In Conversation with Shumvobi Mitra: High School Biofounder Wins $50,000 USD Grant to Fight Fertilizer Runof

Meet Shumvobi Mitra, a high school founder of RhizeUP based in Maryland, in the United States. She began her journey with iGEM Team East Coast BioCrew 2023, engineering rhizobia bacteria to combat fertilizer runoff and protect waterways. After the iGEM Competition, she joined the 2024 iGEM Startups Venture Foundry Program to officially launch RhizeUP. 

Earlier this year, she participated in the TEDCO Maryland Student Venture Showcase and Pava LaPere Innovation Awards, an annual event for student-led startups in the Baltimore-Towson-Columbia area, hosted by the Maryland Technology Development Corporation (TEDCO). RhizeUP was one of nine ventures recognized, receiving $50,000 USD in state funding, mentorship and resources.

In this interview, Shumvobi shares insights, lessons learned and some of her experiences during her bioentrepreneurship journey, all while balancing her high school studies.

iGEM Team East Coast BioCrew 2023.

Can you share the story behind your startup?

RhizeUP began as a project at the iGEM Team East Coast BioCrew in 2023. Our work there earned a Gold Medal and a nomination for the Sustainable Development Prize. Building on that momentum, we officially launched the company through the support of the Venture Creation Lab program by iGEM Startups, in 2024. What started as a competition project quickly became a mission-driven venture to address nutrient runoff and its environmental impact.

What motivated you to launch your venture while still in high school?

For me, age wasn’t really the deciding factor—it was the urgency of the problem. Algal blooms, which our solution targets, are becoming increasingly common as climate change intensifies. Waiting until after college to act didn’t make sense when the issue is growing more urgent every year.

How did you first learn about the TEDCO Student Venture Showcase and the Pava LaPere Innovation Awards?

I heard about these opportunities from Lindsay Ryan, an entrepreneurship guide for small businesses and startups based in Maryland, where RhizeUP is headquartered.

Can you describe the application process? What tips would you offer to other students applying for similar opportunities?

The application required submitting a pitch deck and delivering a short presentation; in our case, the pitch was two minutes long. The most important part was ensuring our message was clear and accessible to people without a background in synthetic biology. Since this competition was open to any startup in Maryland, the judging panel was broad and not as specialized as the iGEM Competition, so we focused on communicating the real-world impact of our work.

Who have you approached for funding and guidance and how did you find them?

We’re fortunate to be in a region rich with startup support. Through TEDCO, we gained access to a network of experts covering everything from graphic design to fundraising strategy. This has allowed us to connect with mentors, advisors and potential partners who guide us through both the technical and business aspects of building RhizeUP.

How valuable do you think it is to be involved in a startup or entrepreneurial ecosystem at a young age?

It’s incredibly valuable—you gain real-world skills in problem-solving, communication, and resilience that you wouldn’t get from school alone. You also begin building a network that can support you in future ventures. 

Do you have any advice for balancing school responsibilities with running a startup?

To balance school and a startup, I treat my startup like an extra class: I block out time, stay organized with a clear task list, and communicate with teachers early if competitions or pitch events overlap with schoolwork.

What were some of the biggest challenges you faced as student founders, and how did you overcome them?

One of the hardest challenges was credibility—convincing others that a group of high school students could execute a serious biotech project. We overcame that by demonstrating results: competition wins, early partnerships and clear technical progress. Another challenge was learning business fundamentals on the fly, which we addressed by actively seeking mentors and asking lots of questions, even outside our comfort zone.

What advice would you give to other high school students interested in launching a startup but unsure where to start?

Don’t start a company just for the sake of starting one. RhizeUP didn’t begin as a startup—it grew out of a project we realized could have real-world impact. Once we saw that forming a company was the most effective way to bring our solution to farmers, the startup path made sense. Focus first on solving a problem you care about; if creating a company becomes the best way to deliver that solution, the business side will follow naturally.

Shumvobi’s story shows that being an entrepreneur doesn’t have a minimum age. It can begin as early as high school. She demonstrates that it’s possible to build a startup like RhizeUP while balancing school and inspiring the next generation of student biofounders.

At iGEM Startups, we’re here to help you take the next step. As a pre-accelerator, we support iGEMers ready to turn their projects into ventures or test their ideas further. Join our mailing list to be the first to know when applications open for the 2026 Venture Foundry Program! https://form.typeform.com/to/KkOVOsYg