Pasadena City College Team “Cortexa” Named a 2026 National Finalist for the CCIC via the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC).
A student team from Pasadena City College, mentored by MNT-EC Director Jared Ashcroft, has been selected as one of 12 national finalists in the 2026 Community College Innovation Challenge (CCIC), hosted by the American Association of Community Colleges in partnership with the National Science Foundation.
Their project, Cortexa – Brain Powered Art, uses a custom LED dress that illuminates in real time based on the wearer’s brainwave activity. By making neural signals visible and interactive, Cortexa bridges neuroscience and design — with applications ranging from STEM education to museum installations and performance art.
Finalists will attend an Innovation Boot Camp in June 2026 in Washington, D.C., where teams receive coaching in entrepreneurial thinking, stakeholder communication, and innovation strategy, culminating in a poster session on Capitol Hill and a pitch competition.
Congratulations to the Cortexa team and Jared on this outstanding achievement. Learn more about the CCIC → and the attached news release at the end of this post.
About the Community College Innovation Challenge
The Community College Innovation Challenge (CCIC) is led by the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) in partnership with the National Science Foundation. Now in its tenth year, the competition challenges community college student teams to develop STEM-based solutions to real-world problems — and to discover their capacity to turn that knowledge into action.
Finalist teams attend an Innovation Boot Camp in Washington, D.C., where they receive coaching in entrepreneurial thinking, strategic communication, and marketplace dynamics, culminating in a poster session on Capitol Hill and a pitch competition for cash awards.
Learn more about the AACC here.
FULL Press Release about this year’s 2026 Challenge and all 12 Teams
And don’t miss this cool post and video by the 2021 Team that won.
