Now well underway, the second cohort of the Techstars Emory Founders Catalyst Program (TEFC) is deep into its 10-week experience. Anyone with an Emory-affiliation—undergraduate and graduate students, faculty, staff, and alumni—can apply for this free, community-driven program, in which participants with idea- and early-stage ventures learn how to become investment ready.
The program is the by-product of a triad partnership between Goizueta Business School’s Roberto C. Goizueta Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation; The Hatchery, Emory’s Center for Innovation; and Techstars, the world’s most active pre-seed investor.
“The Hatchery is excited about this program because it provides Emory founders with the opportunity to connect with the top-tier, global Techstars venture supporting community,” says Ben Garrett, director of The Hatchery, Emory University’s Center for Innovation.
As the program enters its second year, lessons learned from the first cohort were applied to better the experience, including enhancing the mentoring model, relying more heavily on the expertise of Techstars network, and increasing the post-program benefits. Brian Cayce, managing director of the Roberto C. Goizueta Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation, says these changes were made to ensure the founders felt “surrounded by support along their entrepreneurial journey that begins the moment they submit their application to the Founder Catalyst and lasts long after the last masterclass sessions and demo day.”
This year, the program received 70 applications for just 20 highly coveted spots. Overwhelmingly, the applications came from current Emory University students. While this year’s founders span many industries, 60% of the companies represented fall within deep tech, future of people, and sciences, with enterprise and consumer following closely behind.
“This is the second cohort of the Techstars Emory Founders Catalyst program, and the quality of the founders and the ventures continues to improve from cycle to cycle,” says Cayce. “There seem to be some special, intangible qualities about being an Emory-affiliated founder that makes for very wise, empathetic, and emotionally-intelligent founders. This translates into the uniqueness of their ventures, and lends itself to an amazing—actually, mind-blowing—cohort.”
Harman Lindsey 24MBA: Misfit Adventure
Harman Lindsey 24MBA learned of the catalyst program from Cayce and thought it would be a good learning opportunity. Lindsey’s company, Misfit Adventure, is an educational game publisher he created while transitioning from the Army.
Emory Business: Tell us a little about your company.
Game design is one of the best teachers of technology…We have a tool that allows schools of all kinds and all resources to develop a good STEM program for their students that didn’t rely on them buying a new software. They can use the resources they have and use the Misfit Adventure license to build it.
Emory Business: What have you learned or found most valuable from the Techstars Emory Founders Catalyst program thus far?
Different types of funding and how exits look to each source. [This information has] forced me to ask what I want from Misfit Adventure.
Emory Business: Have you learned anything that you weren’t expecting?
Customer discovery. I had been set on my pilot program when I started the program, but through the lessons learned, I actually opened up pathways to make customers out of companies I thought of as competitors.
Emory Business: Anything else you’ve learned or enjoyed so far?
This program really helps you get the good sense of where your entrepreneurship journey can go. While it might not apply to something you’re doing specifically right now, I am so grateful to have done this program and have my eye on things to look out for in the future.
Madalyn Tolbert 20Ox 22C and pi9eon
After graduate school, Madalyn Tolbert 20Ox 22C traveled around Asia and tried sending postcards back home to her friends and family. Much of this mail arrived months after she returned home. Tolbert and her co-founder and pen pal created Pi9eon to allow for a more seamless (and faster) mailing experience for individuals who enjoy sending and receiving mail. Tolbert heard of the program from an Emory connection.
Emory Business: Why did you decide to apply to Techstars Emory Founders Catalyst program?
It felt like a natural way to reconnect with Atlanta and the Emory community, which I missed. The Techstars program also seemed like a fantastic opportunity to learn valuable skillsets and tools, hear from others who are building, and connect with a community that could help grow Pi9eon. I wanted to make sure I was approaching starting a company seriously, and joining the program has helped me take the right first steps.
Emory Business: What have you found most valuable from the experience so far?
I have really enjoyed the guest speakers. Many of them are Emory alumni, so it is comforting to know that many of these startup founders were once in our shoes. Hearing about their journeys has been motivating, as the founder’s journey can be incredibly exciting and creative, but also lonely and discouraging. I also love the opportunity to connect with them after their presentations and network within the Emory community. We have pitch sessions every Thursday, where we do one- to three-minute pitches in front of the group. That has helped me refine Pi9eon’s mission and narrative, while improving my public speaking skills, which are vital as a founder.
Emory Business: Anything you’ve learned so far that’s surprised you?
I have loved learning about the other startups in the accelerator: the different types of companies, their journeys, what they are thinking about, and what they have already done. It has been helpful to compare notes and learn from one another. You save a lot of time when you can share what has worked and what has not.
Emory Business: What are your goals for the rest of the program?
Keep improving my pitch and working on my communication skills. I am confident Pi9eon is a highly differentiated offering, and I want to be able to communicate that as effectively as possible. Beyond that, I would like to continue learning more about how to scale the business.
Helen Khuri 26C and Smush
Helen Khuri 26C learned of the catalyst program through her other entrepreneurial adventures at Emory: the Incubator and Accelerator programs at The Hatchery. The Techstars program was repeatedly brought up as a next step for founders, and Khuri felt it was what she needed to do personally and professionally for her business, Smush, which designs fashionable compression wear for women. The idea for her business stems from a personal experience, but she says the “moment of recognition” when other women wear her product, which she’s designed to be not only efficient at pain relief but also stylish, is what propelled her business forward.
Emory Business: What’s been the most valuable lesson or experience for you so far?
One of the most valuable aspects of the Techstars program has been the people. There’s something incredibly powerful about being in a room where everyone is pushing the boundaries of what they thought was possible. My peers inspire me constantly—to think bigger, move with more courage, and embrace the uncertainty that comes with building something meaningful. What I especially appreciate is the diversity of perspectives within the group; it truly feels like a melting pot of ideas, backgrounds, and ambitions.
Coming from an Art History background, I initially felt like an outsider in the entrepreneurship space. But one of my greatest takeaways has been recognizing that there isn’t a single mold for what a founder looks like. Being in this environment has reinforced that I earned my place here, and that my perspective is not only valid, but also valuable. More than anything, Techstars has given me a sense of belonging within a community of deeply driven, thoughtful, and generous people.
Emory Business: Have you learned anything you weren’t expecting?
One of the most surprising aspects of the experience has been the energy it gives me. Living with chronic fatigue, I’m very aware of how quickly most environments can become depleting, but this program has been the opposite. Even after long days, I find myself leaving our sessions feeling more energized than when I arrived—full of inspiration, excitement, and a renewed sense of possibility. There’s this unique balance of questioning (‘How am I going to make this happen?’) paired with a deep, steady conviction that I will.
Emory Business: What are your goals or hopes for the rest of the program?
I’m focused on expanding Smush’s social media presence in a meaningful way—building not just visibility but also a genuine community around the product and its mission. At the same time, I’m continuing to grow direct-to-consumer sales of our first product, our signature sparkle compression tights. Another important area of focus for me is strengthening my pitch. Ultimately, my goal is to leave the program not only with stronger traction as a business, but also as a more effective and resilient founder—someone who can communicate Smush’s vision with both conviction and precision.
Celebrate the founders at this year’s Demo Day—the culmination of 10 weeks’ worth of work for these founders. Demo Day will be held on April 23 between 6-8 p.m. Reserve your spot!
