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Read the stories. Understand the impact. See how xFoundry is making headlines and transforming the world with innovative advancements.

July 27, 2026

Oura is putting $25,000 of hardware into students' hands

July 27, 2026

Oura is putting $25,000 of hardware into students' hands

Oura has donated $25,000 in hardware to xFoundry: 50 Oura Ring 4 devices, each bundled with data access for the life of the device.

July 22, 2026

xFoundry to lead the NASA and USM Space Act Agreement

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the University System of Maryland (USM) have signed a landmark five-year Non-Reimbursable Space Act Umbrella Agreement to advance student-led innovation across the technologies that could support long-term human presence in space. The agreement is among the first of its kind between NASA and an entire state university system centered specifically on student entrepreneurship and venture creation.

May 26, 2026

Yaseen Taha joined out of curiosity. He graduated with a company.

Yaseen graduated from the University of Maryland in May 2026 with a degree in aerospace engineering. That much was always the plan, but the rest of it wasn't. He arrived to study aircraft and left with the degree and a company, and the thing that made the company possible was a competition his team didn't win.

April 8, 2026

The Mental Health Xperience just tripled our first cohort

When registration closed on the School Safety Xperience, our first competition ever, we had 89 students on 14 teams. When registration closed on the Mental Health Xperience on March 26, we had 284 students on 62 teams.

July 14, 2025

Announcing The XPRIZE Wildfire Autonomous Wildfire Response Semifinalist Teams

Download RAPID RESPONSE: THE POWER OF AUTONOMOUS WILDFIRE RESPONSE

XPRIZE
July 1, 2025

UMD students create firefighting drone as part of contest to end destructive wildfires

A team of University of Maryland students is tackling the wildfire crisis with an innovative drone system called Crossfire. Designed for a global competition, their drones use AI and GPS to quickly spot and suppress wildfires before they spread. Instead of relying on massive planes or tons of water, these drones deliver targeted bursts—like water balloons—right where they’re needed, saving resources and acting fast. The project blends engineering and fire science, and the team hopes their tech will help prevent destructive wildfires in the future.

WMAR 2 News
April 29, 2025

Terps Look to the Sky to Solve a Burning Challenge

In XPRIZE Competition, Students, Faculty Design Autonomous Drone System to Detect, Suppress Wildfire

Maryland Today
November 12, 2024

UMD Celebrates 10 Years as Top-10 School for Innovation and Entrepreneurship

Princeton Review, Entrepreneur Magazine List Ranks UMD at No. 7 Overall, No. 5 Among Public Unive...

Maryland Today
October 15, 2024

Meals to ‘Krave’

From Curry Tots to a Chili Crunch Burger, New Incubator at IDEA Factory Offers Testbed for Fledgl...

Maryland Today
July 22, 2024

University of Maryland Team Advances to Semifinals in XPRIZE Wildfire Competition

A multidisciplinary research team led by the Department of Fire Protection Engineering (FPE) has...

UMD Department of Fire Protection Engineering
July 15, 2024

Announcing the XPRiZE Wildfire Autonomous Qualified Teams

Team Crossfire is selected as 1 of 29 teams to advance to the next round of the XPIZE Wildfire co...

XPRIZE Foundation
June 5, 2024

Solutions for School Safety

Public health junior Om Desai’s entrepreneurial journey in UMD's xFoundry program.

UMD School of Public Health
May 22, 2024

Shark Tank U: Maryland students compete for $2M in private equity to reduce school shootings

The 22 high-achieving University of Maryland students gathered in a loft-like classroom had to...

The Baltimore Banner
May 9, 2024

xFoundry Marks the Spot

xFoundry@UMD is a new initiative launching out of the E.A. Fernandez IDEA Factory that promotes t...

A. James Clark School of Engineering
March 12, 2024

University of Maryland Team Enters XPRIZE Competition to End Wildfires

The University of Maryland’s team “Crossfire,” led by FPE Chair Arnaud Trouvé, aims to improve wi...

UMD Department of Fire Protection Engineering
February 12, 2024

UMD launches program to boost student entrepreneurship, multidisciplinary research

Dozens of University of Maryland community members gathered Friday at The Hotel at the University...

The Diamondback
February 12, 2024

Summit Launches Student Competition to Earn Up to $2M in Venture Funding

The inaugural Xplore Summit hosted by the new xFoundry@UMD brought together more than 350 Terps...

Maryland Today
November 29, 2023

UMD students find community through ranked undergraduate entrepreneurship opportunities

The University of Maryland placed fifth in the nation for undergraduate entrepreneurship in...

The Diamondback
November 7, 2023

UMD Ranked a Top 5 School for Entrepreneurship

Maryland Rises to No. 4 Among Public Universities, No. 1 in Mid-Atlantic in Annual List

Maryland Today
October 11, 2023

Program helps U. Md. students turn a problem-solving idea into their own company

A new academic program is coming to the University of Maryland, and it purposely requires student...

WTOP News
October 9, 2023

University of Maryland launches incubator with hopes of spurring startups run by graduates

The teams with the most promising business plans could land up to $2 million in funding.

Washington Business Journal
October 9, 2023

UMD just launched a new $2M entrepreneurial initiative for students

xFoundry is open to undergraduate and graduate students, and gives them the chance to develop a...

Technical.ly
October 4, 2023

UMD Initiative to Award Up to $2M for Student Solutions to Grand Challenges

xFoundry@UMD to Recruit Terps for Courses, Competition, Venture Investment

Maryland Today
October 3, 2023

UMD President Darryll Pines hails possibilities of AI in State of the Campus

University of Maryland President Darryll Pines announced a new presidential commission on...

The Diamondback
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