Tulane Innovation Institute Hosts Startup Sprint 2025, Creating the Next Rolling Wave of Entrepreneurs
From January 31 to February 2, Tulane University’s Innovation Institute hosted its first-ever Startup Sprint, an intensive three-day crash course in entrepreneurship. The event welcomed Tulane University members and New Orleans residents, offering opportunities to network, collaborate, and refine business ideas while competing for cash prizes.
The event kicked off with an interactive networking session where attendees met one another and took part in a rapid-fire "pitch-o-rama," presenting new and innovative business ideas. Renowned serial entrepreneur Aaron Foss hosted the session. Afterward, participants voted on the most promising concepts and formed teams to bring those ideas to life.
The second day featured workshops focused on crafting value propositions and conducting customer discovery, led by Brent McCrossen of Revelry, and Tulane Innovation Institute team members, including Sharon Goldsmith and Jay England. Following the workshops, participants took to the streets of New Orleans to conduct target market interviews, gathering real-world insights to refine their concepts.
Throughout the weekend, teams had designated collaboration time to work alongside experienced mentors who helped them fine-tune their business models. Mentors included Aaron Gailmor, Chris Reade, Diego Pinzon, Joe McMenemon, Ben Cappiello, Clay Christian, Kirk Coco, and Sabrina Short. Their insights and guidance were instrumental in shaping the final presentations.
On the final day, Foss coached the teams on how to prepare to deliver compelling pitches. With the support of mentors, the teams practiced and perfected their idea storytelling before taking the stage in a live pitch competition, where cash prizes were awarded.
The Startup Sprint inspired a diverse array of creative business ideas, including an online platform designed to resolve disputes between utility companies and customers, a "sommelier in your pocket" service to aid restaurants in wine sales and help diners make better selections, and customized tours tailored for targeted unique vacation experiences. Other concepts included a market research platform to connect college students with local businesses, a brick-and-mortar cookie business specializing in bespoke treats, an AI tool for streamlining email management, and an immersive reading experience using AI. These ideas reflected a blend of innovative solutions addressing various market needs and customers.
Eight teams presented their startup ideas to a panel of judges, which included Tim Williamson, Founder of the Nieux Society and the Idea Village; Kimberly Gramm, the David and Marion Mussafer Chief Innovation and Entrepreneurship Officer of the Tulane Innovation Institute; Amina McCutchen, owner of Holistic Herb Bae; and Karen DeBlieux, head of U.S. corporate banking and market president of Capital One Commercial Banking.
Cookie Kitchen won first place for its unique approach to customizable baked goods, emphasizing customer experience and scalability. The $1,000 prize was awarded to local community members Sadie Bruno, Makeda Butler, Kristen Woltering, and Denise Woltering. Notably, Sadie and Makeda, who led the teams’ final winning pitch, are high school students at Benjamin Franklin High School and The Willow School (respectively).
Second place and a prize of $750 were awarded to One Loop, which impressed the judges with its potential to improve email communications by prioritizing important messages using AI. The team included Tulane School of Medicine faculty member Alex Attia, Tulane School of Medicine students Nishant Jain and Ibrahim Yazgan, Tulane School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine student Abel Gelan, and local community member Bitsy Metcalf.
The third-place prize of $500 was awarded to Market In, a team of Tulane undergraduate students made up of Ben Williams, Adam Rubin, and Loyola University student Tristan Sariego. Their idea stood out as a unique platform to bridge the gap between businesses and the traditionally elusive customer segment of college students. They proposed a strategic solution to enhance market reach and engagement.
At Startup Sprint 2025, new friendships were formed, and aspiring founders gained invaluable entrepreneurial education to help them start new businesses in our community. More than just a competition, the event celebrated a culture of innovation and collaboration that will continue beyond the three-day sprint.
As participants pursue their ideas, the connections they made and the skills they developed will help shape the next generation of entrepreneurs, strengthening both Tulane’s startup ecosystem and New Orleans’ growing entrepreneurial landscape.
