Startup Fest Spurs Innovation and Entrepreneurial Growth at Drexel

The Close School of Entrepreneurship’s annual Startup Fest convened students, founders and industry leaders for a day of high-stakes pitching, specialized learning and strategic networking, fueling the University’s next generation of student-led ventures.

The day commenced with Coffee and Croissants, an exclusive networking session that immediately set an insightful, inspiring tone to the day. The gathering featured a live taping of Startup Talks with Chuck Sacco, where attendees listened in on a conversation with special guest Nick Bayer, CEO of Saxbys, allowing for informal engagement with a major industry leader.

The competitive momentum began swiftly with the high-stakes Fast Pitch Competition. Twenty-eight competitors presented their innovative business concepts in under two minutes. The winner was Green-Prompts by Greeva Yava, a Chrome extension that helps cut down ChatGPT prompt sizes to promote a more sustainable use of AI.

Following almost 30 pitches, the Featured Speaker, Robert Amar, Founder of Small World Seafood, delivered a compelling keynote. His talk stressed the importance of community and local connection when scaling a mission-driven business, sharing how he created his thriving enterprise in the Fairmount neighborhood of Philadelphia during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Masterclass Series: Strategic Skill Development

The Masterclass series offered attendees the opportunity to deep-dive into the specialized knowledge required to navigate the complexities of launching a startup. These focused workshops were led by industry experts, ensuring practical, actionable takeaways:

• Pitching That Lands: How to Craft and Deliver Winning Pitches (Don Milley, Founder, WhatsitAI): Focused on the art of persuasive communication and tailoring your message.
• Finding Your Customer and Crafting Your Value (Emily Foote, Saxbys CGO): Covered essential early-stage strategy and market validation frameworks.
• Legal Foundations for Startup Success (GT Law, Greenberg Traurig): Focused on crucial legal groundwork, covering topics such as proper entity formation, founder equity and protecting intellectual property (IP).
• How to Find a Problem Worth Solving: The Power of Starting Small (Bo Zhao, Founder & CEO, Baby Gear Group): Stressed the value of addressing niche, high-impact problems using the “me-search” concept and iterating quickly.

“The knowledge gained from these sessions is incredibly useful; I’m walking away with tactical strategies and inspiring examples I can apply for my future,” says Katie McDonald, BSBA marketing ’26.

Innovation Showcase and Capital Competition

The Proving Ground Expo served as a dynamic marketplace of ideas where sixteen student exhibitors showcased their latest prototypes and venture concepts, gaining critical feedback and exposure. “The Proving Ground is invaluable because you get real feedback from people who don’t already know your idea,” says, Melissa Tevere, assistant director of entrepreneurship programs. “It’s the perfect testing ground for our founders.”

The afternoon’s main event was the final round of the Drexel Startups Fund Competition. This capstone competition saw eight final-round competitors pitch for significant seed funding.

The Winners of the Drexel Startups Fund Competition:

• Tavin Staber (HFA Grading): Recognized for being the first company to professionally authenticate, grade, and encapsulate LEGO Minifigures, applying proven principles from other collectible markets to create consistency and value.
• Alexa Parker (Tech Tunes): Honored for developing an innovative and affordable platform described as “Like Duolingo for instruments and music education.”

Drexel’s Commitment to Entrepreneurial Success

Startup Fest is a tangible demonstration of how Drexel University, through the Close School of Entrepreneurship, provides its students with a crucial ecosystem for success and growth.

The event concluded with the formal Reception, allowing for over 90 attendees to network and build professional relationships.

Close School Dean Donna De Carolis, PhD, captured the event’s lasting impact: “Startup Fest clearly reflects our commitment to experiential learning. We aren’t just teaching entrepreneurship; we’re providing the infrastructure, the funding, and the real-world connections necessary to build a viable company before our students even graduate.”

Through events like Startup Fest and entities like the Baiada Institute for Entrepreneurship, the Close School integrates experiential learning and access to capital while offering unique opportunities to give Drexel’s student entrepreneurs every chance to shine, preparing them to make a significant impact in the global innovation landscape.