Skandalaris Entrepreneurs Named Among St. Louis Inno’s 2026 Under 25 Honorees

The St. Louis Business Journal has announced its 2026 Inno Under 25 honorees, recognizing rising young entrepreneurs making an impact across the St. Louis region. This year’s class includes founders working across technology, education, security and other areas of innovation.

We’re especially excited to celebrate several WashU innovators with connections to the Skandalaris Center.

Nate Scherer (LA ’27), founder of Alon Technologies, was recognized for building an AI-powered platform designed to automate aspects of athlete brand deals and NIL partnerships. Alon Technologies has been an active part of the Skandalaris community, advancing to the finals of the Spring 2026 Skandalaris Venture Competition and participating in the 2026 Skandalaris Launchpad program.

Tanya Keskar (LA ’27), founder of Realize to Act, was also named to this year’s class. Keskar began the nonprofit at age 12, and today Realize to Act works to expand access to educational resources and strengthen connections between schools and their communities. Realize to Act has participated in multiple Skandalaris Venture Competitions, including advancing to the Spring 2026 finals.

Christien Wong (BU ’27) was recognized for his work building St. Louis’ student technology and entrepreneurial community through DevFest WashU, a tech conference and hackathon that has drawn participants from colleges and universities across the country. Wong also has ties to the Skandalaris community through previous entrepreneurial work and the Center’s support of DevFest WashU.

Recognition like Inno Under 25 highlights what we see every day at the Skandalaris Center: students aren’t waiting until after graduation to tackle meaningful problems, build organizations and contribute to the St. Louis innovation ecosystem.

Congratulations to Nate, Tanya, Christien and all of the 2026 Inno Under 25 honorees!

Read the original story from the St. Louis Business Journal:
Meet St. Louis Business Journal’s Inno Under 25 winners