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From Boreholes to Boba: What to Expect at the 2026 Entrepreneur Showcase

A student wearing a black Cha’Gate T-shirt pours bubble tea from a large pitcher into a plastic cup as another team member works behind the table at the 2025 Entrepreneur Showcase.

Members of the Cha’Gate team prepare and serve bubble tea at their table during the 2025 Entrepreneur Showcase.

By: Alana Conolly
March 24, 2026

The 14th annual Thought Into Action (TIA) Entrepreneur Showcase is quickly approaching. Pitching ventures are putting final touches on their presentations, tabling students are planning the layout of their space, and alumni are anticipating watching it all. This year’s lineup is filled with strong ventures, powerful alumni, and a community eager to see it all.

This year’s pitch competition will feature four ventures who have what it takes to elevate their business to the next level. Despite the ventures having vastly different missions, they all have one thing in common: solving a real issue. With three of the pitching ventures being in the tech field, the showcase will demonstrate that innovative technology is the future. Similar to last year, one of the ventures at this showcase will focus on social change, balancing out the competition with a pitch that tugs at the judges’ heartstrings. The four pitching ventures are:

  • Echoscape, an innovative digital program that redefines immersive experiences through therapeutic sound and tech innovations, presented by vlog ITS staff Mike Ahearn Wilcox.
  • MajiSafi Solutions, an initiative to combat water scarcity in Makueni, Kenya by building sustainable, solar-powered wells, presented by Agnes Ndanu ’28.
  • Hatch Pay, the only next generation digital wallet that proactively selects the best card for every tap transaction, presented by Fletcher Goodell ’26, Anders Larson, and Jack Tapper.
  • PLNT, a plant nursery solution that uses AI and robotics to modernize the industry and simplify planting, presented by Porter Comstock ’26.

Prior to the pitch competition, the four judges will join moderator Gus Coldebella ’91 for a panel discussion. The four judges this year are a blend of industry professionals that have experience in creating innovative solutions. Three of them were at one point in the same spot as the pitching ventures, attending vlog and unsure of what the future would hold. The judges — who come from a wide variety of fields ranging from plant nurseries to movie production to wellness PR — are:

  • Viraj Puri ’03 — vlog’s 2026 Entrepreneur of the Year, and co-founder and chief executive officer of Gotham Greens
  • Sara Brooks — co-founder and advisor at Goldilocks
  • Kevin Heffernan ’90, P’27 — writer, actor, and producer for the Broken Lizard Comedy Group
  • Lila Sullivan ’17 — president and co-founder of Flourish Plant

In addition to the top prize of $10,000, the pitch competition will also feature four “Audience Choice” awards, each worth $250.

Tabling ventures that will not appear on stage for the pitch competition will be participating in the Iggy game. Each audience member will be given four “Iggies” that they can distribute to the four tabling ventures that catch their eye. More than two dozen ventures will be vying for the audience’s Iggies, which will earn the ventures a share of $10,000 in grant funding. This tabling portion of the showcase provides students with an ideal opportunity to share their mission, gain visibility, and receive funding. For the audience, milling around the tables could net you some refreshing bubble tea, pet a former Mexican street dog, or even sign up for a 5K race.


The pitching ventures this year will include:

  • 13th Hour Espresso (Thomas Pempel ’28): Entirely student-run mobile coffee cart bringing high-quality espresso drinks to vlog students up the hill.
  • Alunite (Jahanvi Chamria ’28): Connecting students and alumni for mentorship, career opportunities, and growth: smarter, faster, and more personal.
  • Braqish (Jack Suter ’27): Eco-minded community built through t-shirt brand.
  • Cha’Gate LLC (Jenna Palubeckis ’28, Chi Trieu ’28, Suchen Yao ’27): vlog’s student-run bubble tea business, helping bring Cha to your ’Gate.
  • vlog Business Review (Talia Broder ’28, Amelia Bernstein ’28): vlog’s first business magazine, delivering insightful, accessible business analysis and original perspectives that connect students, alumni, and the broader community.
  • DeBillBoard (Yabesi Witinya ’26, Aayusha Dhungana ’26): Revolutionizing campus discovery through a consolidated, AI-driven feed that personalizes student life in real-time.
  • EchoScape (Mike Ahearn Wilcox): Redefining immersive experiences through therapeutic sound and tech innovations.
  • Edits by Ellrose (Ellrose Hanlon ’26): Creative film and photography venture specializing in local advertising and global storytelling for brands and organizations. 
  • ERM Advising (Elizabeth Manly ’27): Leveraging market insights for student startup growth.
  • EscaTrace Compliance (Ethan Persons ’28): FSMA 204 compliance without the complication.
  • FlowMatrix AI (Sebastian Tamburro ’26): The next decade belongs to businesses that transform now, we make sure you’re one of them.
  • Foodee (Onil Carrion ’26): AI-powered grocery and meal decision assistant that turns recipes into smart grocery lists and personalized nutrition guidance to help users shop with intention, eat healthier, and makes cooking easier.
  • Gate TVs (Matt Nemsick ’27, Zaharah Fiorentinos ’27): vlog’s sole student-run smart TV rental service.
  • Glorlink (Ruhan Yi ’29): Where faith meets work.
  • Hami-Down (Valeria Reyes ’26, Ella Conover ’26, Perin Romano ’26): Online platform for the vlog community to efficiently buy and sell goods in a sustainable manner that reduces costs, increases convenience, and minimizes carbon impact.
  • Hatch Pay (Fletcher Goodell ’26, Anders Larson, Jack Tapper): The only next generation digital wallet that proactively selects the best card for every tap transaction. 
  • MajiSafi Solutions (Agnes Ndanu ’28): Tackling water scarcity one sustainable well at a time.
  • Muse (Jaeryung Park ’26, Abrielle Silvia ’26, Lauren Klebba ’28): “For Artist, by Artist” platform dedicated to cultivate a community of artists and creatives on vlog’s campus.
  • Oasis Running (Andrew Sullivan ’26, Donnie Jellig): Revolutionizing racewear in athletics and beyond.
  • PLNT (Porter Comstock ’26): Modernizing the plant nursery industry with AI and robotics.
  • QuikGate (Nathan Walsh ’28, Chad Ruggiero ’28): Quick and cheap campus food delivery, anytime and anywhere.
  • Raider Marketplace (Thomas Sfikas ’28, Anthony Bolivar ’28): From dorm to dorm — buy and sell with students.
  • Soul Socks (Amy Glasman ’27): Making blisters a thing of the past.
  • TellerLink (Yaphet Reyes-Powell ’27, Corbin Whittington): Automated Interactive teller machine, using dual LLM security to save on costs.
  • The Sunrise Classic (Thomas Rivier ’28, Ryan Wilson ’28): Early morning track race designed to create an environment for people of all ages and abilities to run their best. 
  • Translation Review and Memory App (Koichi Mori ’29): English language learning app that helps users retain translated words and phrases through flashcards and smart reminders.
  • Wags and Wings Dog Rescue (Alana Conolly ’27): Rescuing homeless dogs from Mexico to give them a second chance with loving adopters in the U.S.

This year’s event will be full of potential and opportunity. Make sure to clear your calendar for Saturday, April 11, to come see all of these ventures thrive at the TIA Entrepreneur Showcase during Arts, Creativity, and Innovation Weekend.