2026 Pitch Competition Presenters and Winners
Jump To: AI Track | Early Stage | Pre-Commercialization Stage | Commercialization Stage | Growth Stage
AI Track Presenters |
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Abhishek Sastri Autonomous cooling and power optimization for data centers. Winner AI Track |
Robert Cooper AI-driven energy optimization for multi-family buildings. |
Caroline Comeau Real-time wildfire risk detection and grid resilience platform. |
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Ben Snyder Unified, real-time platform for high-fidelity grid operations. |
Michelle McGregor-Smith Fiber optic sensors for real-time infrastructure monitoring. |
Jared O'Leary AI sensing tech for optimizing advanced material and battery manufacturing. |
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Dr. Palak Jain Edge AI computing using analog signals to reduce bandwidth and storage needs. |
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Early Stage Presenters |
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Aidan Mickleburgh CO₂-to-commodity chemical conversion using catalysis. Winner Early Stage |
Zhengshan Yu High-efficiency tandem perovskite-silicon solar cells. |
Pauliina Meskanen Thermal battery for cost-effective industrial process heating. |
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Hunter Manz Advanced centrifuge and reverse osmosis systems for water. |
James Custer Mixed PET and bioplastics recycling for virgin-quality materials. |
Lucas Mejia Kerguelen High-efficiency geothermal power process reducing capital costs. |
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Kian Lopez Ultra-pure water membranes for semiconductors. |
Claudiu Bucur High-conductivity polymer batteries for mobility systems. |
Gus Marquez Efficient mineral recovery from polluted mine water using ozone. |
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Bryan Thomas Modular residential solar inverters reducing system costs. |
Emerson Reiter Reversible solid oxide fuel cells for power generation and storage. |
Jyoti Taneja Biological fungicides for safe crop protection. |
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Haixia Casey Deng Battery-critical mineral recovery via hydro-separation. |
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Pre-Commercialization Stage Presenters |
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Hitesh Manglani Food-waste fibers with flame-retardant and antibacterial properties. Winner Pre-Commercialization Stage |
Shiv Bhakta Peel-and-stick solar modules requiring no structural changes. Winner People's Choice Award |
Johan Kers Low-temperature enzymatic recycling of plastics and textiles. |
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Kevin O'Connor High-voltage capacitors for next-gen power electronics. |
George Hunter Efficient multi-fuel engines for heavy-duty applications. |
Jacob Grose AI-designed ammonia catalysts for energy efficiency. |
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Emmanuel Kasseris Methane-to-green methanol conversion for fuel and chemicals. |
Jose LaSalle Supercapacitors from agricultural waste for reliable power. |
Tyler Evans Sodium-ion batteries with high energy density and lower material costs. |
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Amrit Vivekanand Compact power converters enhancing thermal performance. |
Alexa Schmitz Rare earth elements recovery via engineered microbes. |
Blake Martin Tin-oxide nanoparticle inks improving perovskite solar cell efficiency. |
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Skylar Bagdon Lightweight perovskite modules to upgrade aging solar panels. |
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Commercialization Stage Presenters |
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Liz Dennett Biological solutions for copper extraction with real-time monitoring. Winner Best Venture |
Ross Bonner Energy-efficient dehumidification using metal-organic frameworks. Winner Commercialization Stage |
Aaron Baskerville-Bridges Transparent silica aerogel insulating windows for energy efficiency. |
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Lincoln Miara Upcycling battery waste into lithium iron phosphate for cathodes. |
Addison Stark Electrified heat pump for high-temperature industrial steam. |
Andrew Jones Pyrolysis tech converting biomass into biocarbon. |
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Moji Karimi Waste-to-bio-based chemicals for diverse applications. |
Peter Godart Materials extraction and aluminum-to-energy conversion systems. |
Robert Anstey Silicon anodes for batteries with high energy density and temperature resilience. |
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Moshe Cohen Microgrids for grid storage from parked vehicles. |
Alex Lau Lightweight wood-based material stronger than steel. |
Floris De Bruijn Modular direct air capture systems. |
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Stefan Reinartz On-site hydrogen from industrial off-gases without electricity. |
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Growth Stage Presenters |
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Nico Pinkowski Nitrogen fertilizers produced from agricultural waste, air, and water. Winner Growth Stage |
Kayli Smith Reusable packaging system with asset tracking and automated sanitation. |
Dr. Martin Gross Algal systems for nutrient recovery from wastewater. |
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Anas Al Kassas Energy-efficient window retrofits using glazing technology. |
André Pujadas Recycling solar modules to reclaim critical resources and reduce waste. |
Tom Nenniger Behind-the-meter storage systems to lower peak energy demand. |
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