Exciting Entrepreneurship Displayed at VenturePack Challenge

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

April 24, 2025 Jaclyn McVey 4-min. read

This year’s VenturePack Challenge teams came and conquered the competition. We saw a variety of ventures from medical devices to AI technology to non-profits and more—even a new bike pedal design for increased rider safety.

Student teams went through two rounds of judging, including a pitch with a grueling question-and-answer session from the judges. At the ceremony on April 14, student teams pitched to a crowd of 150+ people, including two judges, Kim Battle and David Baxter. In addition to the student track exists the Daugherty Endowment track, which is open to officially registered startup companies that have licensed NC State intellectual property in the past three years, which awarded $70,000 to five teams this year. During this ceremony, the 2024 Wolf Den competitors were recognized for their accomplishments as well.

After the pitches and the ceremony, guests were ushered to the showcase portion of the night. Here, the student teams were joined by other Wolfpack entrepreneurs, where they were able to tell the community more about their ventures.

Student Teams

Scyntek is developing a noninvasive, PPG-based deep vein thrombosis (DVT) detection device that enables early and accessible diagnosis to prevent life-threatening complications.

Knee Artificial Intelligence Rehabilitation Sleeve (KAIRS) combines AI-driven insights with wearable hardware to enhance post-surgical knee recovery through real-time tracking and personalized feedback, improving patient adherence while aiding clinical decision-making.

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

Tripure is a social platform for travelers with an in-app built-in AI agent that creates personalized travel itineraries, offering tailored recommendations and real-time adjustments to ensure users have a fun, localized experience.

CoreTee 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.

Pirate Trails is an outdoor adventure brand that encourages more people to enjoy the outdoors while innovating the mountain biking and snow sports industries. Pirate Trails has developed magnetic pedal inserts to help bridge the gap between the comfort of flat pedals and the power transfer of clipless pedals—making a more efficient and enjoyable ride experience in a cost-effective way.

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. The platform transforms the complex, time-consuming process of event planning into a seamless, intuitive experience.

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 their 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.

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

Audio.edu is an online 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. It also unlocks new markets and revenue opportunities for the authors.

Daugherty Endowment Track

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

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.

Thank you to VenturePack Challenge sponsor Eastman Chemical Company, as well as the judges, partners, departments and students that make this competition possible.

1/2