Elmhurst University Student Scores $1,500 for AI-Powered Travel App at Bluejay Tank
Nhat (Minh) Nguyen, an international student majoring in digital marketing communication at Elmhurst University, soared above and beyond at the EU E-celerator’s Spring 2025 Bluejay Tank, securing the first-place prize of $1,500.
Nguyen, who hails from Vietnam, wowed the panel of four judges with his pitch for “Flyson.ai,” an app that would utilize artificial intelligence and user preferences to create personalized, detailed itineraries for traveling. The site would even allow users to book flights, hotels, and restaurant reservations.
Nguyen was inspired by his experience working with three airlines, as well as a trip he planned with two friends who wanted to visit him in Vietnam. Despite months of preparation, which included visiting hundreds of websites and checking thousands of reviews, no one was completely satisfied with the final schedule, and the trip began with five days of rainy weather anyway.
Nguyen’s presentation was accompanied by a prototype, which likely helped him further win over the judges. Those interested in viewing Nguyen’s prototype can do so at https://flyson-ai.com/.
“I could tell that you really knew your stuff, you practiced well beforehand,” one of the judges told Nguyen after he accepted his prize.
This semester’s Bluejay Tank, held in the on-campus Buik Recital Hall on Monday, April 14, saw a total of eight pitches between nine contestants. The event’s host, EU Executive in Residence Patrick Yanahan, noted a record number of applicants.
Each contestant essentially experienced an extended elevator pitch, delivering a 10-minute presentation followed by answering a total of two questions from the judges, among them Muhammad Rafiul “Rafi” Islam Zareef, a previous Bluejay Tank winner.
Contestants were graded on five criteria: first impression, pitch content, pitch delivery, incorporation of a digital element, and ability to stand critique, meaning to answer the judges’ questions confidently and competently.
One contestant, Naomi Jones, took home the second-place prize of $1,000 for “BeautyByOMI,” a “beauty education app” powered by Microsoft Azure that would “turn faces into canvases.” Jones, who is majoring in public health, said her product would utilize AI to provide step-by-step makeup tutorials and personalized application techniques.
Yanahan noted there was only a 10-point difference between first and second place.
The third-place prize of $500 went to Angelina Rodriguez, a marketing major who shared her proposal for “GloHaus,” a “pop-up glam lounge” inspired by her favorite childhood memory of getting a makeover at Club Libby Lu, reinvigorated by a kimono makeover during her study abroad in Japan.
Noting that 72% of Gen Z experiences appearance anxiety before an event, Rodriguez said her product would give music festival goers a modern, social, and inclusive makeover experience.
The judges also heard from a duo, Jocelyne Madrigal and Robert Grant, whose “Bluejay Water Solutions” company aimed to “revolutionize the water conservation industry” and address water scarcity.
The duo specified that they would use NASA technology to conserve water used in hotels for laundry and bathing. They estimated that 2.6 billion gallons of water would be saved, which is nearly double what the city of Elmhurst consumes annually.
“Who is ready to change the world, one hotel stay at a time?” Madrigal asked after the presentation.
Another initiative was computer science major Gabriel Trejo’s “Mentra AI Coach,” which would combat underemployment recent college graduates face by offering AI-powered mock interviews with feedback.
Anhelina Yermolaieva, a business major from Kyiv, Ukraine, explained that she would harness AI for “Heli,” a virtual life coach. Yermolaieva cited Gallup’s estimate of an $8.8 trillion loss due to low employee engagement, as well as showing the judges a compilation of individuals saying they were struggling with guidance.
Mia Reyes, a first-year student majoring in management, followed up with her pitch for “Reyes Branding,” a high-quality branding agency for entrepreneurs.
Toward the end of the event, Victoria Stopa, a finance major, proposed her idea for “Need Less,” an app that would “empower your wallet, empower the planet” by discouraging impulse purchases.
“Let’s make impulsive buying out and smart choices in,” Stopa told the judges after her presentation.
After the judges gave feedback to the winners, Yanahan concluded the event by thanking everyone involved, from the competitors to the judges to the individual who brought pizza for intermission. The emcee also noted the benefits to the contestants just for participating.
“In this room, there are job scouts. In this room, there are internship scouts. These are tremendous opportunities,” Yanahan said.
