Hinged on Success

Nathaniel Troxel ’27 and Xadrian Huerta ’26 are out to build a smart home device that will help users open doors to a better life.

Together, these two Trinity University football teammates have founded HandiDoor, a device that allows users to remotely open and close doors, giving independence and peace of mind to older adults and people with mobility challenges.

That mission just earned them first place and a $45,000 grand prize in the 10th annual Louis H. Stumberg Venture Competition, Trinity’s premier entrepreneurship event that helps drive student innovation from the whiteboard to reality.

From Setback to Startup

Troxel, a finance major, says the idea for HandiDoor came after a car accident left him with some temporary injuries that challenged his mobility.

“I realized how hard it is to open and close doors when you’ve got a wheelchair or a walker,” Troxel recalls.

Originally conceived as a smart gadget for convenience, HandiDoor continued to evolve into something more essential. Through Trinity’s Summer Accelerator, the team conducted interviews in independent living communities and quickly discovered a deeper need for accessibility in the market.

“People told us they fall trying to open doors, or they just stay home instead,” Troxel says. “That’s when we knew we weren’t just building a product—we were restoring independence.”

From Classroom to Competition

Troxel and Huerta first met as teammates on the Trinity football field but connected further as classmates in Matt Glazer’s Introductory Entrepreneurship course. When Glazer offered extra credit for entering the Stumberg Competition, they group jumped at the opportunity to challenge themselves.

Troxel led product development, refining prototypes and perfecting the software. Huerta, a business analytics and technology major, drove the brand, marketing, and operations. “I'm involved with the creative side of things,” he says. “As we continue to build out our team, with engineering, for example, I’m also looking into team management and just having an accountability role.”

Innovation and Impact

With the Stumberg grand prize, the duo plans to finalize their patent, build their next prototype, and launch a pilot program at an independent living facility.

“We’ll install a few units, collect feedback, and keep improving,” Troxel says. “Several facilities have already expressed interest.”

HandiDoor is the first team in 10 years of Stumberg history to receive a $45,000 prize amount. This is a significant increase from the usual $25,000 grand award that represents the combined - and continued -
generosity of the Stumberg family, as well as a special 10th anniversary gift from Frost Bank.

For Huerta, the experience represents proof that Trinity gives its students big, hands-on opportunities in a small, supportive environment.  For any other students on the fence about joining Stumberg in the future, he can’t recommend the move enough.

“We're really thankful for all the support that we received during the process,” Huerta says of the Stumberg Competition. “There are a lot of resources, a lot of people that are there to help you along the way as well. We’re excited to see what next year’s teams bring to the table.”