Demo Day is special because it’s where pre-seed founders learn one of the hardest lessons in entrepreneurship: how to field tough questions in the moment, receive candid feedback about the thing they’ve poured their heart into-and use it to keep building.
Last week, we celebrated our latest Pre-Seed Stage cohort as they graduated from the program and took the stage to pitch with clarity, confidence, and conviction. The growth from day one to Demo Day was undeniable-not just in their slides, but in their storytelling, resilience, and command of the room.
💡 Big Ideas, Real-World Impact
This cohort brought bold thinking and practical innovation across multiple industries:
- An end-to-end, AI-driven planning system transforming the remodeling industry
- A privacy shield and trust engine platform designed to connect homeowners with the roofing industry
- A dynamic voice-to-voice translation tool breaking language barriers in hospitality
Each venture addressed a real problem with scalable solutions and strong market insight-exactly what early-stage entrepreneurship demands.
✨ Meet the Founders
A huge congratulations to these exceptional founders. Your growth throughout the program has been remarkable:
✳️ Andrea Dattilo, VeraAI
✳️ Joe Casalese, RoofBids
✳️ Shamiyon Jett, OViiE Ai Inc
You stepped into the arena, embraced the hard questions, and demonstrated what it means to build with purpose and grit.
🏆 Alumni Spotlight: Innovation Beyond Earth
We were also honored to hear from program alum Dr. Shannon Brown Fedenko, Ph.D. founder of Aloft Biotechnologies.
She shared exciting updates on advancing cell processing in space-work that supports medical innovation, next-generation biomanufacturing, and even deep space life support. It’s a powerful reminder that the ideas launched in this program can scale far beyond expectations-even beyond our planet.
🤝 Gratitude to Our Judges & Supporters
Demo Day wouldn’t be possible without the thoughtful insights and guidance of our judges and board members:
▪️Jennifer Dunham, Founder of Spitha Capital
▪️Stephanie A. Miller, PhD, MBA, Executive Director of Technology Transfer & Research Park Initiatives at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University MicaPlex
▪️James H., Chairman of the Board, NextPath Career Partners
Your tough questions, strategic perspective, and steady support help shape stronger founders and stronger companies.
And to everyone who showed up to support these entrepreneurs-your encouragement matters more than you know. Early-stage building can feel lonely. Rooms like this remind founders they are not doing it alone.