funds for businesses affected by natural disasters; created app prototypes; developed websites and social media accounts |
| Organizational partner examples | Institute for Entrepreneurial Leadership; Girls Who Code |
| Support for winners | Cash prizes, industry mentorship, and stipends for internships |
| Primary goals | Build soft skills; empower young changemakers; support small businesses |
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- WCVB: Boston Student Launches I3 Competition
- Wikipedia: I3 Competition
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- Google Search: Boston Student Initiatives
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- Google Scholar: Student-led Initiatives
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- Encyclopedia Britannica: Boston Business Initiatives
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