{"id":5958,"date":"2026-05-20T20:27:02","date_gmt":"2026-05-20T20:27:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/econ\/?p=5958"},"modified":"2026-05-20T20:27:15","modified_gmt":"2026-05-20T20:27:15","slug":"usc-grad-wins-us-red-bull-competition-heads-to-world-final","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/econ\/2026\/05\/20\/usc-grad-wins-us-red-bull-competition-heads-to-world-final\/","title":{"rendered":"USC Grad Wins US Red Bull Competition, Heads to World Final"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n\n\n \n \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
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USC Grad Wins US Red Bull Competition, Heads to World Final<\/h1>\n\n\n<\/div>\n \n \n \n May 20, 2026<\/span>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n <\/div><\/div>\n\n \n \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
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\n \n \n Share\n <\/span>\n \n \n <\/svg>\n <\/span>\n Copy Link<\/span>\n <\/a>\n \n \n <\/svg>\n <\/span>\n Facebook<\/span>\n <\/a>\n \n \n \n\n<\/svg>\n\n <\/span>\n X<\/span>\n <\/a>\n \n \n <\/svg>\n <\/span>\n LinkedIn<\/span>\n <\/a>\n \n \n \n \n <\/svg>\n <\/span>\n Bluesky<\/span>\n <\/a>\n \n \n <\/svg>\n <\/span>\n Email<\/span>\n <\/a>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n\n <\/div><\/div>\n \n\n\n\n \n \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
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Darnell Adler, a recent graduate of the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, has been named<\/a> one of three U.S. winners of a global innovation competition for students and first-time founders called Red Bull Basement.<\/p>\n

Adler\u2019s startup, Lifeline AI, earned him a spot in the competition\u2019s world final<\/a>, where he will represent the United States on June 3, competing against first-time founders from more than 40 countries. The overall winner will receive $100,000 to help advance their idea.<\/p>\n

Red Bull Basement, presented in partnership with Microsoft and AMD, invites participants to develop technology-driven ideas with the support of AI tools, mentorship and pitch opportunities. This year\u2019s U.S. competition drew more than 24,000 applications. From that pool, 65 applicants were invited to submit video pitches, 15 advanced to the national final in Detroit and three were selected to move on to the world stage.<\/p>\n

Adler, who graduated this year with an economics<\/a> degree from USC Dornsife, developed Lifeline AI as a personal safety platform designed to connect users with emergency responders and trusted contacts without requiring them to take out their phone. His concept addresses moments when calling for help may be difficult or dangerous, such as when someone is being followed, threatened or attacked.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re redesigning emergency infrastructure because existing safety tools fail at the exact moments when you need them the most,\u201d Adler told Red Bull. \u201cThis idea can genuinely save lives.\u201d<\/p>\n

Following his victory in the U.S. competition, Adler reflected on the scale of the achievement. \u201cGetting to bring that mission to a world stage is something I don\u2019t have the words for yet.\u201d<\/p>\n

At the world final, Adler and the other national winners will pitch their ideas to an international audience of innovation leaders, industry partners and fellow founders. This year\u2019s competition culminates in Adler\u2019s hometown of San Francisco \u2014 the first time the world final has been held in the U.S.<\/p>\n

\u201cDarnell\u2019s success reflects the imagination, ambition and problem-solving spirit we hope every USC Dornsife student carries into the world,\u201d said USC Dornsife Dean James Bullock. \u201cLifeline AI is a powerful example of using ideas and technology in service of people\u2019s safety and well-being, and we\u2019ll be cheering him on as he takes this innovation to the global stage.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n <\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

USC Dornsife economics alumnus Darnell Adler presents his Lifeline AI concept at Red Bull Basement National Finals on May 8. (Photo: Joe Gall\/Red Bull Content Pool.)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":952,"featured_media":5959,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[23],"tags":[19,38,12,36],"class_list":["post-5958","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-alumni","tag-award","tag-doctoral","tag-economics","tag-honor"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nUSC Grad Wins US Red Bull Competition, Heads to World Final<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Jonathan Libgober is a microeconomic theorist specializing in the economics of information. 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