Polsky Center Announces Teams Selected for the 14th Annual College New Venture Challenge

The Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation is pleased to announce the teams selected for the 14th annual College New Venture Challenge (CNVC), an undergraduate student startup accelerator.

This year’s cohort spans sectors from AI-powered hospital tools and quantum optimization engines to energy-efficiency platforms, sports performance analytics, and gourmet consumer products – reflecting the growing sophistication and diversity of undergraduate entrepreneurship.

“Each year, the caliber of teams in the CNVC applicant pool rises, and this year was no exception,” said Starr Marcello, AM ’04, MBA ’17, deputy dean for MBA programs at the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business and professor of the CNVC. “This year’s teams bring a remarkable level of creativity, technical depth, and ambition. I’m thrilled to watch them refine their ideas, test their assumptions, and evolve as entrepreneurs throughout the program.”

The CNVC continues to see growth, with teams last year receiving more than $460,000 in total investment — including the winning team taking $115,000. Alumni companies include Natuur, Haylon Technologies, Cubii, Sokowatch, and Fronen.

Launched in 2012, the CNVC is one of four tracks of the University of Chicago’s New Venture Challenge, a top-ranked accelerator that has supported more than 600 companies, including Grubhub, Simple Mills, and Braintree.

The CNVC is open to returning undergraduate students from UChicago and counts toward the new Entrepreneurship and Innovation minor. Participants develop their businesses during a credit-bearing course at Chicago Booth and ultimately pitch their ventures to a panel of investors and industry judges for an opportunity to receive investment.

The CNVC finals will take place on March 6, 2026.

The following teams have been selected to participate in this year’s CNVC:

Apeiron Energies // Apeiron is a software-only, system-agnostic platform that unifies previously unintegrated data from each Building Automation System across university campuses. Using AI, it detects inefficiencies, prioritizes alerts, and recommends energy-saving actions, enabling campuses to manage grid-wide energy use more efficiently, maintain safety, prevent surges, and keep overall costs low.

Clementine Health // Clementine Health uses AI-powered screen monitoring to eliminate hospital discharge delays. Its overlay reads EHR screens and flags coordination barriers from day one, like insurance gaps, equipment needs, and placement issues, so hospitals can coordinate proactively instead of reactively. It is addressing a $33.6 billion annual waste problem with measurable ROI.

Convergence // Convergence is an AI-powered physical security software platform that unifies disconnected systems, like cameras, alarms, and locks, into one intelligent network. Using edge-AI models for instant threat detection and automated response workflows, it enables schools, hospitals, and businesses to modernize safety operations without replacing legacy infrastructure, ensuring faster emergency management.

GuineaLoft // GuineaLoft consists of a team of six based in China that designs and manufactures products for small pets such as cages, enrichment toys, and cage accessories. Its aim is to bring innovation to the overlooked pets of the world, i.e., guinea pigs, hamsters, rabbits, birds, and more.

Hafestus // Hafestus is building an AI-powered estimating and pre-construction platform for commercial contractors that amplifies estimator efficiency by automating templating, summarization, compliance checks, and by providing data-driven material and cost suggestions. It integrates with existing construction software to speed bidding and win more projects for its users.

Haldune // Haldune is an AI-powered debrief platform that captures high-quality operational lessons through fast, voice-based hotwashes and automatically generates structured After Action Reports. By transforming frontline experience into searchable, decision-ready insight, Haldune helps teams operating in high-risk environments learn faster, avoid repeated mistakes, and retain critical knowledge across unit rotations.

HandsIn // HandsIn is an innovative, web-based ASL e-learning platform that transforms how hearing individuals, families, educators, and interpreters learn American Sign Language (ASL). Unlike traditional video-based courses, HandsIn uses interactive lessons, real-time gesture recognition, and AI-driven feedback to create a personalized and immersive learning experience.

Health Salaries // HealthSalaries.com is a physician salary transparency and jobs platform. It provides granular compensation, instant salary benchmarking, data analytics tools, plus a job board for employers and recruiters. Its goal is to be the trusted source for physician pay intelligence and hiring.

Home Patch Testing, Inc. // Home Patch Testing Inc. will offer at-home skin allergy patch testing kits that allow users to test for potential skin allergens without visiting a dermatologist. Through an online portal, users receive instructions, submit their results, and consult with dermatologists who interpret them and offer advice.

Kinetide Inc. // Kinetide is developing a clip-on device for competitive swimmers to capture in-water data and deliver detailed, actionable feedback for individual swimmers and their coaches. This device allows coaches and athletes to identify inefficiencies, track progress throughout the season, and prevent injuries – bringing high-performance biomechanics into everyday training.

OptimizeChain // OptimizeChain brings quantum-classical hybrid optimization to logistics operations. It specializes in large-scale routing, scheduling, and warehouse management problems where classical optimization falls short. Through risk-free pilots, it validates quantum advantages on real operational data before phased integration and scaling.

Scout // Scout is a fintech platform connecting accredited individual investors with emerging private equity and venture funds through registered investment advisor partnerships. By bridging two underserved ends of the market—individuals seeking access and managers seeking capital—Scout democratizes private markets through technology, transparency, and compliant fund infrastructure.

Seed & Pot // Seed & Pot offers gourmet chia seed puddings blending artisanal quality with unique, Instagram-worthy flavors and the visuals to match. Made from organic ingredients, these nutrient-dense one-pot snacks deliver convenience, taste, and visual appeal for health-conscious, social media-savvy consumers seeking wholesome, ready-to-eat breakfast or snack options.

Slyde // Slyde is a mobile payment app built to become the “Venmo for Mexico.” Users can complete transactions in under 20 seconds using our proven feature set, including a wallet, @usernames, social feeds, and group payment tools.

VendorAI // VendorAI helps small event decorators work smarter with their portfolios. Decorators can use AI-powered text and image search and image generation tools to create new design ideas from past projects, allowing them to instantly find and showcase designs that align with a client’s vision.

VergeSci // VergeSci is the digital ecosystem for research: a centralized platform that unifies peer-reviewed papers, researchers, and the power of large-language models. With Eureka, our RAG-based “neuroscientist in your pocket”, users get verified, research-backed answers in seconds, turning static literature into a living, interactive discussion through VergeSci’s collaborative network of researchers.

To learn more about the CNVC, visit the program page or contact Julie Colhoff at Julie.Colhoff@chicagobooth.edu.