Each year, the Office of Innovation and Entrepreneurship’s Celebration of Innovation and Entrepreneurship (COIE) recognizes the inventors, students, mentors, and businesses whose work is turning ideas into real-world impact across the University of Pittsburgh and the greater Pittsburgh region. Here’s a look back at the six honorees who defined the 2025 celebration.
Emerging Innovators of the Year: Beth and Jeff Gusenoff
A podiatrist and plastic surgeon who married their talents at Pitt, Beth and Jeff Gusenoff turned their clinical work in fat grafting into a growing portfolio of products. Their bootstrapped recovery insole, PopSole, has sold more than 1,000 units, and their next device, Push2Spin, aims to dramatically cut the time and cost of fat grafting procedures. For their relentless drive to bring their ideas to market, the couple was named the 2025 Emerging Innovators of the Year.
Student Innovator of the Year: Anna Li
MD/PhD student Anna Li founded Korion Health to put healthcare monitoring back in patients’ hands, starting with SoundHeart, an electronic stethoscope that lets people record heart and lung sounds from home. A Hult Prize winner and tireless patient advocate, Li credits the Pittsburgh ecosystem — and the Big Idea Center, which invested in Korion — for helping her get this far. She was recognized as the 2025 Student Innovator of the Year.
Startup of the Year: Parent Heart
Founded by School of Social Work professor James “Jay” Huguley, Parent Heart grew out of his research-validated Parenting While Black curriculum and its mission to give parents in challenging circumstances the tools to succeed. Now adopted by schools and nonprofits across the region, the startup earned Huguley the 2025 Startup of the Year award — and stands as a model for commercializing social science research.
James “Chip” Hanlon Volunteer Mentor of the Year: Brian Sullivan
A veteran founder and adjunct professor in the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Brian Sullivan has guided roughly 15 Pitt innovation teams through the hard realities of building a company. Known for pairing rock-solid technical acumen with genuine care for the founders he supports, Sullivan was named the 2025 James “Chip” Hanlon Volunteer Mentor of the Year.
Regional Business of the Year: Sarris Candies
A Canonsburg institution since 1960, Sarris Candies has grown from Frank Sarris’s basement chocolate-making into a beloved regional brand, now led by his son Bill. With a new state-of-the-art factory boosting production efficiency and a longstanding relationship with Pitt, Sarris was honored as the 2025 Regional Business of the Year for its enduring legacy, community impact, and commitment to staying rooted in the region.
Small Business of the Year: Homegrown Beauty
Founded by Pitt Material Science & Engineering alum Kelsey Schumacher, Homegrown Beauty is building a clean skincare brand around science-backed formulas and a proprietary refillable packaging system. Working with faculty and student teams across campus — and giving back to local women with every product sold — Schumacher’s uncompromising approach earned Homegrown Beauty the 2025 Small Business of the Year award.
Congratulations to all of the 2025 COIE honorees. To learn more about the Office of Innovation and Entrepreneurship and the innovators it supports, visit innovation.pitt.edu.