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VenturePack Challenge

NC State's largest student startup competition. Join us in April 2026 for the next ceremony and showcase!

NC State’s Annual Flagship Startup Competition!

Originating in 2009 and formerly known as eGames, the VenturePack Challenge is an NC State student competition created for the purpose of providing guidance, resources, mentorship and cash to student entrepreneurs.

Maybe you are working on a non-profit organization, a for-profit business, a solo-preneur with a side hustle or perhaps you are not exactly sure what type of founder you might be! All ventures, organizational types, size and stages are welcome in the VenturePack Challenge.

There are two tracks for the competition – the student track and the Daugherty Endowment Track.

  • The student track is open to all undergraduate and graduate student teams comprised of at least 50% degree-seeking NC State students.
  • The Daugherty Endowment Track is open to officially registered startup companies that have licensed NC State intellectual property in the past three years.

Teams must forgo two rounds of judging across different categories, measuring everything from market feasibility, financial strategy and beyond.

Exciting Entrepreneurship Displayed at VenturePack Challenge

Wolfpack entrepreneurs competed at NC State’s largest entrepreneurship competition on April 14, 2025.

2025 Student Team Finalists

audio.edu is an online and mobile platform that will offer AI and human-recorded audio versions of several types of educational content, including independently published books, case studies, and research publications. Bringing this material to audio allows end-users to experience the content in a new and efficient way, and it also unlocks new markets and revenue opportunities for the authors.

Alternative vending system that dispenses necessities that are not currently available 24/7 on NC State’s campus.

Our venture offers a fully biodegradable golf tee with a PVA shell and sand core that dissolves overnight, reducing the littering of tee boxes and minimizing damage to reel mowers, helping golf courses maintain a pristine and premium experience for their members.

EventFlow is an AI-powered event planning platform that streamlines the entire event lifecycle, from ideation to execution, by automating repetitive tasks and providing intelligent recommendations for venues, vendors, and timelines. Our platform transforms the complex, time-consuming process of event planning into a seamless, intuitive experience for organizers of any skill level.

Our venture combines AI-driven insights with wearable hardware to enhance post-surgical knee recovery through real-time tracking and personalized feedback, improving patient adherence whilst aiding clinical decision-making.

oReminder is an ecosystem that automates the post-surgery monitoring process, remotely notifies people and analyzes the data periodically.

Perseverancia, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, is dedicated to supporting rural schools in El Salvador, currently funding and building seventh, eighth, and ninth-grade classrooms for our partner, Liceo Juan Calvino. Founded in 2023 after witnessing the urgent need for better educational infrastructure in Soyapango, Perseverancia seeks to transform education through a model of learning, travel, and action.

Pirate Trails is an outdoor adventure brand that aims at encouraging more people to enjoy the outdoors while innovating the Mountain Biking and Snowsports industries. My magnetic pedal inserts are designed to help bridge the gap between the comfort of flat pedals and the power transfer of clipless pedals, making for a more efficient and enjoyable riding experience in a cost-effective way.

Scyntek is developing a noninvasive, PPG-based deep vein thrombosis (DVT) detection device that enables early and accessible diagnosis to prevent life-threatening complications. Our innovative technology simplifies DVT screening, reducing the need for costly and time-consuming imaging methods while improving patient outcomes.

Our idea is to create a social platform for travelers with an in-app built-in AI agent that creates personalized travel itineraries, offering tailored recommendations, real-time adjustments. Ensure user have their localized, fun experience.

An AI-powered venture dedicated to detecting and preventing fraudulent activities enabled by advanced AI technologies. Leveraging machine learning and real-time data analysis, we equip law enforcement and security agencies with cutting-edge tools to identify, investigate, and combat digital crime. Our solution safeguards data integrity and protects businesses from emerging AI-driven threats in an increasingly digital world

2025 Showcase Exhibitors

AI Software Company creating groundbreaking technology at a fraction of the cost!

The world’s first camping chair that’s also a portable toilet.

I own an online macaron shop in the Triangle area. I cater for events and weddings, offer free local delivery in the Triangle area and offer custom gift boxes for local businesses and realtors to share with their clients.

Hyper-Individualized Education for All

LockedIn is an accountability app that motivates you to hit your daily goals by having you share picture proof of your completed tasks with friends and like-minded individuals.

We help service businesses effortlessly track inventory in real time using smart, weight-sensitive storage bins for unmatched accuracy and efficiency.

We automate 3D printing process

A mobile app helping high school students find roommates and friends before they arrive.

Star Candy is a Raleigh, NC based creative company that drives user experience innovation through interactive human-made (no AI involved in the creative process) story, art, and design technology products while carrying out set values.

Whop is a marketplace that helps anybody start a digital product business in minutes. For students, Whop removes the biggest barriers to starting a business

CraftMap is a local market discovery, tracking, and planning website that keeps track of events, optimizes your time, and allows you to shop online within your local area.

Creating community through casual, video game events for all gamers regardless of skill level. 🏳️‍🌈✊🏾

Airmage Media Productions delivers top-tier professional photo, video, and aerial production, and marketing strategy services to help businesses and companies grow and take their brands and services to the next level!

Ragtag is a visually stunning platform that brings students together, helping them discover and engage with campus organizations while ensuring they never miss the events that matter most to them.

We also thank Eastman Chemical Company for their support.

Daugherty Endowment Challenge

The Daugherty Endowment has been a contributing partner of the VenturePack Challenge since 2016, with the primary goal of increasing the success of startup companies based on NC State IP. The Daugherty Endowment Track is open to officially registered startup companies who have licensed NC State intellectual property in the past three years — meaning their licenses must be currently active. The funds allocated to winning companies can be used for critical early-stage business expenses.  For the past five years, the Daugherty Track has awarded prizes totaling $50,000 each year – with first place receiving $25,000, second receiving $15,000 and third receiving $10,000. In 2021, the Daugherty Track had two teams tie for first place.

The Daugherty Endowment Track is made possible by The Richard L. and Marlene V. Daugherty Centennial Campus Entrepreneurialism Endowment (Daugherty Endowment) with funding partnership from the Kenan Institute for Engineering, Technology & Science and collaboration with the NC State Office of Partnerships and Office of Research Commercialization.

2025 Daugherty Track Winners

Soteria Formulations minimizes agrochemical overuse and off-target losses by converting crop harvest biomass into modern farming equipment-compatible seed coatings and pelleted granules that improve the performance of agrochemical and biologicals by integrating targeted delivery and controlled releases. By replacing synthetic polymers in agricultural formulations, our products minimize agrochemical overuse, reduce off-target losses, and lower agriculture’s carbon footprint. Our technology supports regulatory compliance, streamlines product registration, and increases farmers’ return on investment by improving yield and produce quality with fewer field applications.

Nicelle Technologies INC was founded to produce acrylic fibers and precursors to carbon fiber in the US that are economical, nontoxic, and eco-friendly for use in defense textiles and commercial markets. The AcrylFLOW process was licensed from NC State University to reduce the carbon footprint and overall cost of manufacturing performance fibers for textiles and nonwovens from poly(acrylonitrile).

MyoMech is a biomedical technology startup from NC State University developing a wearable afferent stimulation sleeve to provide real-time, on-demand tremor suppression for individuals with Essential Tremor (ET) and Parkinson’s Disease (PD). By integrating body-conformable ultrasound sensors with stacked stimulation electrodes, MyoMech’s innovative device delivers personalized, multi-muscle tremor suppression that outperforms existing non-invasive solutions. Their technology aims to enhance mobility, improve quality of life, and create a scalable, non-invasive alternative to current treatment options.

Verdia is an AgTech startup that is focused on bringing early plant disease diagnostic tools to growers.  Their on-plant sensor technology diagnoses diseases in real-time, significantly earlier than traditional methods, saving growers significant amounts of crops, revenue and time.

LOOM3D is pioneering a revolutionary technology to produce high-quality, seamless woven pants. Their proprietary method eliminates the need for traditional cut-and-sew processes, significantly reducing material waste, shortening production timelines, and cutting manufacturing costs. By leveraging a 3D weaving process, LOOM3D offers a sustainable solution for the apparel industry that promotes cost efficiency and environmental impact reduction.

The Daugherty Track at the VenturePack Challenge is made possible thanks to the following:

  • Richard and Marlene Daugherty Entrepreneurialism Endowment 
  • Kenan Institute for Engineering, Technology & Science
  • NC State Office of Partnerships
  • NC State Office of Research Commercialization