Salve business students develop hackathon-winning app, join accelerator program

When Claudia Jankovich ’27 walked into “I2V – Ideation to Venture,” one of Salve Regina University’s Compass Summer programs this July, she never imagined the week would lead to the creation of a real startup. Alongside business administration major Will Deschenes ’26 and marketing major Da’kodah Girardin ’27, Jankovich helped develop The Move – a nightlife app designed to take the guesswork out of going out. What began as a classroom project quickly evolved into an award-winning venture, earning the team first place at a statewide hackathon and a spot in a competitive accelerator program.

“The whole Compass experience taught us how to build a business from the ground up,” said Jankovich, a global business and economics major. “We had one week to fully build a business plan and pitch an idea, and by the end, our group was the most ready to launch.”

From Compass to competition

Compass Summer, part of the University’s broader Salve Compass program, provides first- and second-year students with hands-on learning experiences that blend creativity, leadership and community engagement. Students can choose from immersive, week-long tracks ranging from marine science and filmmaking to entrepreneurship – where ideas like The Move are born.

Under the guidance of associate professor and vice provost Dr. David Altounian, assistant professor Dr. Teresa Starzecki and lecturer Shelly Nicholas, Jankovich, Deschenes and Girardin spent the week building a comprehensive business plan for an app that helps users see what’s happening around them in real time – providing insights into local nightlife, from venue capacity and demographics to live events and cover charge status. The platform also features a live group chat for users to connect and coordinate plans.

"Hitting the streets of Newport and interviewing random people walking down Thames Street, as well as talking to bar managers, was a great experience and helped shape our ideas," said Deschenes. "If you don’t actually know if there’s a demand for your product, then how can you move on with your idea?"

At the end of the week, their group pitched The Move to faculty judges. “We didn’t have any coding experience,” Jankovich said. “But we used an AI [artificial intelligence] platform to create a prototype and a demo. That gave us a visual to present and got us thinking about what was possible.”

A growing idea

After Compass Summer ended, the group stayed in touch with their mentors and kept refining their business. They built a social media presence for The Move, gathered feedback from potential users and started looking for opportunities to pitch the concept beyond campus.

That’s when Altounian shared news about the yconic $12,000 Startup/AI Hackathon, a three-day statewide competition challenging participants to harness AI in new ways. Jankovich and Deschenes entered – and walked away as winners.

“There were more than 20 teams competing, not just students, but professionals too,” said Nicholas, who co-led the Compass Summer program. “Claudia and Will were there every night until almost 2 a.m., refining their pitch and demo. They came in first place, won $4,000 in seed funding and advanced to the accelerator program.”

The Move picks up momentum

During the hackathon, the team impressed judges with their vision for The Move.

“The problem we’re solving is simple,” Jankovich said. “When you go out, you don’t always know what to expect. The Move helps you make that decision in real time.”

The app’s early traction was promising. Within weeks of launching their Instagram account, the team saw over 50,000 views and a 700% increase in engagement. They even secured a shoutout from a social media influencer, a Salve alum with nearly 100,000 followers, helping spread awareness before the app is fully launched.

Now, The Move is gaining even more support. Jankovich and Deschenes were recently accepted into the RIHub accelerator program, an eight- to twelve-week experience in Providence, Rhode Island that connects entrepreneurs with mentors, developers and investors to help turn startup concepts into scalable companies.

“We have everything designed – the layout, the colors, the features,” Jankovich said. “Now, with the help of our accelerator mentors and developers, we’re turning that vision into a working app.”

The Compass effect

Jankovich and Deschenes credit Salve Compass and the supportive faculty within the Jean and David W. Wallace Department of Business and Economics for giving her the confidence and foundation to pursue entrepreneurship seriously.

“As a first-year student, I pitched an app idea at the entrepreneurship summit,” Jankovich recalled. “That experience – and truly all of the professors in the business department – have really prepared me to stand up in front of a crowd and pitch something I believe in.”

They also encourage other students, even those without business or tech backgrounds, to take a leap and get involved in Compass programs.

"Without the week we spent working on this over the summer, we would never be in the position we’re in today. Nothing can replace hands-on learning and real-world experiences, and this program allows you to do all of that risk-free," said Deschenes.

“I wasn’t super tech-savvy or even sure I wanted to do this,” added Jankovich. “But if you don’t put yourself out there, you’ll never know what opportunities are waiting. Compass helped me realize that trying something new can open doors you didn’t even know existed.”