Hydrogen Grand Challenge

Three innovative student teams took top honors at the 2025 Hydrogen Grand Challenge Pitch Competition, held April 10 at the University of Michigan. The event marked the second year of the competition, which challenges students to develop business cases for hydrogen-based solutions that could accelerate Michigan’s clean energy transition.

First place went to Habitat Hydrogen, whose members proposed launching North America’s first dedicated testing and certification facility for heavy-duty hydrogen trucks. Positioned in Michigan to serve the state’s automotive ecosystem, the lab would help manufacturers validate hydrogen vehicle designs for market entry. The team projected a $20 million investment and strong potential for scalable revenue. The team includes Nick VandenBrink (Nuclear Engineering & Radiological Sciences), Alex Kanar (Environmental Engineering), and Aiden Lee (Industrial and Operations Engineering), mentored by Levi Larsen of Idaho National Laboratory.

“It was an honor to participate in the 2025 Hydrogen Grand Challenge,” said VandenBrink. “We are so grateful for the opportunity to have participated and learned so much about entrepreneurship and applications of Hydrogen here in Michigan. We would like to say thank you to all who organized this event and contributed to its success.”

Second place went to HydroBlue, whose hydrogen-powered refrigeration transportation(HTRU) unit offers a cleaner, quieter alternative to diesel refrigeration units on truck trailers. Designed to reduce emissions and noise, especially in areas like Southeast Detroit, HTRUs support public health while serving food logistics fleets. Team members Jeet Parminder (MBA) and Benjamin Moisan (Electrical Engineering), mentored by Vismita Sonagra of Bosch, developed a profitable business model with strategy for national fleet expansion and demonstrated lower cost of ownership for customers.

“Shopping at Eastern Market is fun until you hear the fresh farm produce or meat delivery trucks idling with loud noise and exhaust emission”, said Jeet. “Confirming with the City of Detroit, this real-time concern, could use the solutions from our local automotive suppliers like OPmobility, OneH2, Nel Hydrogen, Bosch etc working in a harmony of H2 ecosystem.”

In third place, Hydrogen Hounds pitched FetchFuel, a startup focused on using ammonia as a hydrogen carrier to address storage and transportation challenges. Targeting agricultural and industrial markets first, the business would eventually expand into off-grid energy systems. Team members Madison Mendoza (Aerospace Engineering) and Thomas Ignaczak (Chemical Engineering) were mentored by combustion researcher Joe Trzaska.

“We are honored to have had the opportunity to be a part of this competition,” said Madison. “We gained invaluable experience and confidence as we were encouraged to go well beyond our comfort zones. The Hydrogen Grand Challenge was a perfect introduction to the business side of engineering.”

“It was truly inspiring to serve as a judge for the Hydrogen Grand Challenge Pitch Competition,” said Rajendra Prasad Bandi of Bosch. “The energy, creativity, and problem-solving thinking brought by each team to the table was remarkable. The passion shown by each team for solving real-world problems using hydrogen technologies gives me great confidence in the future of clean energy.”

Bandi served on the judging panel alongside Rebecca Lentz, a graduate student in electrical engineering at U-M, and Leslie Dewan, founder of Neutronic Designs.

The competition was organized by MI Hydrogen, a joint venture between the Office of the Vice President for Research, Michigan Engineering, and the School for Environment and Sustainability. Sponsored by Fortescue, the 2025 event brought together more than 35 students across 10 interdisciplinary teams. Students received expert mentorship and participated in a series of workshops throughout the semester, culminating in a live pitch competition simulating a venture capital environment.

Todd Allen, MI Hydrogen co-director and chair of the Department of Nuclear Engineering and Radiological Sciences, emphasized the event’s role in preparing future energy leaders. “We’re excited to see Michigan students take on real-world challenges in decarbonizing hard-to-abate sectors. Their ideas and drive are exactly what’s needed to build our state’s clean hydrogen economy.”