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DTech Lab has announced Annalisa Nundahl as the winner of the fifth annual PETE Prize for Entrepreneurs. Nundahl is the founder of Iron Step, a footwear business concept that offers a "recovery slide" designed for industrial workers experiencing foot pain and discomfort caused by protective footwear. "Built for the shift after the shift," the slide is crafted to provide relief outside working hours while maintaining durability and comfort. "The concept really started through observation and experience," Nundahl said. "After nearly 15 years working in industrial and workwear sales, I became very aware of how physically demanding these jobs are and how little attention is given to recovery after long shifts. This project feels personal to me, and I'm excited by the opportunity to turn an idea into something real that could genuinely improve someone's day-to-day life."

FIT's 20th Annual Sustainable Business and Design Conference ran April 8 and 9 on the theme Industry Disruptors, opening with environmental justice activist and Goldman Environmental Prize winner Nalleli Cobo in conversation with FIT Sustainability Ambassador Amber Valletta, and with remarks from FIT President Jason S. Schupbach and SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr. A panel of alumni entrepreneurs turned to the practical realities of building a sustainable business. Michael Ferraro, executive director of the FIT DTech Lab, set out the baseline for startup survival: "Being agile is the single most important thing in being an entrepreneur." Later sessions covered Mulberry's Made to Last manifesto, upcycling and visible mending, and the resale economy and the case for legislation, closing with a keynote from Evrnu co-founder Stacy Flynn, Textile Development and Marketing '99.