At the age of 17, Washtenaw Community College student Roman Karas is running four startup businesses, giving TEDx talks and planning to use his entrepreneurship skills to make healthcare solutions more accessible and affordable.
A fourth-year student at Washtenaw Technical Middle College enrolled in a full slate of WCC college courses, Karas was recognized as the 2025 Ernst & Young Youth Entrepreneur of the Year for Michigan and Northwest Ohio.
His entrepreneurial journey gained attention earlier this year when he and a team of fellow WTMC students co-founded Athletassist, a business concept that earned third place nationally in the Junior Achievement Social Innovation Challenge for its creative approach to injury management in youth sports.
Karas said that experience galvanized his interest in “creating solutions at the intersection of health, data and innovation.”
“What excites me most about entrepreneurship is the opportunity to create change,” Karas said. “In health innovation, even small improvements can transform someone’s life, and that’s what motivates me to keep working.”
Along with his work on Athletassist, Karas started three additional business ventures:
- A2 Lytix equips schools and athletic programs with data-driven insights to better understand health risks, monitor player well-being, and track team performance by focusing on predictive analytics.
- Brain Buddy offers student-athletes recovering from concussions the toolkits, education and encouragement to bridge the communication gap between athletes, coaches and caregivers.
- CloudSit offers a waterproof, cost-effective and comfortable outdoor cushion; born from a personal frustration with overpriced replacement patio cushions.
Karas credits much of his growth to the support he’s received from Washtenaw Community College, which includes working with advisors from the Entrepreneurship Center at WCC and conducting guided business research through WCC’s Bailey Library.
"Roman’s journey is a remarkable example of Washtenaw Community College's mission in action,” said MariAnn Apley, Start-Up Manager at the Entrepreneurship Center. “His creativity, perseverance, and leadership have taken him from Pitch@WCC to national competitions and now to recognition as Youth Entrepreneur of the Year. We are proud to see him embody the entrepreneurial spirit fostered here at the Entrepreneurship Center."
Bailey Library librarian Molly Ledermann said she was impressed by Karas’ drive at such a young age.
“From an idea spark to research to implementation, it was remarkable to see Roman’s commitment to exploring how business solutions could help close the health equity gap,” Ledermann said.
A speaker in April’s TEDxWCC, Karas focused on health equity – sharing insights on how athletes can be better supported through smart systems, education and cultural change. (View replay.)
“Throughout his TEDx talk, (Karas) showed a well-defined commitment to making athletics a place where every student – regardless of resources or background – is protected and empowered,” said Dena Blair, chair of WCC’s Communication, Media and Theatre Arts department.
The Ernst & Young award comes with a $2,000 scholarship. After completing his WCC associate degree in General Studies-Math and Natural Sciences, Karas will use that scholarship to study entrepreneurship and health sciences at a four-year institution and hopes to build a career using technology and business to improve health.
“In the future, I see myself leading entrepreneurship projects that are designed for the underserved, benefitting all,” Karas said. “Making health solutions accessible, affordable and culturally relevant is where I see the future of entrepreneurship making its greatest impact.”
Tags: Awards, Entrepreneurship, November 2025, On The Record, Student Profile, Washtenaw Technical Middle College