On a cold evening in February, students crowded into a Grainger Hall classroom in hopes of making a connection. But even though February is best known for Valentine’s Day — and candy was involved — this meet up was more about startup partnerships than romance.
The event, PartnerUp, began with a series of short, one-to-two-minute pitches from individuals who had pre-registered to present — they each received a bowl of candy from Goldberg Family Director Dan Olszewski meant to be shared with future collaborators. During these pitches, future founders introduced their startup ideas, explaining their visions and the type of assistance they needed — whether in software development, marketing, finance, or other areas. The goal was to foster meaningful connections by linking innovators with potential co-founders, mentors, or supporters who could help advance their projects.
Among the pitches was a next-generation AI-based ERP solution aimed at revolutionizing enterprise resource planning in manufacturing. The founder highlighted the inefficiencies of current ERP software, such as SAP and Oracle, and proposed a more flexible and affordable AI-driven alternative called Catalyst AI. This solution aimed to streamline operations while making customizations significantly easier and faster.
Another compelling idea was a mental healthcare management service designed to enhance communication between therapists and clients. The founder sought collaborators with technical expertise in software development and business planning to refine the platform and bring it to market.
A group of students also introduced a blockchain-based fundraising platform, aiming to improve transparency and accountability in charitable donations. Their vision was to create a crypto-powered version of GoFundMe, where donors could track exactly how their contributions were being used. They were looking for skilled developers to help with frontend and backend development.
The event wrapped up with an engaging networking session, where attendees exchanged feedback and discussed potential partnerships over Twizzlers, M&Ms and Reese’s. Maybe next year — given the season — Conversation Hearts should be included.
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