Create your own path. Be the driver of your future career. Combine your passion for creativity or desire to create change with your work in the classroom. Inspire others with your creative work or solutions to real world problems.

What are entrepreneurial and creative endeavors?

Students learn to set their own course by having experiences in early stage start-ups, advancing ideas to solve real world problems, or create artistic, written or performance-based projects. 

DifferenceMakers By the Numbers

  • $5M
    raised by teams
  • 40
    companies formed by teams
  • 11
    Number of teams patents filed or issued

Meet the DifferenceMakers

The can-topping ashtray developed and marketed by Justin Lozier '17 is starting to catch fire.
TopaCan '16
DifferenceMakers

TopaCan is a product development company whose first product turns any empty can into an environmentally friendly way to dispose of cigarette butts.

DifferenceMaker has various resources that I have leveraged to help me grow my business.
Read More About TopaCan 
Happyben Patel, sharing her idea during one of DifferenceMaker's workshop series.
Happy Pinning
DifferenceMakers

Happing Pinning is an effective, effortless device that clips clothing together.

Happing Pinning is an effective, effortless device that clips clothing together.
Read More About Happy Pinning 
The PEAK Performance team standing in a group of 4 looking at each other in front of a blue UMass Lowell backdrop with their device off to the side.
PEAK Performance
DifferenceMakers

Assessing and correcting rotational misalignments between the pelvis and thoracic spine.

PEAK Performance will revolutionize the multi-billion dollar sports industry.
Read More About PEAK Performance 
UMass Lowell Image
Treehouse '14
DifferenceMakers

A website and phone application that connects people with plans, events and small businesses nearby.

Treehouse will revolutionize how people and businesses connect and make plans.
Read More About Treehouse 
Grace Truong and Yeaharne Hout
YPG
DifferenceMakers

YPG will aid the COVID-19 pandemic, while also helping the environment.

YPG will aid the COVID-19 pandemic, while also helping the environment.
Read More About YPG