George Mason University’s top entrepreneurs take the stage this Thursday, April 10, to make their final pitches in front of the community.
This Shark Tank-style competition will be proceeded by a keynote discussion with Sid Banerjee, founder of Clarabridge, which was acquired by Qualtrics for $1.125 billion in 2021. The flagship event is led by the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, hosted by Costello College of Business, and presented by 22nd Century Technologies Inc.
The Patriot Pitch Competition’s finalist teams each entered a track—STEM, Social Impact, General Entrepreneurship for undergraduate students, or General Entrepreneurship for graduate students and recent alumni—in hope of winning a share of this year’s $50,000 prize money. First place in each track wins $8,000, while second place receives $2,000. Audience members have their voices heard in two Mason’s Choice Awards each awarding $5,000.
After a competitive application pool and semifinal round, the teams to compete at the final competition have been selected:
STEM
Barty AI offers hiring teams natural language candidate discovery, bias mitigation, and detailed performance analytics in conducting comprehensive AI-powered interviews for every candidate.
Team members: Sahil Jagtap, Suchita Hadimani
With an AI-copilot and software scanner environment fully integrated with quantum-safe cryptography, Q Haven addresses the threats that quantum computing poses to modern cryptographical measures.
Team member: Caden Green
Social Impact
Already making a significant impact hosting community events, distributing food and clothing, and fostering meaningful connections with those in need, The Allocated at Delia’s House, a faith-driven nonprofit organization, is excited to continue expanding its mission.
Team members: Marisela Zelaya Delcid, David Osorto
To empower sustainability officers in making informed decisions with their organization climate goals, CarbonSecure is a decision support platform that assesses the risk and quality of carbon offset projects using a standardized evaluation framework and provides purchasing recommendations.
Team members: Maddie Gray, Maha Raja, Ryland Plodpluang, Juan Zambrano-Lozano
General Entrepreneurship – Undergraduate Track
Previously manufactured only in Italy before production terminated, synthetic lumber makes a return with NovaFoam, which resists mold, insulates, and reduces transport weight.
Team members: Ethan Ford, Trevor Geissler, Mikhail Ivanov, Stephano Barra, Michael Smith
Valor is a B2B online counseling platform that connects veterans in the workforce with fellow veterans who understand their situation and provide mentorship.
Team member: Caleb Fink
General Entrepreneurship – Graduate Track
Comfortable, safe, and non-intrusive, EchoPods was designed as a better alternative for the millions of people who use earbuds daily.
Team members: Raghu Manjunatha, Pooja Manjunatha Swamy
Viralbite is unlocking the synergy between the influencer marketing industry and the restaurant market by rewarding influencers based on generated engagement and giving restaurants instant exposure.
Team member: Emmanuel Nwokeabia
The Patriot Pitch Competition has become an annual tradition at Costello, bringing together the top entrepreneurial minds from across the George Mason community and the region’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. Among team members, mentors, judges, and speakers, there are more than 80 people involved in the event. After much preparation, the teams are ready to make their final pitches and launch their innovative business ventures.