Deadlines can bring out the best in people. In Hannah Ung’s case, half an hour before her presentation to a Northeastern class, she decided on a name for her proposed startup: Square.
A year later, Boxy is in business, allowing students to rent storage space in private homes for their belongings, such as an Airbnb for their furniture, clothes and other belongings. Ung’s innovation has earned him a place in 25 Under 25 from BostInno class of elite young founders, nonprofit leaders, startup employees, and students. Five other students or graduates from the North East joined her on the selection list: Rachel Domb, Naren Kolli, Samantha Johnson, Anya Losik and Alex Marley.
“BostInno is the flagship market for the 45 cities that make up America Inno, and it’s only in a few cities, like Boston, where we have so much talent under 25,” said Doug Banks, editor of BostInno and the Boston Business Journal. “Northeastern and the other world-class universities in and around Boston are a huge contributor to this young talent.”
Ung understands how entrepreneurs in the North East were able to dominate the list of innovators and leaders.
“I feel the support I get from Northeastern’s entrepreneurial ecosystem,” says Ung, a transfer student who will graduate in business administration in 2023 with concentrations in brand management as well as entrepreneurship and news management. businesses. “One of the reasons I wanted to transfer to the North East was experiential learning; I wasn’t really into entrepreneurship, but coming here and seeing all the resources they have for entrepreneurship in general has been amazing.
Ung, who carries an innovation notebook to jot down ideas on his solo travels, developed Boxy’s premise as part of “Marketing Strategies for Startups,” a course taught by Prof. Cheryl Mitten. Ung realized the need for his service as early as 2018 while preparing for a trip to Japan. Where was she going to put her stuff?
“It definitely has something to do with my upbringing, growing up in a low-income household where we always have to share space in the house,” says Ung, who grew up in Rhode Island. “So I appreciate sharing in general – and that includes space – and that’s a mantra of how I live life: to share it with the people around me and also to make the most of all the resources that are available to me.”
Boxy can be just as useful for people renting space, she says.
“Especially people in the low-income community or anyone who wants to make the most of what they have,” Ung says. “I find it so inspiring to see Uber drivers or Airbnb hosts monetizing something they already have.”
Ung says Boxy’s pilot launch in August was a success. She is now looking to connect with Northeastern students who are preparing to temporarily leave the Boston campus for internships or semesters abroad.
“They can go to Square website,” says Ung, who will personally take care of every order. “Once they are registered, I can sort them all according to their storage needs.”
Ung plans to turn his management of Boxy into a full-time career after graduation.
“I’m happy to know what I want to do after college and that’s the only goal I will focus on,” she says.
The other winners from the North East were honored for their promising achievements in various fields:
- Rachel Dom, fourth-year student in sustainable economics. Going through rooted lifethe sustainable food brand she founded as a freshman, Domb has created a line of plant-based, eco-friendly snacks that use compostable packaging.
- Naren Kolli, graduate in electrical and computer engineering. Kolli, former director of Northeast Entrepreneurs Clubrecently launched the Boston Innovation Hub, a network connecting more than 300 Northeastern students and half a dozen other top Boston-area universities.
- Samantha Johnson, a double Husky in bioengineering. Johnson is the founder of Tatum Roboticsa startup that is developing a revolutionary communication tool to provide holistic support to deafblind people (who are simultaneously deaf and blind).
- Anya Losik, graduated in political science and environmental studies. As the new chief of staff at To forgea nonprofit that has helped more than 500 startups turn their prototypes into impactful businesses, Losik’s leadership is crucial in strategic planning, process improvement, and other areas.
- Alex Marley, graduate in electrical engineering and economics. Marley, an entrepreneur who has dedicated himself to learning entrepreneurship at Northeastern, manages the Boston office of dorm fund—the original venture capital fund for students—while working full-time as an engineer at Cometa startup focused on precision brewing and freezing coffee.
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